851.00/2443: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Leahy)2
839. Your 1417, November 7, 8 p.m. In view of the current uncertainties of the North African situation and having in mind various requests from North Africa for an indication of the amount of military [Page 457] assistance which the United States might supply in the event of German invasion, we were considering ordering Murphy to Washington for a brief period of consultation. He would not need to be absent from North Africa for more than 3 weeks. Your telegram under reference would, however, seem to indicate that events may be moving more rapidly. Should Weygand be removed, we might be obliged to revise our present policy as regards North Africa entirely and the question arises whether in this critical moment it might not be preferable to leave Murphy on the spot. Please telegraph an expression of your views.
- The same, mutatis mutandis, on the same date, to the Consul General at Algiers for Mr. Murphy, as No. 318.↩