Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, Europe, Volume II

851.01/542

The British Embassy to the Department of State ⁶²

Text of a Telegram Received from Mr. Eden on June 29th, 1942

I have received General de Gaulle’s written reply of which the following is a summary.

The National Committee highly appreciates the spirit of Mr. Hull’s communication, subordinating as it does all its activities to the determination to win the war, the Committee congratulates itself on the desire of the United States Government to mark the identity of objectives pursued by the National Committee and the United States Government.

The National Committee much appreciates the United States Government’s wish to recognize the efforts of General de Gaulle and the National Committee to maintain alive the traditional spirit of France and its institutions, and their recognition of the National Committee as a symbol of French resistance to the Axis powers. The Committee also much appreciates the United States Government’s determination to lend all possible military assistance to the Committee.

The Committee is glad that the United States Government is disposed to appoint representatives with whom it may discuss all questions relating to the prosecution of the war in common.

The National Committee is very glad to express its agreement with the text communicated by the United States Government. They would like however to draw attention to the three following points.

(a) Since General de Gaulle has frequently said that it is for the French people alone to establish political institutions of liberated France the National Committee would prefer that the word “known” should be substituted for “understood” in the second sentence of paragraph 2.

(b) While it is anxious to see the most intimate relations established between local French and United States authorities in the various territories, the National Committee considers that it is for the Committee to maintain direct relations with the United States Government. They would, therefore, propose that in the first sentence of paragraph 3 the words “The appropriate authorities of the United States will continue” should be substituted for “The Government of the United States will continue”.

(c) In order to avoid any possible difference in interpretation, the National Committee would prefer that the concluding words of the first sentence of paragraph 3 should be “Where they are in effective control” instead of “Where they are in control with manifest effectiveness”.

The National Committee hopes that the slight amendments which it desires will not delay the establishment between the United States Government and the Committee of a basis for collaboration to which the Committee attach the greatest importance.

These modifications seem harmless and I hope Mr. Hull will find it possible to accept them.

Washington , June 29, 1942.

62. Handed to the Secretary of State by the British Ambassador on June 30 as a reply to the Department’s memorandum to the British Embassy of June 23, p. 530.

    The changes suggested in paragraphs marked (a) and (c) were accepted by the Department and appear in its memorandum as released to the press July 9, printed in Department of State Bulletin, July 11, 1942, p. 613.