740.0011 European War 1939/9258: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 23—8:44 a.m.]
334. Algiers cable March 20, Embassy’s 332, March 22 and Department’s 237, March 18, 7 p.m., last paragraph. Foreign Office, Defense Ministry and Ministry of Marine sources all deny categorically: (a) that any German bombers are convoying any French ships; (b) that there has been any substantial increase in German observers in Morocco; (c) that any air or submarine bases in French colonial territory have been granted to the Germans: and (d) (with reference to Casablanca’s telegram 109 [103], March 20, 5 p.m.99) that any French submarines or other French warships are now engaged in convoying.
We called on Rochat1 this morning and without mentioning the source referred to the foregoing reports. He said definitely that there has been no German request at this time for utilization of French bases anywhere in North Africa and that France has no intention of granting any such bases if asked. He said that to date the French had been unsuccessful in obtaining any reduction of the 54 Germans now in Morocco but that he could assure me that there had been no real increase. To be absolutely sure he would like to say that “two or three” additional observers may possibly have gone to Morocco but if so he himself has no knowledge of that fact. In any event three additional observers constituted the maximum.
Our Naval Attaché has today received similar denials in naval circles from two higher officers whose sentiments are distinctly pro-British. The Military Attaché likewise has received categorical denials from his well-disposed military contacts.
(As the Department is aware from the press, Admiral Darlan has just returned from another few days of negotiations with the German [Page 277] authorities in Paris. Nothing as yet is known of the nature of his talks or possible commitments. It seems doubtful, however, that he could long conceal any important concessions of the nature indicated.)
I have asked the Consul General at Algiers for further details as to the sources and reliability of his information.