Wallis Group

France And America In The Pacific

Disclosure of Interesting Incident Affecting Wallis Group

SOME interesting disclosures of relations between the Americans and the Free French in the Pacific, in 1942, in the very diflicult early days of the Jap anese war, were made in Paris lately by Admiral d’Argenlieu, who was High Com missioner in the Pacific for Free France in 1942-3. The disclosures relating to the Wallis Islands are of particular interest.

It appears that the Admiral made his statement by way of protest against cer tain opinions expressed in America re garding French rights over Indo-China.

Our report is taken from the “Figaro” of April 9.

No one in Washington or elsewhere (said the Admiral) ignores the fact that the French territories of New Cale donia. the New Hebrides, the Wallis Islands. French Oceania and Clipperton Island were protected against our common foe by the Americans. But those French territories served the common cause by remaining free with Free France; then by opening their doors wide, when the time came, to the American soldiers, as they would to old and sure friends.

After having recalled with what enthu siasm the French colonists of New Heb rides, French Oceania and New Caledonia rallied in July, August and September, 1940, at General de Gaulle’s call; after stressing the importance of these bases, the Admiral related how, three months after Pearl Harbour, on March 14, 1941, General Patch’s forces began to land in Noumea, and later, in the New Hebrides.

General de Gaulle’s policy had forestalled any Japanese interference, masked or otherwise, in the French archipelagos. It ensured for America, in various vital centres, ports, airfields, territories which were not only free but friendly.

A FEW days after the Coral Sea vic tory, on May 18, the Admiral was visited at Noumea- by Admiral Chormley, first Commander-in-Chief of the South Pacific. There was talk of the Wallis, the only isles which had remained obedient to Vichy. The rallying of Wallis, contemplated as early as December, 1940, had been deferred.

“My visitor now informed me that the Supreme Command attached great im portance to the Wallis Group. He con cluded by stating that ‘lf Free France won over the Wallis, no problem of sovereignty would be involved. If, on the other hand, we Americans were to occupy them alone, that question would arise.’ ”

“The answer was easy,” proceeded Ad miral I’Argenlieu. “Having been assured that if the Wallis rallied they would escape any Japanese reprisals, I replied that we were ready and determined to act. On May 27, 1942, the sloop ‘Le Chev reuil’ won over the isles in the midst of popular enthusiasm; the next day the American troops began to land on Wallis.

“My interviews with the Commander in-Chief of the South Pacific gave prac tical confirmation to a diplomatic under standing existing between the French National Committee in London and the State Department in Washington. Agree ments had been reached, as a matter of fact, fixing the essential points of the conditions under which American troops would be authorised to use our bases.

'‘The French National Committee in London and its representatives in the colonies of the Pacific were recognised by the United States Government as sole custodians of French sovereignty. It had even been stipulated that all buildings and structures erected in our territories for military defence would ipso facto become French property. The American people were inspired by the sentiments of the age-long friendship existing between our two countries, and implied an express wish to see France restored in her integrity and her greatness.

“The question which arose over the Wallis does not arise concerning Indo china. French resistance in this colony, the forming of our Far-Eastern units, and the presence of the ‘Richelieu’ in the Pacific averted this, “Our Pacific isles have ceased to be forward areas, but their military future will naturally come within the sphere of collective security. It is to the honour of France, because it is part of her genius to be disposed to throw master pawns on the chessboard of international security.”