851.01/2758: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 27—12:44 a.m.]
1488. Personal for Secretary from Murphy. Your 1552, August 24, 4 p.m. In accordance with your instructions, terms of the announcement to be made in the morning press in USA of August 27 regarding relations with French Committee of National Liberation were delivered to Massigli at 3 p.m., August 26. I was accompanied by Macmillan who presented simultaneously terms of British announcement. Both were received by Massigli with satisfaction. We agreed to meet with representatives of the press at 6 p.m. this evening to answer such questions as may be practicable.
[Page 187]Massigli made no effort to conceal his pleasure over the result. He said of the American formula that he found it good, adequate and approved its leaving door open for future adjustments. It was apparent during a conversation with him and Bonnet which followed immediately that he intends to “sell” the formulas to his colleagues representing the result as a solid but flexible basis for cooperation. Massigli also said he is very happy to have received from Dunn through Bayens [Barnes?]21 a suggestion that his visit to Washington would be welcome. His visit came up in my subsequent conversation with de Gaulle, who after a moment’s hesitation said, of course, he felt a trip by Massigli to Washington would be valuable and he fully approved. I interpret the hesitation as inspired by regret that he himself had not been invited. In my opinion, he yearns to see the USA.
Thereafter, Macmillan and I called on General Giraud and de Gaulle who had in interim been informed of text by Massigli. Both expressed satisfaction and pleasure over the manner in which this problem has been solved. Giraud does not take as tense a view of the present political phase as does de Gaulle and limited himself to an expression of contentment that this question has been regulated. The latter was obviously both pleased and relieved stating that present action would give added impulse to war effort, augment French confidence in future and insure happy relations between ourselves and the French.
De Gaulle also brought up subject of the eventual action of Soviet Union which both he and Massigli hope would be favorable. They said they had no intimation yet of character of recognition Soviets will accord or when Bogomolov22 will arrive in Algiers. De Gaulle took pains to intimate that while French Communists are cooperating fully in the effort to liberate France, he reserved opinion concerning their postwar aspirations and he indicated his purpose not to permit their domination of the country. He makes this point in almost every conversation I have with him.
Macmillan tells me Soviet text will closely follow the British.
Not a word of criticism or objection was spoken by anyone of the persons mentioned.
Sent to Department. Repeated to London. [Murphy.]
- Presumably Maynard B. Barnes, Consul General at Dakar.↩
- Alexander Efremovich Bogomolov, Russian Plenipotentiary Representative to the French Committee of National Liberation. On July 5 the Secretary of State advised the Soviet Chargé that Mr. Bogomolov’s proposed visit to North Africa be postponed because of the delicate political situation and impending military operations. On August 14 the Secretary informed the Soviet Chargé that under existing circumstances the Allied Commander in Chief perceived no objections to the visit and that the United States Government would be glad to facilitate his visit.↩