740.0011 European War 1939/21916: Telegram
The Consul at Tunis (Doolittle) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 2—10:57 p.m.]
74. Admiral Esteva50 returned from Vichy evening May 30. He saw Pétain several times Laval only once. Substance of talks was (1) no negotiations concerning Tunisia outside armistice conditions (2) Italian landing would be resisted by force (3) Germans are apparently not backing Italian claims (4) Laval particularly asked Esteva to prevent any local incidents which might serve as intervention pretext for Italians (5) Darlan is reported to have influenced Esteva against Anglo-Saxons on grounds that by “war of nerves” we are trying to make France take up arms without being ready ourselves to back such movement in force.
Despite this comforting news the Gardes Mobiles were held in barracks over weekend and maneuvers by northern army units at Bou-Ficha south of Tunis cancelled. Troops are to remain in Tunis Cap Bon region.
Repeated Vichy and Casablanca.
- Adm. Jean Pierre Esteva, French Resident General in Tunisia.↩