U.S. NAVAL COMMUNICATION SERVICE
                                                                                          SRS
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FROM: OPNAV
TO: THE PRESIDENT             "142115" BLACK 37 -- STATE 10
                         PRIORITY
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ALTHOUGH LEAHY STATES THAT IT IS PERHAPS TOO EARLY TO GIVE A
GENERAL PICTURE OF THE IMPRESSION CREATED IN FRANCE BY PETAINS
STATMENT OF POLICY IN THE GENERAL OPINION IN FRANCE IT REPRESENTS NO
ADVANCE TOWARD COLLABORATION WITH GERMANY.  IN THE INTERNAL FIELD
THE AMBASSADOR ADDS THAT THERE IS A TENDENCY TO FEEL THAT THE
REORGANIZATION OF THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESULT IN NO REAL CHANGE
ALTHOUGH THE STRENGTHENING OF THE POLICE CONTROL WHICH REVEALS AN
UNEASINESS AS TO THE POSITION OF THE REGIME WILL PROBABLY NOT SERVE
TO MAKE ITS POSITION MORE POPULAR.  ONE INTERPRETATION OF THE
DECLARATION AND THE ACCOMPANYING MEASURES IS THAT THEY ARE PART
OF A MANEUVER INTENDED TO GAIN TIME FOR FRANCE SO THAT THE MARSHAL
CAN TELL THE GERMANS THAT THE PROCESS OF REORGANIZATION WILL
REQUIRE SOME TIME BEFORE ITS RESULTS CAN BE JUDGED.  IN THE
INTERVENING TIME IT IS HOPED THAT IF THE RUSSIANS HOLD THE GERMANS
MAY PERHAPS BE IN NO POSITION TO EXERCISE THE MAXIMUM PRESSURE OF
WHICH THEY ARE CAPABLE TODAY.
                              HULL
 
TOR 2349 PG 14 AUG 1941