851.01/357
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The British Ambassador called to see me this morning at his request.
Lord Halifax asked whether I would not see to it that representatives of the Free French were present, if only in the capacity of “observers”, at the meeting to be held this afternoon between the President and Mr. Churchill and the representatives of the refugee governments.
I said that the President had not consulted me in regard to this matter, but that if he were to consult me I should strongly recommend against it. I said that, as the British Ambassador well knew, this Government had been moving heaven and earth to keep on close terms with the Vichy Government in the hope that through such influences as we could exercise in Vichy and in North Africa the French fleet would not get into German hands, and North Africa would not be used as a base for military operations by the Germans. I said that it is unquestionable, particularly after the St. Pierre-Miquelon incident9 which was only forty-eight hours old, that the reception by the President at the White House of representatives of the Free French movement in such a public meeting as that which would take place this afternoon would immediately give the Vichy Government the suspicion that the United States was playing both ends against the middle, and would likewise immediately give Germany the opportunity to use this to the detriment of American influences in Vichy and in order to create confusion on the part of public opinion in unoccupied France and in North Africa.
Lord Halifax appeared to see the light and said that he trusted that this Government, notwithstanding the St. Pierre-Miquelon incident, would not “harden its heart against the Free French”. I said that Lord Halifax seemed to ignore one important fact, namely that the British Government had given a measure of official recognition to the Free French and that this Government had never done so. I said that it seemed to me in the highest degree expedient, so long as it was possible to do so, for this Government to continue its present relations with the Vichy Government, provided the Vichy Government did not become completely subservient to Germany and did not take action contrary to the formal assurances given the President by Marshal Pétain. If any change in this situation took place this Government, of course, could then consider recognition of the Free French movement. [Page 205] I said that I was unable, however, to see that the Free French movement at the present moment had anything very much to commend it from the practical standpoint. I said unfortunately there were no outstanding men with qualities of leadership and of initiative directing the Free French movement and providing that kind of inspiration to free men, both in France and in other parts of the world, to join in a movement against their German oppressors. I said I felt that if some man like Herriot could get out of France and lead the movement the situation would undoubtedly be very different, but that I could not see that either General de Gaulle or his associates provided any rallying point for French patriotism. For all of these reasons I felt it was wiser and in the best interests of both Governments for the two Governments for the present to pursue their respective courses until and unless existing conditions changed.