851.01/677
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
Monsieur Tixier, the representative in Washington of the French National Committee, called to see me this afternoon in order to present to me Mr. Philip Baudet.74
Monsieur Tixier spoke of the return of General de Gaulle to London last Friday75 and expressed his belief that the General’s return at this time would make possible the solution of many important and urgent problems. Monsieur Tixier took the trouble to add, with great emphasis, and Monsieur Baudet concurred therein equally emphatically, that while reports might be sent to the Department alleging that General de Gaulle was anti-American or suspicious of the ulterior motives of the United States, such reports were completely untrue and unfounded. Monsieur Tixier insisted that the whole trouble was due to the fact that General de Gaulle had never been in the United States, knew nothing about the United States outside of its military history, and could not even speak English. He said that under those conditions it was of course difficult for General de Gaulle to have any estimate of public opinion in this country and any correct apprehension of the true feeling and policy of this Government. He said, however, that he wished to assure me that the French National Committee, and General de Gaulle in particular, fully realized that France could never be restored to its position as an independent nation without the assistance of the United States, and that all of them had unanimously the deepest feeling and gratitude for the generous attitude displayed towards the French people by this country.