851.33/395
Memorandum of Conversation by the Acting Secretary of State
The French Ambassador5 called to see me this morning at his request.
The Ambassador brought up the subject of the Dunkerque.
I told him that I had already made it clear to the French Government by referring to the French communication of April 8, 1941 that the French Government had in no sense by direction or indirection at that time made the assurances given to the United States that this Government would be notified previously in the event that the Dunkerque was moved conditional upon the carrying out by this Government of the requests which the French Government [made?] of us at the same time. I said the language of the French communication of April 8, 1941 spoke for itself and that there was no record of any kind in the State Department which showed that at any time subsequently had the French Government indicated that these assurances concerning the Dunkerque had been conditional. I said the only basis for satisfactory relations between the Vichy Government and ourselves must necessarily be the carrying out of commitments given.
The Ambassador attempted to explain the failure of his Government to live up to its official assurances by saying that these assurances had been given when this country was not a belligerent and that he assumed that our entrance into the war made the French Government feel that the situation with regard to the assurances given had changed.
I stated that I obviously could not accept this contention for one moment. The Ambassador did not press the matter and very evidently felt that he had an indefensible case to argue.
- Gaston Henry-Haye.↩