15. Editorial Note
On May 28, Prime Minister Pflimlin resigned. The next day, President Coty announced that he had invited General de Gaulle to form a government and that if this were rejected by the Assembly, he would resign. On May 30, de Gaulle agreed to form a government. On June 1, he outlined his general program before the National Assembly: full powers to rule by decree for 6 months, a mandatory recess of the Assembly for 4 months, and a mandate to submit a new constitution to the country. He also submitted to the Assembly the list of the members of his Cabinet which included Maurice Couve de Murville as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was voted into power that day by a vote of 329 to 224, with 32 abstentions. Also on that day, the Assembly voted to give the de Gaulle government special powers in Algeria. On June 2, it passed by 322 to 232 the special powers bill requested by de Gaulle which provided that the government be given powers for 6 months to legislate by ordinance that would later have to be ratified by the Assembly.
In a June 2 letter to de Gaulle, Eisenhower wrote:
“Dear Mr. President: I wish to extend to you my personal greetings and good wishes on this occasion of your assuming leadership of the French nation.
“You may be confident that I retain vividly in mind the important and friendly association which we had during the critical days of the Second World War.
“You know of my deep and lasting affection for France. You may be sure that you have my sympathetic understanding in the great tasks which you are about to undertake.
“Please accept, Mr. President, my best wishes for the success of your mission.
“Sincerely, Dwight D. Eisenhower.”
This letter was transmitted in telegram 4500 to Paris, June 2. (Department of State, Central Files, 751.13/6–258)
On June 3, de Gaulle replied:
“Dear Mr. President: I greatly appreciated the wishes which you so kindly sent me. Your message awakens in me the memory of the great hours when France and the United States joined their efforts in the coalition at the service of liberty and when you so gloriously assumed the command of the Allied Armies. I can assure you that the friendship which the United States has for France is returned by an equally warm friendship of the French nation for the American people.
“Very cordially yours, C. de Gaulle.”
This letter was transmitted in telegram 5724 from Paris, June 3. (Ibid., 751.13/6–358)
On June 2, Secretary of State Dulles wrote Foreign Minister Couve de Murville that he was delighted to receive the news of his appointment and that he looked forward to a close and friendly working relationship. This letter was transmitted in telegram 4518 to Paris, June 2. (Ibid., 751.13/6–258)