740.00112 European War 1939/2426: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Leahy ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 31—9:12 a.m.]
367. Embassy’s telegram No. 366, March 30, 11 a.m. Knowing how important the question of supplying North Africa is to General Weygand, we discussed this morning with Count de Leusse, his confidential representative in Vichy, the situation resulting from the sudden Italian demand for immediate delivery of the 5000 tons of gasoline from Algiers. He was familiar with the question and characterized the development as most unfortunate. He said that in the first place Admiral Darlan should have informed us on March 3 that a commitment already existed to make delivery of these 5000 tons from [Page 282] Algeria but that he “imagined” that Admiral Darlan was not then familiar with the details of the French commitment but believed that at French option the quantity in question could be taken from unoccupied France. He is of the opinion that the Italians may now agree to accept the change and that in view of the French commitment made to us the 5000 tons will probably not be shipped from Algiers.
He went on to say that he feels this demand is just a “further effort on the part of the Germans and Italians to poison French relations with the United States.” He pointed out that the Germans were probably well aware of French undertakings to us. He likewise feels that much of the German efforts to increase their observers in Morocco and elsewhere are motivated primarily by the desire to cause us to lose interest in helping North Africa and to bring about further difficulties between the French and British.