851B.20/32: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Tuck) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:43 p.m.]
705. It would be helpful if the Department would keep me informed of the progress of negotiations between our representatives and Admiral Robert. So far I have received no information supplementary to that contained in the Department’s 317, May 9, 7 p.m.87
Certain friendly Foreign Office officials are seriously concerned over the possible effect of a message which was recently received from Admiral Robert concerning these negotiations. According to Robert’s report our negotiators informed him that in the event of his failure to accept our Government’s terms “French sovereignty” would not be guaranteed by the United States. The interpretation which these officials are placing upon this report is that if Admiral Robert does not agree to our terms the United States will occupy the territory and will not return it to the French people when the war is over. They point out that such a policy on our part would immediately be seized upon by the collaborationists and the German propaganda machine and would create serious disillusionment in French public opinion as to the “purity” of our motives. It would also enable Axis propagandists to portray the United States as a greedy imperialistic power which while talking of holding in trust for the French people those French territories more distant from the United States (such as New Caledonia and Madagascar) is prepared to seize outright those French possessions which as a result of geographical and political factors are more important to the United States.
[Page 630]In order that there can be no doubt concerning our motives these officials urge that our Government lose no time in issuing a statement similar to that put out at the time of the occupation of Madagascar and New Caledonia87a to the effect that it is vital to the security of the United States to have certain satisfactory guarantees concerning French West Indian possessions and that if through failure to obtain such guarantees we are forced to occupy the island we will nevertheless hold it in trust for the French people.
The Marshal returned to Vichy yesterday morning and immediately held interviews with Laval, Darlan and the Minister of Marine, Admiral Auphan.
Judging from reactions which continue to reach me from responsible Government officials I consider that the situation, insofar as our future relations with this Government are concerned, is serious.