Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, Europe, Volume II

851A.01/58

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Atherton)

[Washington,] December 29, 1941.

Participants:	Mr. Kay Atherton, Department of State.
	Mr. Adrian Tixier, Free French Commissioner, Washington.
	Mr. Boegner.36
	Mr. Samuel Reber, Department of State.

Mr. Tixier called today at his request. He confirmed what he had already reported to us over the telephone that he had no information previous to the occupation of St. Pierre Miquelon by the Free French forces and had wanted us to realize that he had issued no statement from the Free French quarters here although they had frequently been pressed to do so. He then said he would like to give me a memorandum³⁷ under instructions from General De Gaulle which I read in his presence and said I could not accept because it was entirely based on an erroneous fact that at the moment of the occupation of the Island no government held any assurances from General De Gaulle that such an occupation would not take place. (This was the first information the Department had received from General De Gaulle to the effect that he had withdrawn his assurances regarding forcible occupation of the Islands.) I then went on to explain to the Free French Commissioner that on December 17 Admiral Muselier had had a long discussion with the American Minister in Ottawa³⁸ who had explained to him fully the point of view of this Government and received assurances from Admiral Muselier that he would not occupy St. Pierre Miquelon without the consent of the Canadian and American Governments and that this assurance to the American Minister had never been withdrawn nor the similar assurance which was made to the Canadian Government as well. I then informed M. Tixier that on December 22 we had been officially informed by the Canadian Government³⁹ that all plans they were envisaging for future discussions as to the wireless station on St. Pierre Miquelon were to be suspended and that meanwhile all action by the Free French forces to occupy the Islands had been abandoned. It was in these circumstances I explained to the Free French Commissioner that we felt we were amply reassured and that therefore we were loath to believe that the ships which forcibly seized St. Pierre Miquelon on Christmas Eve were vessels acting under authority of the Free French National Committee.

Ray Atherton

36. Etienne Boegner, representative of the National Committee of Free French.
37. Not found in Department files.
38. See memorandum of December 17 by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs, p. 549.
39. This information was transmitted in a telephone conversation between Mr. Wrong, Canadian Minister-Counselor, and Mr. Atherton on December 22; no record of conversation found in Department files.