740.00119 European War 1939/1747: Telegram
The Vice Consul at Algiers (McBride) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 19—1:30 a.m.]
1606. From Murphy. Massigli has today communicated to the British Representative and to me the text of a memorandum setting forth the French claims with regard to participation in any armistice settlement with Italy (reference Agwar 8,988).
In the note which accompanied the memorandum, the Committee of National Liberation reemphasizes the importance that it attaches to French participation in any conversations or discussions to which the application and development of armistice clauses will give rise. The disappointment which the Committee felt over its absence from the discussions leading up to the preliminary military clauses is repeated.
In the Committee’s opinion, one of the first consequences of the Italian capitulation should be a formal declaration on the part of [Page 366] Italy that the Armistice of 194086 is considered null and void. The note goes on to say that the Committee requests not only that its delegates participate in any Allied control organization but also in the preparation of the political, economic and financial clauses to be imposed upon the Italian Government in accordance with Clause 12 of the armistice. In envisaging the participation of French officers or officials in the execution of such provisions the Committee anticipates not only that they will supervise the execution of the armistice and insure the defense of Allied interests but that the restoration of normal life in Italy must be undertaken in such a way as to insure that the last trace of the Fascist regime disappears and that there is no possibility of the restoration of that system of economic isolation which was so destructive to the normal European economic life before the war.
The memorandum claims that in view of the Italian occupation of national soil, France, like Greece and Yugoslavia, has acquired a right to receive priority in the restoration and replacement of property sequestered or removed under the terms of the armistice. It also argues that French forces should have a special claim on Italian material falling into the hands of the Allies to take place of French material either seized by the Italian Army or for which payment was required by the Italians if the material itself was not utilized. It looks to the elimination of all transactions which have taken place since the armistice and to the restitution of all property, compensation for any damages to French property or nationals. The liberation of all French nationals is demanded. The memorandum likewise insists that the French territories should benefit from exportable Italian surpluses and the constitution of any stocks for the relief of liberated territories.
Three annexes of claims against Italy are attached to this memorandum setting forth in detail lists of transport material taken by the Italians, ships in French ports which were taken by the Axis in 1942 totaling approximately 850,000 tons which, however, includes vessels formerly under Norwegian and Danish flags in French ports at that time and an extensive list of French claims in regard to war materials.
The British Minister is sending a similar telegram to London. My comments with those of AFHQ will be telegraphed shortly.
Full text by airmail.
Repeated to London. [Murphy.]
- Armistice between France and Italy, signed June 24, 1940. For text in English translation, see Documents on American Foreign Relations, July 1939–June 1940, vol. ii (Boston, World Peace Foundation, 1940), p. 436.↩