740.0011 European War 1939/2855: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 31—8:55 a.m.]
964. For the President and the Secretary. Last night Daladier42 informed me that he was about to sign and send a note to the Italian Government stating that the Italian Government had informed the British Government that it intended to make war on France. The Italian Government had made no similar communication to the French Government. The French Government desired to know for what reasons the Italian Government intended to commit an unprovoked aggression against a people who had always lived in peace with the people of Italy and desired nothing but to live in peace with the people of Italy. The French Government was fully prepared at this moment to examine at once any claims which the Italian Government might have against France with a view to satisfying them.
Daladier went on to say that he felt this move was wise because either Mussolini would make such outrageous claims that the whole of the French Empire would be swept by a flame of patriotism or Mussolini would refuse to reply, in which case the people of the French Empire would know that the French Government had done everything possible to avoid an unprovoked attack by Italy.
- Edouard Daladier, French Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩