RS                                                  (Paris)
This telegram must be                      Vichy
closely paraphrased be-
fore being communicated                 Dated August 1, 1941
to anyone.  (SC)    
                                                        Rec'd 4:30 p.m.
 
Secretary of State,
     Washington.
 
     970, August 1, 4 p.m. (SECTION ONE)
     Department's telegram 612, July 31, noon.
     
     I discussed this morning with Marshal Petain and
Admiral Darlan together French policy in Indochina and
set forth to them the views contained in the telegram
under reference.  Darlan was much annoyed.  When he
first told us of the Japanese plans with respect to 
Indochina (my telegram 888, July 16, 5 p.m.), he said, 
he had hoped we would act immediately but we did nothing.
He had hoped that a sqadron of our ships from Manila
would steam into Saigon harbor and anchor.  Such action
he believed would have prevented further Japanese
pressure and he would have been glad to have give
authorization for such a visit of our ships had we
 so asked.  He could not of course, he said, give us
any such indication at that time.  He further "resented
bitterly" our present criticism of French policy when
we ourselves have done nothing to restrain the Japanese
even though it is our interest.  "It is always the same