851.48/340a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
1294. The two French vessels Ile de Ré and Leopold L D with flour shipments for unoccupied France are scheduled to leave New York today.
As you will recall, during the period of tense relationship between the London and Vichy Governments because of Darlan’s position which was, of course, taken largely for political reasons under German pressure, the President as a result of a direct appeal from Churchill which was reconfirmed on March 29 to take some action to alleviate the situation, suggested two shipments of breadstuffs to be [Page 151] distributed in unoccupied France by the American Red Cross. On March 20 the British Ambassador informed the Acting Secretary of State62 that his Government fully agreed to the shipment of the two gift cargoes under conditions which had been previously agreed regarding distribution and guarantees that no similar foodstuffs would be permitted to pass to occupied France. When the French Government’s assent to the same conditions was given, the Red Cross proceeded to conclude the necessary arrangements for the early despatch of these vessels.
Subsequent to the conclusion of this arrangement a press campaign both in the United States and in England, obviously inspired by British official sources, has been encountered in which the United States is pictured as pressing the British Government contrary to its wishes and better judgment into a relaxation of the blockade policy in favor of France. That campaign describes the American interest as sentimentally humanitarian. As a matter of fact sentimentalism plays but a little part. We believe we see an opportunity to benefit both the British cause and our own in a most practical way. Our experience with the shipments of Red Cross supplies thus far delivered in unoccupied France is eminently satisfactory and we know that the effect of the shipments on French public opinion—still a factor not to be ignored—is good from our point of view and that of the British. We have at all times emphasized to the French that American and British policy fully harmonize and we have sought to give the British every credit for any concessions they have made. We have no intention of going further without full and complete agreement with the British Government.
- Memorandum of conversation not printed.↩