740.0011 PW/5–3145
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
The French Ambassador called on me this morning, Mr. Phillips30 being present, and referred to the conversation which had taken place between the President and Mr. Bidault in which Mr. Bidault had told the President of the desire of the Provisional French Government to participate in the war against Japan and in which the President had stated that the United States would welcome such participation with the reservation that the Commander-in-Chief in the area of hostilities would determine the nature of such participation. The Ambassador said that in connection with this understanding he wished to report that a French Army Corps composed of two divisions and services would be ready to proceed to the Far East, one division at the end of June, and the second division at the end of July. The first division was already equipped but the second division would require equipment which it was hoped could be supplied through lend-lease. These troops would be commanded by General Le Clerc who had played such a prominent part in the campaign against the Germans. They would be, he said, exclusively white troops.
I thanked the Ambassador for his statement and assumed that this matter would be taken up in accordance with the President’s wishes through channels with the Commander-in-Chief in the field.
- William Phillips, Special Assistant to the Secretary of State.↩