851.2478–2544

The Department of State to the Delegation of the French Committee of National Liberation

Memorandum

This will evidence the formal acceptance of the Memorandum concerning lend-lease and reciprocal aid informally agreed upon by the United States and French Delegations during the negotiations recently [Page 759] carried on in Washington. Copies of the Memorandum are attached.

The acceptance of the Memorandum is based upon the support which the French Committee of National Liberation continues to receive from the majority of the French who are fighting for the defeat of Germany and the liberation of France. In evidencing such acceptance, the Department of State understands that it is the intention of the Committee that the French people will be given an opportunity to select a government of their own free choice as soon as the military situation permits. The Department also understands that when the authority now exercised by the Committee is transferred to such a government, the undertakings accepted by the French authorities in the attached memorandum, to the extent not at that time already performed, will be assumed by such a government.

It is suggested that the French Delegation signify its acceptance of the attached Memorandum by initialling.8

[Annex]

Memorandum Relating to Lend-Lease and Reciprocal Aid

1.
The appropriate United States and French authorities will continue negotiations immediately on the basis of this memorandum with a view to concluding as soon as possible, in accordance with the general principles governing lend-lease aid, a lend-lease and reciprocal aid agreement applicable to continental France, which, when and as concluded, shall be deemed to have been in effect on and after June 6, 1944.
2.
(a) The agreement contemplated in Article 1 above will determine the aid which the United States will furnish to France and, in particular, to the French armed forces (including the French forces of the interior) under the provisions of the Lend-Lease Act, including credit arrangements under Section 3 (c) of that Act.
(b) The contemplated agreement will also determine the aid which the French authorities will furnish to the United States and, in particular, to the United States forces in continental France in the way of supplies, materials, facilities, and services.
(c) The contemplated agreement will provide that while each party retains the right of final decision, in the light of its own potentialities and responsibilities, decisions as to the most effective use of resources shall, as far as possible, be made in common, in pursuance of the common plan for winning the war.
3.
The contemplated agreement will also be based on the following principles:
(a)
The United States will make current payments in dollars to the French authorities for the equivalent of the amount of French francs used for the expenditures of the United States forces in continental France for purposes other than those treated as reciprocal aid under 2(b) above; in particular, for the net pay, allowances and other emoluments of the United States troops in continental France and for the cost of any articles requisitioned which are not supplied under 2(b) above.
(b)
The French authorities will make current payments in dollars for civilian supplies furnished to continental France by the United States other than those furnished under the Lend-Lease Act pursuant to 2(a) above, and will use for this purpose French public dollar and gold assets including the holdings of the Bank of France.
4.
Pending the conclusion of and without prejudice to the contemplated agreement:
(a)
The United States will make current payments in dollars to the French authorities for the net amount of French franc currency used for the pay, allowances, or other emoluments of the United States troops in France, on or since June 6, 1944. Whenever it is mutually ascertained that supplies purchased with francs or requisitioned shall not be supplied under 2(b) above and will not be repaid in kind, payment in dollars will be made.
(b)
The French authorities will make current payments in dollars to the United States for supplies furnished to continental France on or since June 6, 1944, by the United States under the agreed procedure under Plan A and Plan B. If the amount of dollars acquired by the French authorities on account of troop pay or from other sources is inadequate to make current payment for such supplies, the French authorities will use for this purpose other French public dollar and gold assets including the holdings of the Bank of France.
  1. On the same day the Delegation of the French Committee of National Liberation expressed in writing to the Department its acceptance also of the memorandum.