740.0011 European War 1939/32741b: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

356. There follows in my next succeeding telegram the text of a proposed statement on France. Its publication would, in our opinion, serve a useful purpose in clarifying a situation which has become somewhat confused by conflicting rumors and propaganda. You will note that it is drafted in the form of a joint pronouncement with the United Kingdom and Soviet Governments and we are hopeful that it will commend itself to them. It is our thought that this statement should be issued at such moment as the Supreme Allied Commander has made his arrangements for liaison in planning civil affairs procedure for the invasion period with the French, Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian and other authorities of occupied countries.

Please take the matter up immediately with Mr. Eden7 with a view to obtaining his approval.

For your information, although we believe that the statement would be most effective if issued jointly, we may well employ it as a statement of our own policy if for any reason the British and Soviet Governments prove unwilling to subscribe to it.

A similar telegram is being sent to Moscow.

Hull
  1. Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.