CK                                 (Paris)
This telegram must be                   Bordeaux
closely paraphrased be-
fore being communicated                 Dated June 16, 1940
to anyone. (Br)
                                   Rec'd 5:00 a.m.
 
Secretary of State
 
     Washington
 
     TRIPLE PRIORI TY
 
     4, June a6, 1 a.m.
 
     STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL FOR PRESIDENT AND THE
 
SECRETARY.
 
     The cabinet unanimously decided to ask for the
 
terms of an armistice. They have asked the British in
 
view of the agreement between the two Allies for their
 
concurrence in this move. They expect to have the
 
British answer tomorrow and this has just been confirmed
 
to me by my British colleague.
 
     Reynaud to whom I delivered your message at 7 and
 
whom I saw again at midnight explained that only by such 
 
a move could he show the French people who have ^ [been] kept
 
in utter ignorance of the real gravity of the military
 
situation the severity of German terms and justify a 
 
flight of the Government "to Africa or, England". ("I
 
only hope they won't be too moderate" he said).
 
I feel, and the British, I find concur, that the
 
dangers of this move and the shock to the morale of both
 
the