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  4. Document 211

740.00119 Council/6–248: Telegram

The Ambassador in France ( Caffery ) to the Secretary of State

secret
Paris , June 2, 1948—7 p. m.

2927. We talked Bidault into going along with us at the London Conference on Germany but he is very unhappy now because at this juncture the chances of his surviving the Assembly debate do not look very good.1 The root of the opposition is a fear that as a result of our setting up a government in West Germany, the Russians may endeavor aggressively to force us out of Berlin. “If they do that,” the French say, “what will you do? Will you fight, and if you fight, with what will you fight? If we were sure you would drop atomic bombs fast enough and often enough, we would not be so worried but we doubt that you will. It would be easy for the Russian armies to overrun France and we shudder to think of what would happen to our beautiful country. We are defenseless, as you well know.”

In addition some of the Socialists believe that some sort of final gesture should have been made to the Russians before proceeding with the London Conference. When pinned down they are very evasive as to just what they mean.

For all these reasons, I and various members of my staff are working on all the political parties except the Communists in an endeavor to line them up behind Bidault for the debates on Germany next week. It is important that the British Socialists approach the French Socialists in the same sense. Harvey told me yesterday that he would telegraph London on this.

(Every time I have seen Bidault recently he has had a pile of news paper clippings, American and French, alleging Bidault has given [Page 318] in to US oil this or that point at the London Conference.) (Mytel 2896, June 1.2)

Sent Department 292, repeated London 474, Berlin 274.

Caffery

  1. In his telegram 2966, June 4, from Paris, Ambassador Caffery reported as follows:

    “Bidault said to me last night: ‘You can tell your Government that I shall have the fight of my life in the Assembly on this London Conference German business, but on my part I shall make the fight of my life and very definitely I am not licked yet.’” (740.00119 Council/6–448)

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  2. Not printed.↩