Office of the Historian

740.00112 European War 1939/6612

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)

[Washington,] August 15, 1942.

This24 is a telegram from the Foreign Office saying they want to get full publicity for their share in the United States–North African supply scheme, and asking us to give them materials so that they can publicize journeys of ships and cargoes, and so forth, through Arabic broadcasts in North Africa.

If anything can be accomplished for the common war effort by British broadcasts advertising themselves in the matter, I not only have no objection but am for it. But as a matter of fact:

(1)
The British have no share in the North African scheme. These are French ships and American goods.
(2)
The British began by opposing the North African scheme, tooth and nail. Later, they came to support it; but one branch of their Government has done its best to sink it, at all times.
(3)
Examination of the papers fails to disclose a scintilla of “British share”, unless it may be that, after finally examining many extraneous considerations they at length waived their objection—an objection, incidentally, which they were unable to enforce, except as we were prepared (as we were) to consider their views.

The British now, for reasons not wholly specified, would like to have it appear as partly a British matter, since the BBC25 has coverage in North Africa, and up to the present, we do not.

I think we should instruct the British Government that we have no objection, provided, after consultation by cable with Murphy, he is of opinion that publicizing the British effort here would be of help. On this score I am frankly dubious. Both the Arabs and [Page 358] the French in North Africa are lukewarm, tending to be more or less favorable to the United States; their two active and direct hatreds appear to be General de Gaulle and the British. In respect of this it should be remembered that the goods which are going to North Africa under the North African Agreement are elaborately and conspicuously labeled as “American”, and there is a fair chance that the BBC would look rather foolish if they proclaimed this as a British démarche. In any case, the Office of War Information should be consulted and should agree with the Political Warfare and BBC people before any broadcasts go out, so that something stupid is not done.

A. A. B[erle], Jr.
[Annex]

Extract From a Telegram From the British Foreign Office, Dated August 12, 1942

We are anxious to obtain all possible publicity for our share in operation of United States-North African supply scheme. To this end we wish to publicise rather intensively journeys of ships, cargoes etc. through our Arabic broadcasts to North Africa.

2. We are given to understand by United States propaganda authorities here that State Department has no objection but would like this confirmed by you.

  1. The annex to this memorandum.↩
  2. British Broadcasting Co.↩