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ANNEX IV.
DISTRIBUTION B.
Copy of a Telegram dated 11th October, 1940
from Washington.
No. 2266.
IMPORTANT.
Mr. Sumner Welles informed Counsellor this afternoon that the French Ambassador had asked the assistance of United States Government in the following matter. The German and Italian Armistice Commission had intimated that they would have no objection to French troops proceeding from Jibuti, in three
The French transports, to Indo-China for local defence. Ambassador asked whether the United States Government would use their good offices with His Majesty's Government to obtain
Mr. Welles said permission for these ships to pass through. he could not believe that these troops were really intended for the defence of Indo-China; he thought there must be some
He mentioned ulterior design, possibly an attack on Malay. that when the French Ambassador made his numerous requests for muntiions for Indo-China, he was not able to give any guarantee
When he had that they would not fall into Japanese hands. expressed surprise to the French Ambassador that the German and Italian Authorities should be consenting to them passing to a quarter where they might be used against their new ally, the Ambassador's only comment was that he believed that Germany had her eye on the East Indies. In communicating this information, Mr. Welles made it clear that he was making no suggestion as to what answer His Majesty's Government should give; merely asking that he might be informed on this point.
he was
The Counsellor recalled that at one time in September the Commander in Chief in the Far East had been prepared to allow conditionally (your telegram No. 2257) the passage of French troops from Jibuti to Indo-China, but that things had changed very much since then.
(Copies sent to Commander Coleridge and Mr. Somerville
Smith).
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