740.5/2–1753: Telegram
The Ambassador in France ( Dunn ) to the Department of State
4616. Limit distribution. Subject is European Defense Community.
At end of my conversation with Bidault on Article 13 protocol,1 he made some very disquieting observations on EDC.
Bidault said there was a growing feeling in France accentuating a trend toward “coalition” rather than integration. He said there were many people who were coming to conclusion that France, because of its overseas possessions, its responsibilities in Indochina and elsewhere, must not lose its national character, and that this particularly applied to its defense forces. He then went on to say that he would not even be surprised if a suggestion might come forward presently which would provide for the combination in coalition form of the forces of not only the six EDC countries, but other European countries and England. He said that if such a plan were to be proposed the objections now felt by many Frenchmen against the reconstitution of a German army would disappear, as the French would be entirely happy to join their forces in coalition form with other forces in Europe, provided they had British troops in the same organization. He stressed he had nothing more to substantiate this possibility than a presentiment which had come from indiscretions in the press and other indications from unsubstantiated sources.
I asked the Minister whether he had made progress in his talks with [Page 733] London. Bidault described the general character of the French proposals for British association with EDC, but said that he had no assurances from the British as to whether they could give favorable consideration to these suggestions. They merely told him they would take the suggestions under advisement. Bidault here again mentioned that the position of French Empire in the world is similar to that of British Commonwealth, that France has interests outside Europe as well as having an important position here; and that it was quite impossible to think of France giving up its position as one of the important nations of the world’s powers.
- No record of this conversation has been found in Department of State files.↩