France and the Nazi Threat: The Collapse of French Diplomacy 1932-1939 (87 page)

    
9
.
    
*Shamir, Haim, “Le plébiscite de la Sarre et l’opinion publique en France,” RHMC. January–March 1970, pp. 104–111.

  
10
.
    
See his diary, op. cit., Vol. III, and his book *De Pange, Jean,
Ce qu’il faut savoir de la Sarre
, Paris, 1934.

  
11
.
    
De Pange, Jean, op. cit., Vol. III, pp. 23–37. Quoted by Jeanneney J.-N., op. cit., pp. 543–544.

  
12
.
    
Jeanneney, op. cit., p. 544.

  
13
.
    
MAE, T. 972–975 from Laval to several embassies, 9 November 1934. A personal letter from Fouques-Duparc, head of a division of the French service at the League of Nations to Massigli. Confirmed in ADAP, C, III, 2, no. 307, Köster, 7 November 1934.

  
14
.
    
Jeanneney, op. cit., pp. 544–545.

  
15
.
    
MAE, T. 2012, François-Poncet, 1 November 1934, as well as T. 2023, 2 November, D. 1564, 3 November 1934.

  
16
.
    
MAE, T. 2119, François-Poncet, 16 November 1934, and T. 1768, Laval to François-Poncet, 18 November 1934.

  
17
.
    
MAE, T. 2267–2268, 6 December 1934.

  
18
.
    
MAE, D. 73, 17 January 1935.

  
19
.
    
MAE, T. 91, François-Poncet, 16 January 1935.

  
20
.
    
MAE, Laval to Germain-Martin, Minister of Finance, 22 November 1934.

  
21
.
    
Rueff, op. cit., p. 121–122.

  
22
.
    
MAE, T. 1263–1268, Chambrun, 23 November 1934.

  
23
.
    
MAE, T. 1627–1630, Laval to Chambrun, for Rueff.

  
24
.
    
Rueff, op. cit., pp. 119–121.

  
25
.
    
Most German writers believe that Hitler was seeking an agreement with France against the USSR in 1935. See Hildebrand, quoted report p. 37–40. The object was no doubt to prevent the signature and subsequent ratification of a Franco-Soviet pact. See also Bloch, Charles “La place de la France dans les différents stades de la politique extérieure du IIIe Reich,” quoted article p. 22. On the other hand the Wilhelmstarsse was against it. See Knipping, quoted report pp. 17–18.

  
26
.
    
MAE, Massigli Papers, Note on the present condition of German rearmament.

  
27
.
    
MAE, T. 253–256, François-Poncet, 31 January 1935.

  
28
.
    
MAE, T. 267, 1 February 1935. See also T. 390, 14 February 1935.

  
29
.
    
See below, p. 144.

  
30
.
    
MAE, T. 287–196, François-Poncet, 4 February 1935.

  
31
.
    
MAE, D. A 42, François-Poncet, 6 February 1935, with an eight-page annex.

  
32
.
    
MAE, T. 577–579, François-Poncet, 11 March 1935.

  
33
.
    
MAE, T. 589–594, François-Poncet, 12 March, and T. 599–604, 12 March.

  
34
.
    
See Hildebrand, quoted report, especially p. 13. Regarding the continuing French initiatives for a Franco-German rapprochement, see those by Laval to Köster in ADAP, C, IV, 2, no. 415, Köster 18 November 1935, no. 419, report by Ministerialdirektor Köpke, 19 November 1935; and those by François-Poncet in Berlin, ADAP, C, IV, 2, no.425, note by Neurath, 22 November 1935 (Hitler met with François-Poncet). In no. 435, 30 November 1935, Köster reports citing Léger, that Laval disagreed with François-Poncet and could replace him with Léon Noël. Neurath commented: “Opponent of Germany.”

  
35
.
    
Noël,
Les illusions de Stresa
, op. cit., p. 31.

  
36
.
    
General view in Herriot,
Jadis
, Vol. II, pp. 483–484.

  
37
.
    
MAE, R. 1131–1135, Dampierre, chargé d’affaires, Rome, 2 November 1934; T. 1234–1241, Chambrun, 20 November 1934.

  
38
.
    
MAE, Laval, T. 1049–1050, 5 November 1934.

  
39
.
    
MAE, no. 149/A-S, General Parisot, military attaché, Rome, 18 November 1934. See the Chambrun-Mussolini meeting of 20 November T. 1234–1241, Chambrun, 20 November 1934.

  
40
.
    
MAE, T. 1295, Chambrun, 28 November 1934.

  
41
.
    
MAE, T. 1310–1311, Chambrun, 1 December 1934.

  
42
.
    
See also MAE, T. 1274–1282, Naggiar, Belgarde, 29 December 1934, and T. 1284, 30 December 1934. Regarding the last negotiations there are many telegrams from Chambrun, precisely T. 3–6, 1 January 1935 where Chambrun states that the Italians demand “a clearer statement of disinterest in Ethiopia.”

  
43
.
    
See below, p. 145.

  
44
.
    
MAE, Conversations dans T. 16–23, Chambrun, 7 January 1935; T. 24–29, 7 January 1935. See *Duroselle, J.-B. and Serra, Enrico, ed.
Italia e Francia dal 1919 al 1939
. Milano (ISPI), 1981.

  
45
.
    
On the other hand contrary to what Mallet, op. cit., Vol. I, p.71 states there was no secret military alliance. For the agreements on Tunisia and Africa see the very detailed analysis by *Watt, Donald, C., “The Secret Laval-Mussolini Agreement of 1935 on Ethiopia,” Middle East Journal, Winter 1961, pp. 69–78. He attributes the desire for an alliance to France. The military documents below actually show its Italian origin. See also *Bessis, Juliette
La Méditerranée fasciste
, 1982.

  
46
.
    
MAE, see Note for the Minister by Léger, 30 December 1935: “One can search these documents in vain to find a clause whereby the Italian government may have found the slightest encouragement to undertake a policy of war against Ethiopia.” There was during the evening of January 6 a Laval-Mussolini conversation in the presence of Léger and Suvich (was there also one between them alone?). During that conversation they discussed “free hands,” Laval said laughing: “I see that you have strong hands. I sincerely hope you do not intend to misuse them.” See MAE, Laval Papers, Laval to Mussolini 23 January 1936.

  
47
.
    
To such an extent that Léger, much later thought he could categorically deny Mussolini’s statement. Mussolini told Eden in June 1935 that Laval had given him a free hand. See *Chambrun, Charles de,
Traditions et Souvenirs
, Paris 1952, pp. 192–197. The criticism by Watt in the cited article p. 73 confirms this: in June Mussolini only mentioned to Laval about annexing
a part of
Ethiopia. Hw could he obtain then Laval’s agreement for the
entire
territory?

  
48
.
    
MAE, T. Chambrun, 12 January 1935, with T. no 7/A-S., Parisot, 20 January 1935.

  
49
.
    
MAE, T. Laval to Chambrun, 26 January 1935.

  
50
.
    
MAE, T. 13/A-S., Parisot, 29 January 1935. Conversation with Marshal Badoglio.

  
51
.
    
SHA, meeting of the High Military Committee, 20 February 1935.

  
52
.
    
SHA (copy MAE), T. 24/ A-S, Parisot, 25 February 1935.

  
53
.
    
MAE, T. Chambrun, 27 February 1935, with a letter from Badoglio to Parisot dated 23 February.

  
54
.
    
SHA (transmitted MAE), T. 40/A-S, Parisot, 19 March 1935.

  
55
.
    
SHA (transmitted MAE), T. 50/A-S., 28 March 1935.

  
56
.
    
SHA, Transcript.

  
57
.
    
SHA, Note regarding the relative status of the German and French forces and the consequences from the national and international standpoint, March 1935.

  
58
.
    
Le Goyet, op. cit., p. 104. Regarding naval operations, see SHM, Answer to the questions asked of the President of the Council of Ministers, 8 April 1935 (signed by Admiral Durand-Viel).

  
59
.
    
On the other hand there is no summary within the archives of the Quai d’Orsay.

  
60
.
    
Noël, op. cit., pp. 63–67.

  
61
.
    
D’une guerre á l’autre
, p. 132. See Noël, op. cit., p. 67.

  
62
.
    
*Kirkpatrick, Sir Ivone,
Portrait d’un démagogue
, British edition 1959, p. 333. See Noël, op. cit., p. 72.

  
63
.
    
See *Parker, R.A.C., “Great Britain, France and the Ethiopian crisis,”
English Historical Review
, April 1974, pp. 293–332, see p. 295.

  
64
.
    
Noël, op. cit., p. 77.

  
65
.
    
Op. cit., p. 333–335. See Noël, op. cit., p. 82.

  
66
.
    
*Flandin, Pierre-Étenne,
Politique française, 1919–1940
, 1947, p. 178.

  
67
.
    
*Renouvin, Pierre, “Les relations franco-anglaises (1935–1939). Esquisse proviso ire,”
Les relations franco-britanniques de 1930 a 1939
, pp. 15–51, see p. 19. Parker, cited article, p. 297.

  
68
.
    
Servir
, op. cit. Le Goyet, from the archives of the SHA, shows that Gamelin, in
Servir
fails to mention a part of what Mussolini told him.

  
69
.
    
Le Goyet, op. cit., p. 105–106.

  
70
.
    
MAE, T. 1204, Rome, 18 September 1935.

  
71
.
    
Mallet, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 82. Besides the archives, I am using here the unpublished work by Schram, op. cit., and the book by Scott, op. cit.

  
72
.
    
Herriot,
Jadis
, Vol. II, p. 488.

  
73
.
    
MAE, T. 493–497, Laval to Alphand, 10 November 1934.

  
74
.
    
JODP, Chambre. 1937, p. 2572.

  
75
.
    
MAE, T. 2165–2166, François-Poncet, 23 November T. 1139, Corbin, 23 November 1934; T. 545, Alphand, 23 November 1934.

  
76
.
    
MAE, Protocole dated 5 December 1934.

  
77
.
    
Herriot,
Jadis
, Vol. II, p. 499–500.

  
78
.
    
Herriot,
Jadis
, Vol. II, p. 523. See Scott, op. cit., p. 243.

  
79
.
    
Herriot,
Jadis
, Vol. II, p. 525.

  
80
.
    
Herriot,
Jadis
, Vol. II, pp. 529–530.

  
81
.
    
It is what Simon writes on 21 December 1934. Cited by *Parker, R.A.C., “Great Britain, France and the Ethiopian Crisis,”
English Historical Review
, April 1974, pp. 293–332, see pp. 293–294.

  
82
.
    
MAE, D. 838, Laval to Piétri, 19 December 1934.

  
83
.
    
SHM (sent to MAE), Letter from Decoux to Latham, 17 December 1935; see also D. 760, Piétri to Laval, 10 December 1935.

  
84
.
    
Les illusions de Stresa
, op. cit., pp. 45–53.

  
85
.
    
See a detailed account of this incident in MAE, SDN, Note of the Secretary General, 4 September 1935.