740.0011 European War 1939/10240: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 24—3:35 a.m.]
159–163. General Weygand sent for me at 2:00 this afternoon and said in regard message contained your 91, April 1825 that if agreement therein referred to should fail he would be disconsolate (“désespéré”) for two reasons (first) because from material viewpoint North Africa must live and (second) because of larger general political considerations involved, as to which, he added, the United States Government was able to reach its own conclusions.
After Weygand I saw Monick, Secretary General Morocco, and Chatel together. The former urgently insistently demanded Department [Page 304] take no action in matter until Secretary or Under Secretary had listened to special messages carried by Marjolin who arrived United States Monday 21st and stated that this interview must be had apart from and entirely dissociated from any officials belonging French Embassy at Washington.
Monick made following three statements which he pointed out desired make with maximum brevity and force.
- “(1) Weygand has done all he can prevent infiltration over above replacement Italian Armistice Commission by Germans and done in forcible as possible way and has been overridden. German Commission of which will be 141 members has been limited strictly to arms control only. Only five De Brinon Germans now in Morocco. Here Chatel added, two from De Brinon have been refused admission, sent back to France.
- [(2)] Question now not of simple agreement but of far-reaching counter collaboration. American responsibility already engaged. France (North Africa) not begging for supplies but taking long look into future and United States must now accept its responsibilities therein as regards entire west coast of French Africa. Was message to Marshal Pétain warning shot only or ultimatum? So much already accomplished why let all go for a little? Will United States continue or surrender west coast Africa now?
- [(3)] United States having gone so far should join issue with Germany over Morocco peacefully combatting Germans by sending Americans under control scheme and by presence Americans in North Africa force average Frenchman and high French officials in North Africa choose definitely between Germany and United States.”
He is proceeding Vichy Friday or Saturday, returning Algiers one week later. Communicated Vichy by copy by airmail.