Washington, D. C., November 8, 1942

Dept. of State Bulletin, November 14, 1941.

In response to questions by the newspaper correspondents at a press conference held on November 8, the Secretary of State said that the people who have been concerned about the Vichy policy of the United States will now be able to see clearly and fully its entire content. He added that liberation of French Morocco by American military forces carries forward the various purposes and objectives of this Government in pursuing its policy toward Vichy. This policy, he said, has been directed toward the ultimate liberation of France from her German captors. The American, British, and Canadian Governments have whole-heartedly favored and supported this policy, he added.

The more important of those purposes, Secretary Hull pointed out, have been: (1) opportunity for the Government of the United States to get from week to week highly important information virtually from the inside of German-controlled territory and from North Africa regarding Axis subversive activities and other important phases of the international situation; (2) the maintenance of close relations with the French people and encouragement of leadership in opposition to Hitlerism wherever it exists; (3) the keeping alive of the basic concepts of freedom of the French people, looking toward ultimate restoration of free institutions for France as they existed before the German occupation; (4) the retention of the closest personal touch on the ground with all phases of the French and German situation under the armistice prevailing between Germany and France; resistance to increased German pressure on France to go beyond the armistice provisions and to collaborate with Germany; constant effort to prevent delivery of the French fleet or any part of it into German military hands or to give military support to German arms; that also includes French bases all along the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast; and (5) last, but most important, paving the way and preparing the background, in the most effective manner possible, for the planning and sending of the military expedition into the western Mediterranean area, and assisting the movements supporting present British operations farther east.