Post by Diarist on May 21, 2014 23:46:16 GMT 1
Finally I have some time for my diary. The first few days here have been very hectic and being the junior officer I have been tasked with all kinds of duties. The PM, Stanley Baldwin, was here for a few hours yesterday morning and today General Gort and I went to the Defence Ministry to confer with Winston Churchill and the General Staff.
The Prime Minister has decided to refuse an invitation from Italy's Mussolini to meet him and the French PM at Stresa to present a joint statement condemning Hitler's latest violations of the Treaty of Versailles. The PM has convinced the French PM, Pierre Laval, to meet at Deauville instead; without the Italians. Apparently the French have a secret agreement with the Italians. The French could have a free-hand in W. Africa if France were to give Italy a free-hand in E. Africa. We need to remind France that Britain also has interests in both of these areas and France needs to decide who they prefer to have as an ally. This will definitely be an interesting meeting!
We also have a meeting with President Roosevelt and his top military staff planned for mid-April in Bermuda. The President and Winston Churchill knew each other well from their days in the Great War. It is hoped that the United States would send representatives to our TRADOC despite their isolationist policies. Invititations have already been sent to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa and the French would also be invited once their status had been determined. The idea of a joint TRADOC was General Gort's idea and the War Office immediately supported it.
Winston Churchill also made it quite clear to the leaders of our aircraft industry that they are no longer competing against each other, their adversaries are in Germany, Russia, Italy and Japan. He expects joint-ventures in order to produce the best aircraft for the RAF and Fleet Air Arm. There will be an abundance of orders for all of them but resources and production capacity will not be squandered on inferior designs. Similar meetings are planned for their Army and Navy counterparts.
The Prime Minister has decided to refuse an invitation from Italy's Mussolini to meet him and the French PM at Stresa to present a joint statement condemning Hitler's latest violations of the Treaty of Versailles. The PM has convinced the French PM, Pierre Laval, to meet at Deauville instead; without the Italians. Apparently the French have a secret agreement with the Italians. The French could have a free-hand in W. Africa if France were to give Italy a free-hand in E. Africa. We need to remind France that Britain also has interests in both of these areas and France needs to decide who they prefer to have as an ally. This will definitely be an interesting meeting!
We also have a meeting with President Roosevelt and his top military staff planned for mid-April in Bermuda. The President and Winston Churchill knew each other well from their days in the Great War. It is hoped that the United States would send representatives to our TRADOC despite their isolationist policies. Invititations have already been sent to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa and the French would also be invited once their status had been determined. The idea of a joint TRADOC was General Gort's idea and the War Office immediately supported it.
Winston Churchill also made it quite clear to the leaders of our aircraft industry that they are no longer competing against each other, their adversaries are in Germany, Russia, Italy and Japan. He expects joint-ventures in order to produce the best aircraft for the RAF and Fleet Air Arm. There will be an abundance of orders for all of them but resources and production capacity will not be squandered on inferior designs. Similar meetings are planned for their Army and Navy counterparts.