740.0011 PW/8–2544
Memorandum by the Deputy Director of the Office
of European Affairs (Matthews)
top secret
[Washington,] August 26,
1944.
Memorandum of
Conversation
| Participants: |
Lord Halifax |
|
Mr. Matthews |
Lord Halifax called on me this
morning at his request and left with me the attached Aide-Mémoire raising certain questions with
regard to the French role in military operations in the Far East,
with particular reference to French Indochina. The Ambassador stated
that the question has become one of considerable urgency since Mr.
Eden is anxious to give M. Massigli an answer to two definite points
before the latter leaves London on August 29. The two specific
questions on which Mr. Eden desires to give M. Massigli an
affirmative answer are: (1) the attachment to the South East Asia
Command headquarters of a French Military Mission under General
Blaizot, and (2) the establishment in India of a “Corps Léger d’Intervention” (apparently already set up at
Algiers). Lord Halifax said that
the British Chiefs of Staff had informed him that our military
people are in complete accord.
I told Lord Halifax that I would
endeavor to obtain some rapid decision on the question, but that as
he knew the matter was one which would involve a decision at a very
high level. He said that he was aware of this fact but hoped that a
favorable answer can be obtained sometime Monday.1
[Attachment]
The British
Embassy to the Department of
State
top
secret
Aide-Mémoire
His Majesty’s Government have given consideration to a request by
the French Committee of National Liberation that the French
should take a more active part in the war against Japan.
- 2.
- In brief, their proposals are:—
- (i)
- That a French Military Mission should be attached
to the headquarters of South East Asia
Command.
- (ii)
- That French Forces should take a more active part
in the war in the Far East.
- (iii)
- That they should participate in the planning of
the war against Japan.
- (iv)
- They should participate in the planning of
political warfare in the Far East.
- 3.
- His Majesty’s Government’s views on the above proposals
are as follows:—
- (i)
- The establishment of a French Military Mission
with South East Asia Command would facilitate the
work of SOE/OSS and would serve as
the nucleus of the operational headquarters which
may be required later. If the Mission is not
accepted the French will probably concentrate on
Chungking, where it would be harder to control them.
The function of the Mission would be confined mainly
to matters concerning Indo-China and it would not
participate in questions of general strategy. It
would therefore be much on the same basis as the
Dutch and Chinese Missions attached to South East
Asia Command.
- (ii)
- The use of French land and air forces would
stimulate resistance to the enemy among the French
officials still in Indo-China, but with the
administrative difficulties that would be involved
now, His Majesty’s Government think that the offer
of these forces should only be accepted in the later
stages of the war and on the understanding that they
are made up of good and experienced fighting men.
The French have also proposed the establishment in
India of a “Corps Léger
d’Intervention” composed at the start of 500
men, and designed to operate exclusively in
Indo-China on Japanese lines of communication. His
Majesty’s Government understand that the Corps Léger is in being at
Algiers and they think that it should be accepted,
provided it is properly handled and kept apart from
regular military information [formations?].
- (iii)
- His Majesty’s Government feel strongly that the
French should take no part in military planning for
the war against Japan until the detailed preparation
of plans for the liberation of Indo-China is
undertaken.
- (iv)
- There would seem to be no objection in principle
to French participation in political warfare in the
areas in which the French are interested. This
should be a matter for arrangement between South
East Asia Command and the French Military
Mission.
- 4.
- Lord Louis Mountbatten is prepared to accept the French
Mission providing it is a small one consisting of a General
and, say, three other officers. He is also prepared to
accept the Corps Léger and foresees
considerable advantage in its employment.
- 5.
- The French are very keen to take their share in the war
against Japan, and the Far East is the only area in which
they are now not represented. The presence of Richelieu in Far Eastern waters means
that they are already participating in fact if not in
name.
- 6.
- The Combined Chiefs of Staff were invited by the British
members to concur in paragraph 3 in the early part of this
month.2 No
[Page 249]
reply has,
however, yet been received from the American members.
Monsieur Massigli is pressing His Majesty’s Government for a
decision regarding the attachment to South East Asia Command
headquarters of a French Military Mission under General
Blaizot, and the establishment in India of a “Corps Léger d’Intervention” (see
paragraph 3 (i) and (ii) above). It is suggested that a
decision could be taken regarding the “Corps Léger d’Intervention”, whose numbers are
small and whose activities correspond to those of American
and British secret operations organisations, without
prejudice to the wider question of from what source French
forces operating in the Far East should be equipped. His
Majesty’s Government are particularly anxious to be able to
give him an answer on these two points before he leaves
London on August 29th.
Washington, August 25th,
1944.
