851A.01/85
The British Prime Minister (Churchill) to President Roosevelt 37
[
London
,] January 23, 1942.
Personal. I saw General de Gaulle yesterday and after a severe conversation he agreed to the communiqué which I left with you [Page 668] being published by United States, British and Canadian Governments without any acceptance by us of his proposed secret conditions. He feels it necessary to consult Admiral Muselier who is a member of the National Committee but I understand that I am to receive final assent of Free French tomorrow when I will immediately telegraph confirmation to you.
- 2.
- Assuming the above, what procedure do you want followed? Will Mr. Hull put it to Vichy or will you simply issue communiqué straight away? I think the latter course would be better and these two tiny islands can then relapse into the obscurity from which they have more than once emerged since the Treaty of Utrecht.38
- 3.
- Meanwhile we are also informing Canada and asking them to communicate through appropriate channels with you. It is important that no statement should be made till the Canadians’ definite agreement has been received.
- 4.
- I do hope the solution for which I have worked here will be satisfactory to Mr. Hull and the State Department. I understood fully the difficulty in which they were placed. Public opinion here was of course delighted at the Vichyites being overthrown by an overwhelming popular vote and [1 word undecypherable]39 of de Gaulle would have been very popular.
- This copy of the message to President Roosevelt was transmitted to the Secretary of State by the British Ambassador in his note of January 24. The original was sent to President Roosevelt on the same date.↩
- Treaty of April 11, 1713, ending the War of the Spanish Succession.↩
- Brackets appear in this copy of message.↩