740.0011 (E. W.)/11–742: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the War Department 94
[Unnumbered.] From Murphy. I have had two confidential visits from Major Dorange the personal aide of General Juin Commanding [Page 399] in French Africa. He called at his request to inform me that Juin is exercised over the grave possibility of an Axis provocation in Tunisia. In brief he wished to know what our attitude would be in event French authorities should request American aid to meet eventual Axis aggression. The officer said among other things that with the consolidation of the German position on the Volga it would soon be possible for the Germans to release aviation and other material and effectives for operations in the Mediterranean; that Kesselring95 disposes at present of approximately twelve hundred planes in the Mediterranean area; that Rommel96 would not be able to undertake an offensive before December 1st because he is encountering not only great transport difficulties but also because of the limitations of port facilities in Libya where Tripoli, Tobruk, and Benghazi offer but meagre possibilities; that the temptation of the Tunisia ports of Bizerta, Sousse and Sfax assumes ever greater proportions, there is evidence that the Axis is pushing the Arab element in Tunisia to a point where disorders may occur which would provide Axis necessary pretext to intervene and occupy Tunisian ports.
Officer said that Juin’s orders are to resist and that he intended to do so, but that he doubted whether some elements in Vichy would back him. He believed that Darlan would. Juin will discuss these matters in Algiers next week with Darlan.
Juin’s purpose according to his aide was discreetly to inquire what the American attitude would be in such an eventuality, would be willing and able to support the French authorities in North Africa if they undertook resistance and particularly whether we should be able to send aviation rapidly. He inquired also whether I had the necessary authorization to conduct preliminary conversations.
I replied that I had such authority and I referred to the President’s announced policy regarding France.96a I also referred to Darlan’s suggestion made to Admiral Leahy to the effect that when the United States would be able to send 500,000 men and several thousand tanks and planes to Marseille, to talk to him.97 I said that while I did not pretend to be in the secret of our General Staff I felt reasonably sure that we now are able to do such without specifying any limitation of time necessary for such an operation. The officer said that General Juin felt that an accord in principle should be reached with us, but that everyone dreaded the danger of a leak and immediate reaction [Page 400] by the Axis before we would be ready to move. According to the officer General Juin will suggest to Darlan that either Juin or Noguès be authorized to negotiate with me and also authorized to act immediately and without qualifications in case of an Axis provocation. In the officer’s opinion Darlan would in latter come to North Africa.
In this same connection I believe we should not overlook the memorandum which Darlan is supposed to have initialed in [on] 1 June 41 approving the use of Tunisian bases which was opposed by Weygand and not approved by Pétain. That memorandum is supposed to be in German hands. I took pains to make it clear that Darlan should be informed that Juin and not I took the initiative because I feel that with Darlan we should be cautious and avoid appearance that we wish to precipitate matters here. I have refrained from personal discussion with Juin, but his aide suggested it might be necessary during the next few days and I shall probably talk with him after he has seen Darlan if the latter’s visit takes place. Darlan’s son has just fallen ill of infantile paralysis and is in an Algiers hospital. Inform Leahy, Clebedor[?]. [Murphy.]
- Copy supplied by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under cover of letter of September 7, 1960.↩
- Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, German Commander in Chief, South.↩
- Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, German Commander in North Africa.↩
- For passage regarding France in President Roosevelt’s fireside chat of April 28, 1942, see Samuel I. Rosenman (ed.), The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1942 volume, Humanity on the Defensive (New York, Harper and Brothers, 1950), pp. 228–229.↩
- See telegram No. 970, August 1, 1941, 4 p.m., from the Ambassador in France, Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. ii, p. 189.↩