851L.01/12: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 4—1:22 p.m.]
331. We saw Rochat74 by appointment this afternoon who stated that the French Embassy in Washington had telegraphed the text of the announcement made public by the High Commissioner of New Caledonia on February 28 which he said coincided almost exactly with the text as published in our Radio Bulletin 51, of March 2.
While he had as yet received no reply to telegraphic requests for clarification sent yesterday and today to Henry-Haye, Rochat said that for the time being—and in the absence of further information—he felt that our Government’s decision as to New Caledonia was “a serious one”.
Rochat added that he was at loss to understand the meaning of the words as published in the Bulletin “and the United States authorities are combining for the defense of these islands with the authorities established by the French National Committee and with no other French authority”.
[Page 693]He remarked with some emphasis that there is only one “authority” with which the United States Government can maintain relations and that is the Government of Marshal Pétain,75 and if any decision is to be taken with regard to defense measures involving French territorial possessions in no matter what theater of war, it can only be taken after consultation with the Pétain Government. He therefore expressed the hope that our Government would without delay make known its reasons for a decision of so serious a nature.
Rochat was informed that we had as yet received no information regarding the matter other than that contained in our Radio Bulletin but that we would be glad to convey his Government’s point of view to the Department.