862.33/231: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State

274. At 4 p.m. today I delivered to Admiral Darlan orally the message contained in your 124, February 21, 6 p.m. An aide-mémoire on the subject was also left with him.

Darlan replied with a statement that the German authorities had informed him in advance of their desire that a submarine should enter the harbor of Fort-de-France for the purpose of hospitalizing a patient and that he had attempted to dissuade them. He stated further that the submarine received no assistance whatever, that the [Page 613] United States representative in Martinique was immediately informed, and that the submarine departed at once when the patient was landed.

He said that by international law it would be difficult for a neutral port to refuse medical assistance to patients from a belligerent ship when requested to do so but that he will without delay give a memorandum reply to our request for a categorical assurance that Axis vessels and aircraft will not hereafter be permitted to enter French territory in the Western Hemisphere.

Admiral Darlan spoke at length of his desire, his repeated promises and his intention to remain neutral and to not grant to the Axis the use of base facilities or the use of French naval vessels.

In reply to a question he said he does not believe the Axis Powers will attempt to use Madagascar63 and that he will resist with his submarine force such an attempt if it should be made. He added that in the event of an Axis attack on Madagascar he would welcome American assistance.

He seemed seriously concerned about America’s recent attitude in the matter of reported assistance given by France to the Axis and expressed a desire on his part and on the part of the Marshal64 to retain the good will of America and to deserve our confidence in his good intentions.

I gathered the impression that America’s positive reaction to the shipment of Axis supplies via Tunis65 and to the submarine visit at Fort-de-France definitely has him worried.

Leahy
  1. For correspondence concerning Madagascar, see pp. 687 ff.
  2. Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain, French Chief of State.
  3. For correspondence regarding concern of the United States over French aid to Axis forces in Libya, see pp. 123 ff.