France and the Nazi Threat: The Collapse of French Diplomacy 1932-1939 (100 page)

148
.
    
Adamthwaite, op. cit., p. 274; *Niedhart,
Gross-Britannien und die Sowiet-Union, 1934
–
1939
, p. 391.

149
.
    
MAE, T. 235–243, Corbin, 28 January 1939. see
DBFP
, 3, IV, no. 18, Halifax to Sir N. Bland, The Hague, 26 January 1939, and no 27 (answer from Bland, 27 January). The news came from Roosevelt.

150
.
    
MAE, Aide-mémoire from the embassy of Great Britain, 29 January 1939.

151
.
    
MAE, Note from the political director, 29 January 1939.

152
.
    
MAE, T. 165–168, Bonnet to Saint-Quentin, 29 January 1939.

153
.
    
MAE, Note from the directorate of political affairs, 1 February 1939.

154
.
    
MAE, T. 176–180, Bonnet to Corbin, 5 February 1939.

155
.
    
MAE, T. 331–336, 4 February 1939.

156
.
    
MAE, T. 329, Corbin, 6 February 1939.

157
.
    
MAE, British note of 13 February 1939. See
DBFP
, 3, IV, no. 81, Halifax to Phipps, 3 February 1939, and ibid., no. 104, Phipps, 14 February 1939.

158
.
    
MAE, D. 47, Vitrolles, 3 February 1939.

159
.
    
MAE, T. 557, Coulondre, 28 February 1939.

160
.
    
See for example MAE, T. 1138, 2 December 1938.

161
.
    
Gauché, op. cit., p.96–97. See article by *d’Hoop, J.M., “La politique militaire de la France dans les Balkans de l’accord de Munich au début de la seconde guerre mondiale,” in
Studia Balcanica
, Sofia, 7, 1973 pp. 79–89.

162
.
    
SHA, D. 1103/AM, 12 December 1938.

163
.
    
SHA, D. 5705/S, 19 December 1938.

164
.
    
SHA, D. 28/AM 10 January 1939. See also D. 43/AM, 17 January. At this time Coulondre was impressed by his subordinate. In a cable of 17 January 1939 (MAE, T. 141), he felt that Romania was the most threatened country.

165
.
    
MAE, Copy of a dispatch from Didelet to Daladier, 23 March 1939.

166
.
    
Ibid., 11 April, when he now insisted on Yugoslavia.

167
.
    
We now know that Hitler’s directive regarding Bohemia and Memel was dated 21 October 1938 (ADAP, D, IV, pp. 90–91). Regarding the Czechoslovak internal crisis which is not part of our subject, I refer back to the October 1963 issue of RHDGM, and in particular the article by *Fichelle, A., “La crise interne de la Tchécoslovaquie,” pp. 21–38.

168
.
    
ADAP
, D. IV, p. 413.

169
.
    
MAE, 7 December 1938.

170
.
    
MAE, T. 3080, Lacroix, 3 December 1938. See also T. 4472 (mail) Coulondre, 13 December 1938; MAE, Weekly liaison, 28 December 1938., T. 238–239, Lacroix, Prague, 3 February 1939.

171
.
    
MAE, T. 3087 a 3092, Lacroix, 5 December 1938. A departmental note dated 5 December (ibid.) mentions this issue among those to be handled.

172
.
    
MAE, T. 3267, Lacroix, 30 December 1938.

173
.
    
MAE, D. 68.350 from Mönick, financial attaché in London to Paul Reynaud, 31 December 1938.

174
.
    
MAE, D. 172, Bonnet to Reynaud, 22 January 1939.

175
.
    
MAE, D. 972, Reynaud to Bonnet, 19 January 1933.

176
.
    
MAE, T. 4487 (mail), Coulondre, 15 December 1938. Ibid., D. 82, 26 January 1939. Ibid., D. 30, 7 February 1939.

177
.
    
MAE, D. 130, Coulondre, 8 February 1939.

178
.
    
MAE, D. 164, Coulondre, 16 February 1939.

179
.
    
MAE, T. 368, Lacroix, 18 February 1939.

180
.
    
MAE, Coulondre, 26 February 1939. This information originated in a conversation between Captain Stehlin and General Bodenschatz. See Coulondre
De Staline à Hitler
, p. 270–271; Stehlin,
Témoignages pour l’Histoire
, pp. 375–379 and MAE, D. 392, Coulondre, 7 May 1939.

181
.
    
MAE, D. 204, Coulondre, 28 February 1939.

182
.
    
MAE, T. 682, Corbin, 10 March 1939.

183
.
    
MAE, T. 653–655, 11 March 1939.

184
.
    
MAE, T. 672-677, Montbas, 12 March 1938.

185
.
    
MAE, T. 415–419, Bonnet to Corbin, 12 March 1939.

186
.
    
MAE, See also T. 682-686, 13 March.

187
.
    
MAE, T. T. 713 (telephone) 14 March, 6:30 p.m.

188
.
    
MAE, D. 200, Corbin, 15 March 1939.

189
.
    
MAE, T. 769–775, Corbin, 15 March 1939.

Chapter XIII

T
HE
F
AILURE OF THE
G
RAND
A
LLIANCE

    
1
.
    
MAE, D. 255, Corbin to Bonnet, 4 April 1939. See also T. 1047, 4 April, that mentions a “resurrection of national unity.”

    
2
.
    
MAE, D. 255, Corbin to Bonnet, 4 April 1939. See also T. 1047, 4 April, that mentions a “resurrection of national unity.”

    
3
.
    
MAE, D. 9, Coulondre to Bonnet, 27 April 1939.

    
4
.
    
DDF, 2, XI, no. 389, Lasmartres, 27 September 1938. See also 438, Corbin, 28 September; 437 Lasmartres, 28 September, 445; Bonjean, Madrid, 28 September; 494; Lasmartres, 30 September, 511; Bojean, 1 October; 518; Bonjean, 2 October 1938: XII, no. 24; Lasmartres, 5 October 1938. See also DDF, 2, XII, no. 28, Labonne (who was soon to leave his assignment),
Barcelona, 5 October 1938. See also no. 112, Castéran. consul at Bilbao, 13 October 1938, who insisted on the opposition of the “requests” and of the Church to the Falange, which was pro-German. On the German position, which was very much opposed to mediation, see DDF, 2, XII, no. 212 François-Poncet, 25 October 1938. Corroborated by Lasmartres, DDF, 2, XII, no. 138, 15 October 1938.

    
5
.
    
DDF, 2, XII, quoted summary, p. 769–770. Regarding the displeasure of the Francoists see DDF, 2, XII, no. 421, Lasmartres, 20 November 1938. Hemming, general secretary of the Non-Intervention Committee went to Spain for a few days, October 1938. He appeared more favorable to recognition. DDF, 2, XII, no. 298, Corbin, 11 November.

    
6
.
    
Actually these were infantry troops, without weapons and not air force as Lasmartres writes; see DDF, 2, XII, no. 224. Weekly liaison, 26 October 1938. “We have not repatriated units only individuals.” DDF, 2, XII, no. 281, Lieutenant Colonel Morel, military attaché, Barcelona, 8 November 1938.

    
7
.
    
DDF
, 2, XII, no. 281, Morel, Barcelona, 8 November 1938.

    
8
.
    
DDF
, 2, XII, no. 336, Note from the political directorate, Spain: the withdrawal of the volunteers and the status of belligerent, 19 November 11938, and no. 337, Fouques-Duparc, chargé d’affaires in Barcelona, 20 November 1938.

    
9
.
    
DDF
, 2, XII, no. 357, Aide-mémoire from the French government, 22 November 1938.

  
10
.
    
MAE, T. 29, 13 January, and T. 32–39, 13 January 1939.

  
11
.
    
MAE, Telephone conversation, 24 January 1939.

  
12
.
    
MAE, Weekly liaison, 25 January 1939. SHA, Morel, Barcelona, 19 January 1939.

  
13
.
    
MAE, Note from Bonnet regarding his conversation with the Spanish ambassador, Alvarez del Vayo, 26 January 1939. See also the conversation of Captain Luizet, military attaché in Tangier with Colonel Beigbeder, high commissioner in Spanish Morocco, SHA, Tangier, 18 January 1939.

  
14
.
    
MAE, Note from Bonnet, ibid., 1 February 1939.

  
15
.
    
MAE, Note from the Minister, 20 January 1939.

  
16
.
    
See MAE, Note from the legal advisor, Jules Basdevant, for the Minister. Sending an agent to Burgos implied de facto recognition.

  
17
.
    
Midi socialiste
, 11 February 1939, quoted by Pike, David W.,
Les Français et la guerre d’Espagne
, 1975, p. 351.

  
18
.
    
MAE, Note from Léon Bérard regarding his trip to Burgos, 3–6 February 1939.

  
19
.
    
See the series of telegrams from Jules Henry working from Perpignan on 5 February and the summaries of his telephone conversations. See MAE, T. 145–154, as well as several memos from the political directorate on the same day.

  
20
.
    
MAE T. undated no doubt from Bérard. Bonnet mentions this event during the Council of Ministers of 14 February undoubtedly to show the disintegration of the republican side. See
Carnets secrets de Jean Zay
, p. 43.

  
21
.
    
MAE, Note from Léon Bérard, second meeting with Jordana, 6 February 1939.

  
22
.
    
Temps
, 1 February 1939, quoted by Bonnet, J.-Ch., op. cit., p. 362.

  
23
.
    
See Monzie, op. cit., 10 February 1939, pp. 84–87 (de Monzie was Minister of Public Works).

  
24
.
    
MAE, Communication from the embassy of Great Britain 13 February 1939.

  
25
.
    
MAE, Note reading the visit by Alvarez del Vayo, 17 February 1939.

  
26
.
    
Monzie, op. cit., 16 February 1939, p. 89.

  
27
.
    
JODP
, Chambre, 24 February 1939.

  
28
.
    
Carnets secrets de Jean Zay
, p. 43.

  
29
.
    
MAE, Note on the Bérard-Jordana conversations of 18–19 February, 20 February 1939.

  
30
.
    
MAE, personal letter from Bérard to Bonnet, 20 February 1939.

  
31
.
    
MAE, Instructions from Bonnet to Bérard, Tuesday 21 February

  
32
.
    
MAE, Note from Léon Bérard regarding his meetings of 23, 24, 25 February resulting in complete agreement regarding the council “unanimous,” see Monzie, op. cit., 27 February p. 90.

  
33
.
    
MAE, Note on a Phipps-Bonnet conversation, 22 February 1939.

  
34
.
    
MAE, Weekly liaison, 1 March 1939.

  
35
.
    
MAE, D. 19, Pétain, Saint-Sebastian, 27 March 1939. The Bérard-Jordana agreement was dated 25 February.

  
36
.
    
MAE, T. 61, Pétain, 20 April, and T. 67, 22 April 1939.

  
37
.
    
Bonnet, J.-Ch., op. cit., p. 364.

  
38
.
    
JODP, Chambre, 10 March 1939, p. 902. See Bonnet, J.-Ch., op. cit., p. 363.

  
39
.
    
2 February 1939. See Bonnet J.-Ch, op. cit., p. 365.

  
40
.
    
MAE, T. 252, Pétain, 28 July 1939.

  
41
.
    
MAE, T. 299–301, Bonnet to Pétain, 21 July 1939.

  
42
.
    
MAE, D., 17 July 1939.

  
43
.
    
MAE, Personal letter, Gazel, 6 august1939.