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Britain and France in 1940

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

D. W. J. Johnson
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Extract

Few years in British and French history have received such an intensive scrutiny as the year 1940. It was the year when the war came alive in the West and when each of the two countries was to live particularly vital moments. It was a year too which saw dramatic changes in the relations between Britain and France. It is natural therefore that many historians should have sought to elucidate and to describe exactly what happened in 1940 and that many (if not most) of those who played some part in these events should have written their own accounts of them. And whilst the French archives remain difficult of access and incomplete, the recent opening of the British records for the year 1940 has provided us with a great mass of material. Whilst recognizing that one is not yet in a position to make an exhaustive and complete scrutiny, I nevertheless thought it could be useful to base oneself on the historical work that already exists and on the British evidence that is now available, in order to consider the nature of the Anglo-French alliance as it existed and as it developed in the course of 1940.

Type
Research Article
Information
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society , Volume 22 , December 1972 , pp. 141 - 157
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1972

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References

1 On the burning of the French archives in 1940 see the article by Hoppenot, in Le Monde, 15–1608 1947Google Scholar. For this reference I am grateful to MrBell, Philip of the University of Liverpool, who kindly allowed me to read his thesis, ‘Anglo-French Relations, May to December 1940’ (Oxford B.Litt., 1957)Google Scholar. I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking Lord Strang, Professor David Dilks, Mr Julian Hurstfield, and Mr E. K. Timings of the Public Record Office, for various kindnesses.

2 SirWoodward, Llewellyn, British Foreign Policy in the Second World War, i (London 1970), p. xxxiGoogle Scholar.

3 See, for example, the speech made by Mr Anthony Eden in Leamington Spa, 20 November 1938, the speeches made by Mr Neville Chamberlain in the House of Commons, 13 December 1938 and 6 February 1939, and the speeches made in the Chamber of Deputies by M. Yvon Delbos, 4 December 1936, and by M. Flandin, 14 December 1938. These are referred to in an undated memorandum written by Mr E. L. Woodward, communicated 4 November, now in the Public Record Office, F.O. 371 24361. (For reasons of brevity the volume number only will be given in the Public Record Office references.)

4 F.O. 371 24296 contains the record of this meeting as agreed by the two governments. See also CAB 993.

5 Hancock, W. K. and Gowing, M. M., British War Economy (London, 1949), pp. 184–96Google Scholar; Hurstfield, Joel, The Control of Raw Materials (London, 1953), p. 247Google Scholar; Haight, John McVicker Jr, American Aid to France 1938–1940 (New York, 1970), pp. 143–55Google Scholar. These co-ordinating policies were agreed well before they were announced; the delay was in order to ensure that President Roosevelt would approve them.

6 See the written answer by Mr Malcolm Macdonald in answer to a question by Mr Creech Jones, 21 March 1940; Hansard, 5th ser., vol. 358, cols. 2125–26.

7 Telephone conversation between Lord Halifax and Sir Eric Phipps, 6 p.m., 2 September 1939; F.O. 371 22982.

8 The records of the Supreme War Council meetings referred to are in F.O. 371 24296 and 24298, or can more conveniently be consulted in CAB 99 3.

9 See the documents published in Woodward, , op. cit., pp. 284–6Google Scholar. On M. Corbin's uneasiness, see memorandum by Mr Charles Tower, 10 November 1939; for a summary of French views see the despatch from Sir Ronald Campbell, 25 November 1939. F.O. 371 22947. For Halifax's comments of 20 December 1939, see F.O. 371 22948.

10 Mr C. W. Dixon (Dominions Office) to Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 3 February 1940; note by Mr Roger Makins, 29 January 1940. F.O. 371 24298.

11 For a number of these consular reports, see F.O. 371 24309.

12 See the conversation between M. Dautry, Minister of Supply, and Mr Sandford of the British Embassy in Paris, in Sir Ronald Campbell to Lord Halifax, 30 December 1939, F.O. 371 24305.

13 See, for example. Sir Ronald Campbell to Lord Halifax, 12 February 1940, F.O. 371 24294, for a French official's suggestion that British workmen should be sent to France.

14 See the survey of Anglo-French discussions which was drawn up in preparation for the French Minister of Commerce's visit to London 22 January 1940 and his statement, in F.O. 371 24293.

15 Sir Ronald Campbell to Lord Halifax, 1 April 1940, F.O. 371 24294, reporting a complaint by M. de Monzie, Minister for Public Works.

16 M. Daladier to Mr Chamberlain, 23 February 1940; CAB 89 46.

17 Mr E. A. Hitchman to Mr Ivan Kirkpatrick, 18 January 1940; F.O. 371 24293.

18 See various notes and memoranda, ibid.

19 Note by Mr J. G. Ward, 29 April 1940; F.O. 371 24295.

20 See for example the note by Mr J. G. Ward, 20 March 1940, commenting on a speech by M. Pomaret, Minister for Labour; F.O. 371 24305.

21 Mr Charles Tower to Mr J. G. Ward, 5 March 1940; F.O. 371 24298.

22 Report on France, 1 January 1940, by Mr R. E. Balfour; F.O. 371 24296.

23 See note of 5 April 1940 in F.O. 371 24309.

24 Sir Ronald Campbell to Lord Halifax, 22 January 1940; F.O. 371 24308.

25 Telegram from Sir Eric Phipps, 23 October 1939; F.O. 371 22913.

26 Telegram from Sir Ronald Campbell, 17 January 1940; F.O. 371 24308. Note by Mr Roger Makins, 24 March 1940; F.O. 371 24309.

27 Sir Ronald Campbell to Sir Alexander Cadogan, 23 February 1940; F.O. 371 24308.

28 War Cabinet, 2 February 1940, Confidential annexes; CAB 65 11.

29 Notes by Mr F. E. Young, Financial Counsellor at the British Embassy, Paris, 26 and 28 February 1940; F.O. 371 24305. His informant was M. Couve de Murville.

30 Note by Mr Roger Makins, 13 March 1940; F.O. 371 24298.

31 Memorandum by Professor Toynbee, 12 March 1940. Notes by Mr F. W. Roberts, 12 March 1940, and Mr L. Collier, 15 March 1940; ibid.

32 Beloff, Max, An Intellectual in Politics (London, 1970)Google Scholar.

33 Memorandum by Sir Orme Sargent, 28 February 1940; ibid.

34 Notes by Sir Alexander Cadogan, 29 February 1940, Lord Halifax, 29 February 1940, Mr Neville Chamberlain, 1 March 1940; ibid.

35 Memorandum by Lord Perth, 19 March 1940; ibid.

36 Mr R. A. Butler to Lord Halifax, 13 March 1940; ibid.

37 Note by Mr R. A. Butler, 20 March 1940; ibid.

38 8 See the memorandum by Mr K. Leeper, 7 May 1940; ibid.

39 See the minutes of the meetings of 3 April and 21 May 1940 and Sir Orme Sargent to Mr Oliver Harvey, 2 May 1940; ibid.

40 Note by Lord Halifax, 9 May 1940; ibid.

41 Sir Orme Sargent to Mr Oliver Harvey, 14 April 1940; ibid.

42 Sir Ronald Campbell to Lord Halifax, 27 March 1940; F.O. 371 24309.

43 Note by Mr F. K. Roberts, 1 April 1940; ibid.

44 Note by Mr Charles Peake, 3 April 1940; ibid.

45 Lord Halifax to Sir Ronald Campbell, 30 April 1940; Public Record Office, Halifax Papers, xiv, 423.

46 Mr Dew (Belgrade) to Sir Alexander Cadogan, 13 April 1940; F.O. 371 24390.

47 War Cabinet of 27 March 1940; CAB 65 6.

48 Meeting of the Supreme War Council, 28 March 1940. The minutes are in F.O. 371 24298 or CAB 99 3.

49 War Cabinet meeting of 5 April; CAB 65 6.

50 Sir Ronald Campbell to Mr Charles Peake, 15 April 1940; F.O. 371 24294.

51 War Cabinet, 8 April 1940, Confidential annexes; CAB 65 12.

52 See particularly the War Cabinet's discussion of 18 April; CAB 65 6.

53 See the accounts in CAB 99 3.

54 See Butler, J. R. M., Grand Strategy, ii (London, 1957), P. 209Google Scholar. See also Churchill, Winston, The Second World War, ii (Their Finest Hour) (London, 1949), pp. 48, 49Google Scholar.

55 Lord Hankey to Lord Halifax, 18 June 1940; Halifax Papers, xiv, 451.

56 Sir Ronald Campbell to Lord Halifax, 27 May 1940; ibid., xiv, 437.

57 Note by Mr J. G. Ward, 23 May 1940; F.O. 371 24298.

58 Telegram from Campbell, 6 June 1940; F.O. 371 24294.

59 de Gaulle, General, Memoires de Guerre, i (L'Appel) (Paris, 1954), P. 48Google Scholar.

60 Plans to meet a certain emergency; memorandum of 13 June 1940; F.O. 37124311.

61 Lord Hankey to Lord Halifax, 22 June 1940; Halifax Papers, xiv, 455.

62 Lord Halifax to Lord Hankey, 23 June 1940; ibid., xiv, 456.

63 War Cabinet, 12 June 1940; CAB 65 7.

64 See the account in Woodward, , op. cit., pp. 321–330Google Scholar.

65 Note by Mr William Strang, 19 June 1940; F.O. 371 24349.

66 Record of conversation between the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the French Ambassador, 24 June 1940; ibid.

67 Memorandum by Mr R. L. Speaight, 1 July 1940; ibid.

68 Note by Mr Roger Makins, 25 July 1940; F.O. 371 24301.

69 Note by Mr William Strang, 25 July 1940; ibid.

70 See the record of a meeting at the Foreign Office with Mr Strang as chairman, 6 September 1940; F.O. 371 24340.

71 See the note by Sir Reginald Vansittart, 27 September 1940; F.O. 371 24302.

72 See, for example, the note by Mr Mack, 9 December 1940; F.O. 371 24304.

73 When the Prime Minister read the Declaration Organique from Brazzaville (16 November 1940) he noted on 20 November, ‘This is a very remarkable document and it is bound to have a great effect in the minds of Frenchmen, on account both of its scope and its logic. It shows de Gaulle in a light very different from that of an ordinary military man.’ This enthusiastic response was very different from the reaction of British officials, one of whom informed Mr Churchill that the Declaration had been drafted by Monsieur Cassin, and that the few alterations made by de Gaulle troubled Monsieur Cassin's legal mind; F.O. 371 24345.

74 A telegram from Mr Kelly at Berne, 21 August 1940, contained the words, ‘Germans fear the overthrow of Pétain Government followed by departure of its successor to Algiers through the Mediterranean ports.’ Mr Churchill minuted, 24 August, ‘Foreign Secretary. This is our goal.’ F.O. 371 24312.

75 Mr Makins to Sir Ronald Campbell, 14 June 1940; F.O. 371 24294.