760C.62/803: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 12—11:53 a.m.]
1491. Charvériat, Director of Political Affairs, who is in charge at the Quai d’Orsay today said to me this morning that the exchange of notes between the German and Polish Governments (the texts of which are contained in Ambassador Biddle’s 163, August 10, midnight) had brought the Polish and German Governments to grips so definitely in the Danzig dispute that while there might be no acute crisis for a number of days the governments of the world must be prepared to have such a crisis in any 24 hours.
Charvériat added that the French position remained that Poland would receive the fullest possible support from France at any moment that Poland might decide to defend her vital interests by force. Poland would be the sole judge as to the policy to be followed. He added that the position of the British Government was identical with the position of the French Government and that there was no sign whatsoever of any weakening in the British attitude. There had been no communications from the British Government to the French Government that indicated a desire to return to a policy of “appeasement.”
Charvériat said that in addition to the concentrations on the Polish frontier the Germans were concentrating in Slovakia in a manner which had aroused great apprehension in both Rumania and Hungary. The Rumanians and Hungarians feared that if war should break out German troops would march from Slovakia against Rumania either [Page 213] through Polish territory or possibly through the Ruthenian tip of Slovakia recently acquired by Hungary.
Charvériat said that whereas Ciano had been optimistic with regard to the possibility of preserving peace before he saw Ribbentrop he was now pessimistic. The fact that Ciano was to spend 2 more days in Germany than had been planned seemed to indicate that the most serious decisions were being discussed.