740.00112 European War 1939/2784a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

1794. With regard to the proposed plan of economic assistance to North Africa, we have now received a report from Murphy who is in Algiers and who was instructed, in the light of recent developments in France and Marshal Petain’s statement, to obtain from Weygand personally a full statement of the position of the French Government in North Africa. From Murphy’s conversations it is clear that at least for the present Weygand has not changed his position.

Weygand said that he was glad to assure the American representative most solemnly that the French African situation was not directly affected by whatever agreements his Government at Vichy may have made in connection with Syria or otherwise; that if it were affected, he would promptly inform us of any change. Furthermore, he denied emphatically that German and/or Italian planes were permitted to [Page 351] land and to refuel in North Africa, that troops were allowed passage and that fuel deliveries were being made. Weygand declared that he had met with some success in vigorously opposing German infiltration into French North Africa. He said there was no German infiltration into Dakar or French West Africa. In deploring the presence of 185 German armistice personnel in French Morocco he said that urgent measures were being taken to stop German propaganda effort among the natives.

Murphy reports that following his conversations both with Weygand and other officials he was convinced that Weygand had given no subordinate any authorization, either expressly or tacitly, to discuss the question of military aid. Murphy’s report concludes that we are justified in proceeding with the economic plan. Its discontinuance at this time added to their acute depression over the political trend at Vichy would discourage our friends and greatly reinforce the element which has continuously argued that it is foolish to look for practical cooperation anywhere except to Germany.

Please bring the foregoing considerations to the attention of the Prime Minister and tell him that we feel that these assurances are sufficient to warrant going forward without change at least for the present with the proposed limited and controlled economic assistance to North Africa. We feel strongly that it would be advisable to do this in the light of the present circumstances.

Consequently, we have already authorized the departure of a second group of observers who will be charged with the control on the spot of any deliveries and distribution of economic assistance. The matter was discussed yesterday with the British Ambassador who was requested urgently to communicate our views to the British Government and we are confident that the British Government will recognize the importance of an urgent decision in this matter.

Hull