30 Dec 1935 - Hôtel de Brienne, Paris

[Diarist]

Before retiring we all met and John Simon agreed that PM Daladier's offer was acceptable. I later telephoned Winston to say that we have what we wanted and that we shall be home tomorrow afternoon. At breakfast before being driven to Paris we agreed to discuss more cooperation between our two commands in the Middle East including the exchange of intelligence information. At Hôtel de Brienne we were ushered to a small conference room and after a few greetings and a welcome from Defence Minister Daladier we receive copies of the agreement offer in French and English. I took the French version while John Simon read the English translation. It took me less than a minute to notice that were a few details which didn't match our verbal agreement yesterday. I consulted with John Simon and we agreed that under these terms the Golan is no longer automatically transferred to British control if the agreement is implemented. The status of the Circassian Battalion has also been omitted.
"Sir, this isn't what we agreed upon yesterday evening." I then explained the situation.
"The Circassians should be consulted before any such transfer and the omission of the Circassian Battalion isn't explained adequately. We have placed that in a separate military agreement." He handed us a second document.
"We were hoping to discuss military matters this morning and we have a few suggestions you may welcome." Geoffrey Howard handed over our handwritten notes. "As for Golan. I don't believe they were consulted when you received the Mandate of Syria and Lebanon but let's forget that. They want autonomy from an Arab-controlled Damascus and France has denied them that request. We shall grant them autonomy within a British Protectorate of Palestine. Secondly, if there is a need to implement the agreement, the one we discussed yesterday evening, there won't be time for negotiations and since it is a secret agreement we won't be able to discuss it with them beforehand. Finally, our main reason for being here is to clarify the status of Golan. The agreement calls for giving Syria their independence but denying them certain states. We'll look after the Circassians, Sir."
"The military personnel can discuss the military paper, let us retire somewhere more comfortable to talk about Golan."
John and I followed him to a small lounge. "I believe you both know Pierre Flandin, my Foreign Secretary," he continued.
"Yes, of course, Sir."
"The problem is that our mandates are from the League of Nations and that..." John was shaking his head.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Pierre but the mandates were approved by the League, not negotiated by them. In September they were castrated and as far as Britain is concerned they are a League of non-European Nations. The Swiss negotiated the end of the Abyssinian Crisis not the League."
"Legally that doesn't change anything," he replied.
"Don't give me legal nonsense, Pierre. Where in the mandate does it say that France can stuff the ballot boxes in last Syrian election? The largest party only received a few seats in the current parliament and that's one of the reasons you have problems now. Did the League approve all the new states France created in the 1920's? Did the League approve the new pro-French constitution for Syria?"
Pierre added, "our new agreement would give Syria independence, a much greater issue than transferring Golan to British control. You wouldn't need League approval for that. It's a sovereign decision."
"Prime Minister," I continued, "can we decide to accept what we agreed upon yesterday? The League of Nations has nothing to do with this. If France were to implement this agreement then the situation in Damascus would already be out of control and transferring Golan to Britain would be the least of your problems. Previous French, and British governments have created the problems we now have in the Middle East. Let our two governments fix the problems."
After a short pause he said, "I support what we agreed upon yesterday evening," then instructed Pierre Flandin to change the document accordingly.
"...and don't forget to give the Kurds to Iraq," I added with a smile on my face."
"That too," he told his Foreign Secretary. "Sir Robert, a word please." Then whispered in my ear, "is there anyone else here who can discuss our Versailles agenda?"
"No, Sir. Just me."
"Then let us have an early lunch together while the new documents are prepared."

[Diarist]

I'm not very hungry so I order a champignon omelette with a beetroot salad. PM Daladier suggested a Chablis.
"It's nice to have your own private dining room. I'll suggest it to Winston when I return."
"You and Winston get on well together, don't you?"
"We do. He has invited his junior ministers to Chartwell, (his country home), tomorrow so that we can celebrate a successful 1935 and hopefully an equally promising 1936. I believe our resolve will be tested next year."
"I agree. Tensions are mounting," the PM replied. "Where do you believe we shall have the first problems?"
"Yours will probably be in Syria, ours will be in England because King George is gravely ill and is fighting his final battle. The future King Edward VIII has made enemies so the succession could be problematic. How is progress with our Far East cooperation, Sir?"
"We support the idea in principal. May I suggest a joint communiqué to the Siamese government?"
"You can have the disputed territory in exchange for a mutual defence treaty?"
"Correct."
"I would accept it. We can draft a letter asking to meet the King and his ministers in Bangkok in February then send our Foreign Secretaries. They can also visit the Empire while they are over there. We could also send one of our Princes. King George has four sons."
"General Gamelin has informed me that you wish to exchange Rhineland proposals a week before the Versailles meeting."
"It is a suggestion in order to speed things up. General Gamelin told me that the 1st Motorized Division is already being transferred to the French border."
"That is being done."
"I have some notes for you which I intend giving to COL de Gaulle before he leaves."
He read them. "That's interesting. Confiscate all the German locomotives and rolling stock then bring them to France preferably loaded with supplies. Their trucks too."
"Organize them into ad hoc transportation companies for your supply units. Raid all the NSDAP buildings too in order to grab all their files. We have to denazify the Saar."
"I'll consider it. Anything else you would like to add?"
"We've accepted that the Germans will have to violate the Locarno Treaties in order to prove that Hitler's policies have lead to war with France and Britain again thus justifying the Wehrmacht's dismissal of Hitler and friends."
"We've considered that too. I'm glad that we agree there. It is a key factor but after that we are in unchartered waters."
"We're organizing lifebelts."
"Can we discuss the Merlin engine? Not being able to produce it here in France is the only obstacle."
"May I speak frankly, Sir? Information for you only?"
"Please, go ahead."
"On the European continent no country will be producing the engine under licence because there is a danger that the Germans may capture the factory. Even here in France. If the status of Germany changes then that policy could change too."
"I see. You believe that Germany could overrun France?"
"Not now but in a few years, Sir. That's my assessment, not that of my government. My family also owns Vickers-Armstrongs which in turn owns Rolls-Royce and they don't like anybody producing their engines under license. I'm slowly converting them in my capacity as a Minister in the MoD. Europe is not an option. But things may change in Europe. Unchartered waters ahead, remember?"
"I thank you for your honesty."
"You NEED that aircraft. Use your factories to produce other engines. Our goal is double our production each year for the next four years. Do you have that kind of expansion planned, Sir? The Germans do."

"Not on that scale."
"Then you don't have the capacity to produce Merlin engines. You may consider producing an American tank engine under licence. The 400hp Wright R-975E-C2. We are using it for our main battle tank, the Americans too. It would simplify support if we all used the same engine."
"I'll suggest to our colleagues in the tank industry."
"We don't suggest things in Britain, Sir. We order things to be done. You are their prime customer."
Pierre Flandin arrived with a draft of the new agreement. The PM read it then passed it to me. After reading it, "if John Simon is happy then so am I, Pierre. Thank you."
PM Daladier then asked Pierre to draft the Siam communiqué. "We ought to meet more often. We accomplish things."
"Yes we do. I'll be bringing the Rhineland proposals here in mid-January then will visit Belgium and possibly The Netherlands. It would be nice to also visit the 1st Motorized Division while I'm here if possible."
"I'd welcome it. I intend going there myself. We could go together."
"But unannounced, please. I'll wear my uniform complete with the Crois de Guerre."
"Of course."
We returned to the conference room and tied up loose ends. After a lunch we were driven to the airport. The weather had improved so we are flying home from Paris. I called Winston from RAF Duxford to inform him that I'll be meeting people from Vickers-Armstrongs at our bank before going to work tomorrow morning (New Years Eve party) and Sally will bring my notes for him before returning to the bank.