Hopkins Papers: Telegram
The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Eden) to the British Ambassador (Halifax)1
most immediate
[London,] December 29, 1941.
7304. Your telegram No. 6081.
Cabinet note that both Czecho-Slovakia and Luxembourg have been omitted.
- 2.
- They presume this is an oversight. If not please represent most strongly to United States Government that omission of Czecho-Slovakia would have disastrous effect on Czecho-Slovakian resistance which is [play]ing2 important part in Allied war effort and that omission of Luxembourg will cause greatest disappointment and will not be understood in view of fact that small Central American Allies such as Costa Rica are included. Possibly U.S.G. feels that they have not conceded quite the same degree of recognition of Czecho-Slovakian Government as other Allies but they have exchanged diplomatic [Page 372] representatives and in any case can not veto their inclusion in list of Allies.
- 3.
- We also think it essential that Free French should be party to declaration as they were to resolutions adopted at Inter-Allied meetings in London in one of which they formally subscribed to Atlantic Charter. They are in every sense an Ally. Their armed forces are collaborating with ours and they control Territories which are strategically of highest importance to us. On outbreak of war with Japan they placed all facilities offered by bases in Free French Pacific Islands at disposal of Allied Forces. Soviet Union and other European Allies have all like H.M.G. established relations with Free French National Committee and fact that U.S.G. have not done so does not in our view entitle U.S.G. to veto participation of Free French in proposed declaration.
- 4.
- If Free French participate it would be necessary to add “Free French [? National]3 Committee” at end of list of participating Governments and to add words “or Authority” after word “Government” in each place where it occurs in Text of declaration.
- 5.
- See also my immediately following telegram.