Et Darlan ? de Jacques Ghémard le lundi 02 janvier 2006 à 18h53
W.M.(42) 165th Meeting 7th December 1942
Foreign Affairs
A.E. a) Jews. Fresh massacre Poland. Small Powers pressg. us for declaration promising vengeance. U.K. U.S. and U.S.S.R. jointly. Considering this.
b) Mack recalled. Says story of our unpopularity in N. Africa is quite untrue.
Parade there – most enthusiasm for B. troops. B. national anthem.
Genl. Bettois at Gib : thought gradually work in others eg. Catroux. Darlan will go in end because unpop. with French.
Noguls unreliable therefore Morocco a cause for anxiety.
L.S.A. “Massacre” at Oran – any news?
A.E. None.
A.V.A. No news from Godfrey.
M/L. Jibuta?
A.E. Hope it’s going well : but no def. news.
A.E. Bettois “the mystic of Pétain was appalling”. Giraud 48 hrs too late.
P.M. Dangerous if this so handled tht. U.S. had to decide to ruin Darlan at all costs while we backed de Gaulle. Quite a risk of this.
A.E. If you are patient enough, there’s chance of bringing these people together.
Later on U.S. shd. employ some of these well disposed French like Bettois.
Keep on altering complexion of administration by introducing people well disposed to us until they say they can get along w’out Darlan – i.e. let French themselves remove him