811.24551U/11
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary
of State
No. 5078
London, August 17,
1942.
[Received August 25.]
Sir: Referring to the Department’s telegram
No. 3628, dated August 3rd concerning the landing of American troops at
Pointe-Noire, I have the honor to transmit for the record the text and
translation of a letter dated August 4th from General de Gaulle,
assenting to the presence of American troops at Pointe-Noire, French
Equatorial Africa, together with a further communication from the
Commander-in-Chief of Fighting France covering both the utilisation by
the American Army of the facilities available at Pointe-Noire and a
request for a number of American transport airplanes for use by the
local French officials.
Respectfully yours,
For the Ambassador:
W. J. Gallman
[Enclosure 1—Translation]
The President of the National Committee of Free
French at London (de Gaulle) to
Brigadier General Bolte
4 Carlton Gardens,
S.W.1.
August 4,
1942.
My Dear General: In reply to your letter
of August 4th, I take pleasure in advising you that the French
National Committee willingly agrees to the request of the United
States Government in connection with the disembarkation at
Pointe-Noire of about 1,500 American troops, the journey of these
troops across French Equatorial Africa and the stationing of a small
American detachment at Pointe-Noire.
[Page 583]
I am giving the necessary orders to the Commanding General in Free
French Africa. All details regarding the disembarkation, reception,
stationing and movements of these troops will naturally be arranged
by the Commanding General in Free French Africa in accordance with
the request of the American representatives on the spot.
Yours sincerely,
[Enclosure 2—Translation]
The President of the National Committee of Free
French at London (de Gaulle) to
Brigadier General Bolte
4 Carlton Gardens,
S.W.1.
July 25,
1942.
My Dear General: I have the honor to
acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 23rd and am pleased to
confirm that I have authorised the local authorities in French
Equatorial Africa to discuss with the American Consul General at
Brazzaville and any authorised American experts the technical
questions connected with the improvement and the use by the American
Army of the facilities of the airport at Pointe-Noire and with any
installations which may be necessary for refuelling with
gasoline.
I take this opportunity to remind you of the security reasons which
we have already brought to the attention of the United States
Government and which compel us to make the effective use of the
Pointe-Noire airport dependent upon an arrangement with the American
authorities for the supply of a small number of transport aircraft
which are indispensable to the safety of the territory. The use of
the Pointe-Noire air base by American Forces would, in fact,
constitute a further reason for the Axis to direct its attention and
perhaps its action to French Equatorial Africa, particularly in view
of the recent operations, on the one hand, in North Libya and Egypt
and, on the other hand, as a reprisal for the raids of the Chad
troops in South Libya.
The renewed flight of Spanish aircraft over our coastal territory
during recent weeks, the presence of submarines in the Gulf of
Guinea, the reinforcement of the garrisons at Rio Muni and Fernando
Po, and the establishment in Angola of a very active Axis
information service, which might organize an infiltration into our
territory through Cabinda and the coast, not to mention several
aerial bombardments at our posts at Chad, compel the French Command
to have at their disposal some liaison and transport aircraft which
would allow them at any given moment to move to any point in the
vast territory comprising Free French Africa.
[Page 584]
I shall be very grateful if you will place these considerations
before the competent American authorities in order to explain to
them our reasons for attaching such importance to the provision of
the aircraft which we requested several months ago. You may also
tell them of my hope that in the common interest all the
arrangements regarding the Pointe-Noire airport will be concluded as
rapidly as possible.
Yours sincerely,
