740.0011 European War 1939/13813: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:30 p.m.]
392. Personal for the Under Secretary from Murphy. Weygand’s close associates believe that his visit to Vichy is connected with the proposed accord (projected accord) which they state was signed by Darlan subject to the approval of his Government on May 28 at Paris. Monick at Rabat told me the other day that he recently learned at Vichy from an unimpeachable source that the projected accord contemplated German use of the naval base at Bizerte and the use of Tunisian air bases as well as the installation of German air forces at Casablanca and Dakar. The proposal was not approved by the French Government early in June due to General Weygand’s opposition. To gain time a counterproposal was sent to the Germans. It is believed here that the German comment on that counterproposal has not been received, that Weygand’s trip to Vichy relates to the French study of the German reply which may come before the Council of Ministers Tuesday next.63
The General’s associates say that his attitude is as inflexible as ever; that he is more than ever determined that France will not yield and that he is encouraged in his attitude by the deterioration of the German military situation. There is growing confidence here that Germany is incapable of military intervention in French Africa at present which in part explains the redoubled political pressure the Germans are applying in France.
I urge consideration of a suggestion made this morning by one of Weygand’s aides which concerns the statement made by Admiral Darlan to Ambassador Leahy (see Vichy’s 970, August 1, 4 p.m.64) to the effect that Darlan would have been glad to have given authorization for a visit of four American naval units to Saigon harbor if the United States had acted immediately after his message of July 16 through our Ambassador.65 Weygand’s aide now suggests that Ambassador Leahy should be instructed to inquire of Darlan at once whether it might not be well to apply the principle to Casablanca and arrange for the immediate friendly visit of an impressive squadron of our Atlantic Fleet to Casablanca for the delivery of a good will message to the Sultan of Morocco. If Darlan was sincere regarding Indochina he might be willing to admit the analogy between the two [Page 410] problems and in any event he would be precluded from further similar criticism.
I should be grateful for your comment on this suggestion which seems to merit careful consideration.
Repeated to Vichy. [Murphy.]
- August 12.↩
- For extracts, see ante, p. 189, and vol. v, p. 246.↩
- See telegram No. 888, July 16, 5 p.m., from the Ambassador in France, vol. v, p. 213.↩