851.01/916
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
Monsieur Tixier called to see me this morning at his request. Monsieur Tixier inquired whether I had any information with regard to General de Gaulle’s visit to Washington. I said I was informed that the President had suggested to General de Gaulle, through the American Naval Attaché in London, that, on account of the unsettled conditions in North Africa,86 it would be well for him to postpone his visit to Washington. I said that I had just read a report from the American Naval Attaché in London saying that General de Gaulle appeared to believe that, in view of the uncertainty prevailing in North Africa, this suggestion on the part of the President was a wise one.
Monsieur Tixier then stated that he felt, in view of the selection as High Commissioner of General Giraud, that it was now of the greatest importance that General de Gaulle’s visit to Washington should no longer be postponed. He thought it was indispensable that General de Gaulle understand for himself the views of the President and of the members of the Government of the United States since he, Tixier, in view of the atmosphere prevailing in London, was unable any longer effectively to influence the course of General de Gaulle. I said that the question was, of course, under consideration by the President and that if the President had any further messages to communicate to me with regard to the visit of General de Gaulle, I would be glad to inform Monsieur Tixier accordingly.
Monsieur Tixier handed me a list of the individuals who would accompany General de Gaulle to Washington when he came. The list is attached herewith.87
Monsieur Tixier stated that General Catroux had just been in Gibraltar where he had had several conversations with General [Page 556] Béthouart, the representative of General Giraud. He believed that an understanding between General de Gaulle and General Giraud would be easy of accomplishment were it not for the influence in North Africa of the former Vichy governors of Algeria and of Dakar and of the French Resident General in Morocco, General Noguès. I said I regretted to see that there still continued to be such a very wide divergence of views between Monsieur Tixier and myself. I said I could only repeat what I had said to him so often in the past that, from the standpoint of this Government, there was only one objective at the present time and that was the unification of all French elements of resistance behind the military effort of the United Nations in North Africa until the Axis powers had been driven out of Africa. It seemed to me, I said, that all political questions should be left in abeyance until that objective had been attained. Monsieur Tixier said he was not in the slightest degree in disagreement with me on this and that he himself would inform General de Gaulle that it was his belief that all Frenchmen in North Africa who could be of service in winning the fight against the Axis powers should be utilized. He said that it was the French National Committee in London which was opposed to this policy and it was that which he implied when he said that the former Vichy French officials in North Africa were proving an obstacle in the reaching of an understanding between General de Gaulle and General Giraud.