740.00112 European War 1939/5629
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Acheson)49
We have been informed by the British Embassy that negotiations have been concluded for the chartering to Portugal of two French tankers, the proceeds of this transaction to be used by the French for purchases in Portugal of goods for French North Africa. The British have promoted this deal as part of their policy of assistance to Portugal and they have asked us whether we would consent to the deduction from our own established quotas for French North Africa of several thousand tons of goods to be sent in from Portugal. The Portuguese Government is likewise pressing us for a decision as to whether these shipments would meet with our approval.
The above proposal immediately raises the question of our own shipments under the terms of the North African economic accord, which has been suspended since the return to power of Mr. Laval. Such shipments are recommended by the Board of Economic Warfare as a psychological warfare measure, in order to prepare the ground for the possible future entry of American troops into French North Africa. The Board points out that, labeled with the American flag, these supplies would have great propaganda value and would assist the local authorities in preventing unrest among the native population. In return for these shipments we would be able to obtain certain critically needed materials, particularly cork, olive oil, red and white squill, essential oils, and possibly wool, hides and skins.
The Office of the Coordinator of Information is supporting the plan for propaganda and psychological reasons and is prepared to handle the packaging and marking of the goods. The Coordinator’s Office has stressed in this connection the difficulty of combating German statements in North Africa that Germany supplies the needs of the people with actual deliveries while we merely give them promises. Moreover, the Coordinator is deeply interested in the maintenance of the twelve control officers stationed in North Africa under the economic accord, whose sources of information with regard to events in that area are regarded as of the greatest importance.
We have received strong indications that unless token shipments are resumed, the activities of these control officers will be terminated by the French Government. Their presence in North Africa is justified only by the shipment of supplies and it is now more than four months since the last vessel reached Casablanca from the United States. In view of the valuable military and naval information received from these officers, the Joint Intelligence Committee has expressed the unanimous opinion that the presence of the vice consuls [Page 303] was of “very substantial value” and that it would be desirable to go to considerable lengths to maintain this representation.
In view of the fact that the recall of the control officers would create a virtual blackout of information in a critical region, it may be desirable at this point to make direct inquiry of the War and Navy Departments as to the value they attach to the resumption of shipments to Casablanca. It may be mentioned that in addition to our Embassy in Vichy, the entire American staff in French North Africa, including the military and naval attachés at Tangier, has expressed the emphatic opinion that shipments should be resumed as a means of strengthening the anti-collaborationist elements and in order that the reports of the control officers may be continued. Officials of the British Government in London, Washington and Tangier have also stressed the importance they attach to this reporting as part of the Anglo-American Joint Intelligence Center in Tangier, which is cooperating effectively with Gibraltar and Malta.
If you concur, the entire question might now be put up for decision by the appropriate officials of the War and Navy Departments as a measure which should be considered in relation to their treatment of the North African area (and on their initiative).
- Addressed to the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State.↩