AF                                (Paris)
This telegram must be                   Vichy
closely paraphrased be-  
fore being communicated                 Dated August 1, 1941
to anyone.  (SC)    
                                   Rec'd 7:01 a.m.; 2nd
 
Secretary of State,
     Washington.
 
     970, August 1, 4 p.m. (SECTION THREE)
 
     I pointed out to the Marhsal, (who gave no in-
dication of his feelings other than an occasional nod
during Darlan's at times bitter denunciation of the
British) the existence of the danger of an attack
against the United States territory launched from
Indochinese bases should the situation grow worse.
He admitted that but said that France is helpless
and that he himself "is not a free agent," occupied
 as the country is.  To my inquiry as the whether he 
thought the Japanese would keep their promise to res-
pect French sovereignty in Indochina, the Marhsal
replied, "We had to take a chance on that." Darlan
added, "I do not know.  But Churchill promised on
June 12, 1940, and the Marshal heard him, that if we
 had to seek an armistice he would understand our po-
sition and his friendship toward France would undergo
no change.  The sequel of this was Mers-El-Kebir.  At 
least