760F.62/605: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 26—2:25 p.m.]
1350. Massigli said to us this morning that developments in the Czechoslovak situation were of a disquieting nature. A few days ago the German Ministers at Bucharest and at Bled had stated categorically to the Rumanian and Yugoslav Governments that if the Czechoslovak problem was not solved one hundred percent in accordance with demands of the Sudeten Germans the German Government would intervene. These declarations coupled with the furious attitude of Goering when informed by Vuillemin94a that France would go to Czechoslovakia’s aid in case the latter were attacked by Germany, as well as Goering’s efforts to persuade Vuillemin that if a conflict should take place it would be the Czechoslovaks who had provoked it and therefore the French promise of aid would not have to be fulfilled, make it appear that the German Government may have decided to settle the Czechoslovak question by force at an early date. Certainly the German Government is attempting to produce that impression.
Massigli said that the new difficulties which had arisen regarding the Spanish problem as a result of Franco’s reply were closely linked with the Czechoslovak situation.
The French Government had authentic information that Franco’s original intention had been to reply in a more favorable sense but that his reply had been altered upon the insistence of the German and Italian Governments.
The Foreign Office’s information is that while the army leaders in Germany are opposed to risking armed intervention in Czechoslovakia the party heads are strongly in favor of such a move professing to believe that Great Britain and France are bluffing and that when it comes to a showdown they will not go to the support of Czechoslovakia. Hiler is hesitating and reserving his decision. Massigli said that the problem of European peace depends upon Great Britain and France being able to convince Hitler that they are in deadly [Page 554] earnest and will in fact go at once to the assistance of Czechoslovakia if the latter should be attacked. The French Government does not as yet know what Simon95 will say in his speech tomorrow but Massigli states that it is not so much what is said in public addresses which must necessarily be of a general character as what can be said directly by the British Government to Hitler that may be decisive in deterring the latter from casting Europe into war next month.