Office of the Historian

740.0011 European War 1939/12051: Telegram

The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State

Algiers, June 13, 1941—5 p.m.
[Received June 14—8:20 a.m.]

240. For the Under Secretary from Murphy. Your 133, June 10. Weygand returned from Dakar unexpectedly last evening. I saw him [Page 377] shortly after his arrival and conveyed your message. He expressed his gratification.

1.
General said he had returned to Algiers prior to schedule because he thought it preferable, with the rapidly changing situation, to be in Algiers. He said there was no change in his status.
[2.]
We talked further about Syria and the General insisted that it is folly for the British to continue in Syria and incite Frenchmen to fight other Frenchmen. He had just concluded a conference with General Odic commanding the air force here. I suspect, but can obtain no confirmation, that the General is faced with a Vichy demand to transfer aviation equipment and personnel to Syria. [Murphy.]
Cole