740.0011 European War 1939/11656: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:10 p.m.]
626. Embassy’s telegram No. 621, June 3, 2 p.m. Monick called this morning, having seen Weygand last night, and gave us the following verbatim account of yesterday’s Cabinet meetings and the vitally important decisions taken thereat.
Weygand was present during the first part of the session yesterday morning at which the meaning and scope of the new policy of Franco-German collaboration was explained to him. It was made clear that [Page 362] naval and air bases (Monick does not know exactly which) are to be given the Germans in North Africa. Weygand protested with the greatest energy against this decision. He stated that it was entirely contrary to the mission he had been given to defend North Africa for France. He left the Council and the deliberations continued.
It was finally decided at the afternoon session that in spite of Weygand’s strenuous objections, France had gone so far along the road of collaboration that the policy must be continued. The Marshal made the strongest possible personal appeal privately to Weygand. He said that he fully understood Weygand’s feelings, but that he must not abandon him, the Marshal, at a time when the French public is already turning against him and tearing up his photograph; Weygand’s departure, he said, would mean the end of him, the Marshal, and all he had striven to do. Weygand, continued Monick, after hours of “mental torture” decided that his loyalty to the Marshal required that he must obey and follow him to the end. Weygand is this morning making an effort at least to obtain a frank and open declaration of French policy; he is saying, Monick went on: “I cannot lie any more. What you are doing, giving bases in Syria and Africa, is not the policy of the Armistice, but quite the contrary. You must say so frankly. You must make an important public declaration of your policies. You must give your reasons for following the path of collaboration; you must point out that it is in order that France may live. You must make known that you have received ‘solemn assurances’ from the Germans that France shall keep her empire”. Weygand is urging that the giving of bases shall be presented as military collaboration solely to preserve the French Empire; it must be shown that Germany is to come to the aid of France to help her defend her Empire.
Monick described Weygand as a man literally tortured by his conscience but whose loyalty requires him to follow the Marshal, and he feels that he will not turn back. Whether and to what extent “collaboration” calls for military and naval action against the dissident colonies Monick said he does not know. But yesterday’s decision he said “means the turning point for France: You should look for no further resistance”.
Repeated to Algiers, Casablanca and Tangier.