740.0011 European War 1939/6208: Telegram
The Consul General at Casablanca (Goold) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 23—7:10 a.m.]
171. There is nothing to report here beyond General Weygand’s visit on his tour of inspection, the probable early departure of a vessel for England to bring back 6,000 French seamen, and the action of the authorities in ordering refugees into the interior which has caused a new rush of these unhappy people on this office.
But during the last few days I have had talks with Henri Croze, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Pierre Maas, owner of the principal newspapers of the country and Admiral Sable, formerly in command of this naval district. The first two have just returned from Vichy where they saw Marshals, Ministers, Generals and Admirals; Admiral Sable has just returned from a trip to various places in the unoccupied area.
All agree that the French have been astounded by the British resistance; that while right after the formation of the Pétain Government, Britain was expected to last one month, she is now expected to hold out at least long enough to permit American industrial aid to make its weight decisively felt and Admiral Sable, as almost an American (he was formerly Naval Attaché at Washington), expresses the fervent hope that American laws will soon be amended to provide for credits to Great Britain, the use of American ships to carry munitions, and permission for American pilots to join the British Army. Nothing more will be needed, he thinks. Nor will any other possible factor (not even Russia in active opposition) balance the effect produced by these measures.
All three concur in reporting French belief that the morale of the German Army in France is low, by no means ready for the cross channel venture, and all report the vast majority of Frenchmen as praying for a British victory although unable to show any signs of their feeling.
Croze stated that General Weygand has characterized the British performance as “epatant” and Maas assured him that the General fully shares the views expressed in the third paragraph hereof.
Admiral Sable deplored the incredible lack of comprehension on both sides which had brought on the Anglo-French misunderstanding, [Page 602] the tragedy of the war. He had left Morocco at the middle of June to head a naval mission to London. He had never reached the British capital.
Repeated to Legation and Vichy.