740.0011 European War 1939/25319: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Tuck) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 8—8:04 a.m.]
1648. Reference your [our] en clair message 1647, 8th.51 The Marshal received me at 9:10 this morning. Jardel and Dr. Menetrel both members of his entourage were present. I handed the Marshal the text of the President’s unenciphered message which he already had in translation before him on his desk. He read the French translation of the message which I had prepared and then signed [Page 431] and handed me his already prepared reply to the President of the United States of which the following is a close translation:
“Vichy, November 8, 1942.
Message from Marshal Pétain to President Roosevelt.
It is with stupor and grief that I learned during the night of the aggression of your troops against North Africa.
I have read your message. You invoke pretexts which nothing justifies. You attribute to your enemies intentions which have never been manifested in acts. I have always declared that we would defend our Empire if it were attacked; you knew that we would defend it against any aggressor whoever he might be. You knew that I would keep my word.
In our misfortune I had when requesting the Armistice protected our Empire and it is you who acting in the name of a country to which so many memories and ties bind us have taken such a cruel initiative.
France and her honor are at stake.
We are attacked.
We shall defend ourselves. This is the order I am giving.
Philippe Pétain.”
The Marshal said that he had told Admiral Leahy52 that France would resist any attack on her Empire by whomsoever and that there was no other course of action left open to him than to order measures of defense. He then showed me the text of the order which he had sent early this morning to the chief military authorities in Morocco, Algeria, Tunis and Dakar. The text of the messages to the first three places mentioned reads in translation as follows:
“Am sending you under the following number the telegram from the Marshal, Chief of State, to President Roosevelt.
Your duty is clear. The Government counts on you. You should quell any tentatives of dissidence which have taken place or which may take place.”
A translation of the text of the message to Governor Boisson53 at Dakar is as follows:
“Am sending you under the following number the telegram from the Marshal, Chief of State, to President Roosevelt.
The attack on North Africa has taken place. Be ready for all emergencies. The Marshal and the Government count on you.”
I informed the Marshal that I would immediately transmit the text of his reply to my Government.
[Page 432]As I rose to take my leave he took both my hands in his looking at me steadfastly and smiling. He accompanied me to the antechamber and turned briskly back to his office humming a little tune.