856B.20/20: Telegram
The Minister to the Netherlands Government in Exile (Biddle) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 5—4:15 p.m.]
Netherlands Series 2. Your 2, January 2, 6 p.m. President’s message was transmitted to Queen Wilhelmina on Saturday, January 3 and imperative necessity of associating Venezuela with Curaçao arrangements through a mission on model of Brazil–Surinam arrangement was discussed with Prime Minister Gerbrandy same day. At that time he said he would take up matter with members of Government as early as possible.
While I have no answer as yet, I feel I should acquaint you with present state of mind of Netherlands Government which is a state of anger verging on intransigence. They are incensed that they were given less than a day in which to reach decision on General Wavell’s [Page 51] appointment11 and that it was announced before they could advise us or the Governor General at Batavia of their decision. The resultant mood seems likely to reinforce their deep opposition to the Venezuelan proposal.
This was brought out today when I again called on Dr. Gerbrandy to reemphasize importance of favorable action on Venezuelan aspect of Curaçao arrangement.
At the end of my remarks Dr. Gerbrandy who has been the consistent ally of this mission said: “Mr. Biddle you find the Netherlands Government in a very angry frame of mind. In fact it is in no mood to accept any suggestions”. After explaining in detail the unsatisfactory time table of the Wavell negotiations he said it was difficult even in normal circumstances to be certain of the complete cooperation of the Netherlands East Indies and occurrences such as described might well prove disastrous to essential cooperation. He could not be sure what attitude Batavia would assume in the matter. It might even decide to choose its own independent commander in so far as Java was concerned.
He went on to say that he personally always tried to think in terms of the broader aspects of the war. But in this instance he understood the Queen’s and the Government’s feeling. He would do his best to find a formula for bringing the Government into line in both the Wavell and Venezuela matters but this incident had greatly aggravated the difficulties.
- Joint announcement by President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill of Unified Command of South West Pacific area under General Wavell was made on January 3, 1942.↩