851L.20/16
The French Ambassador (Henry-Haye) to the Secretary of State
The Ambassador of France to the United States presents his compliments to His Excellency the Secretary of State and, referring to the communiqué published on April 25, 1942, by the American War Department with regard to the landing of United States troops on the French Islands of New Caledonia,80 has the honor to advise [Page 698] His Excellency that he has received instructions from his Government to make a formal protest against this step, which constitutes a violation of the rights of sovereignty of France over those islands.
The French Government is of the opinion that no consideration could be invoked for prejudicing its rights.
In her distress France has seen herself deprived of the military means necessary to assure the effective defense of certain of its overseas territories; but conscious of the civilizing role which she has played there at the cost of immense efforts and sacrifices, France has remained as confident of her future as proud of her past. Her Government, in addressing this protest to the Federal Government which has on many occasions, affirmed that it intended to respect French sovereignty, also appeals to the ideal of the American people and to the fundamental principles of their history.81
Mr. Henry-Haye is happy [etc.]
- An earlier American defense force had arrived in New Caledonia on March 12, 1942.↩
- In a memorandum addressed to the Under Secretary of State and attached to this French note, the Acting Chief of the Division of European Affairs suggested that no reply seemed to be necessary as the Department’s position on the subject had been made clear earlier.↩