851.01/2238: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 10—1:46 a.m.]
1069. From Murphy for Secretary and Under Secretary (repeated to London). Giraud tells me this afternoon that during this morning’s session of French Committee, de Gaulle finally brought into the open his desire to act as Commissioner for National Defense having the attributes of a Minister of War in the ordinary Cabinet set up. He also demanded the commander [command?] of French Forces not actively engaged in operations which is contrary to what he has told Eisenhower, Macmillan and me in regard to his intentions.
Giraud flatly refused to relinquish command of French Forces and insisted General Georges be appointed Commissioner of National Defense. Catroux submitted a compromise proposal which very much favored de Gaulle’s proposition.
Giraud expressed to me his determination that if Committee outvoted him on this question he would retire informing British and American Governments as well as French people of injustice caused by de Gaulle’s ambition. I asked General Giraud to postpone any such action pending an opportunity for a discussion of this question with several members of Committee, including Catroux.
I also informed General Giraud that both Macmillan and I are perturbed regarding activities of Gaston Palewski who acts as personal counselor of de Gaulle. He is spreading stories detrimental to the Allies to effect, for example, that Giraud has not properly protected French interests allowing Allies to have their way in all things. We believe he is inspiration for Geoffrey Parsons’50 story June 7 to effect that what is happening here is a victory for de Gaulle over Giraud and State Department.
Giraud also told me de Gaulle brought up subject of Boisson insisting on his removal on ground that some of his adherents such [Page 145] as De Bois Lambert has suffered at his hands as a result of Dakar incident September 1940.51 Giraud pointed out President Roosevelt had indicated we considered Boisson a most able administrator who had cooperated with USA wholeheartedly. This, he said, de Gaulle brushed aside as of no consequence. [Murphy.]
- Geoffrey Parsons, chief editorial writer, New York Herald Tribune. ↩
- Dakar, French West Africa, was unsuccessfully attacked by British and Free French Forces September 23–25, 1940; see memorandum by the Under Secretary of State, September 24, 1940, Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. ii, p. 590.↩