851T.001/24: Telegram
The Personal Representative of President Roosevelt in French West Africa (Glassford) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:46 p.m.]
409. Reference Murphy’s 1187, June 29, 8 p.m., section 479 and my 384, June 23, 8 p.m.80 Boisson told me that the immediate reason for his decision to resign was a visit from an emissary sent by Pleven who insisted that he must leave office; also the contents of a telegram sent by de Gaulle to his adherents here which he, Boisson, had seen. He did not explain to me the nature of this telegram.
Boisson is now taking the situation philosophically and is much improved in spirit. He told me day before yesterday that he hopes to get away for the north sometime next week. The radio report of Cournarie’s appointment has caused no noticeable reaction here.81
Repeated to Murphy.
- Not printed. The first paragraph of section 4 read as follows; “Giraud said that Boisson’s resignation had been offered as far as he knew spontaneously to the French Committee of National Liberation and against Giraud’s advice that he refuse to tender it. I am confidently [confidentially?] informed by a reliable source that de Gaulle’s emissaries visited Boisson persuading that his remaining in office would be an obstacle to French unity. The resignation was considered by the Committee during this morning’s session and accepted.” (851.001/22)↩
- Not printed.↩
- In telegram No. 1199, July 1, 6 p.m., from the Consul General at Algiers (repeated to Dakar), Murphy had reported unanimous approval given by the French Committee of National Liberation on that afternoon to the appointment of Pierre Cournarie as Governor General of French West Africa succeeding Boisson (851.01/2367).↩