When Edouard Daladier, French Defence Minister was looking for a representative to hold secret negotiations with President Roosevelt, on the supply of airplanes, American Ambassador to France William Bullitt suggested Monnet, because of his profound knowledge of America. Daladier had realised that if full scale war broke out, mastery in the skies was necessary. The negotiations between Roosevelt and Monnet were secret because of the prevailing US sentiment for isolationism, and the existence of the Johnson Act, 1933, prohibiting US loans for arms and the 1935 Neutrality Act. However key figures in the US Administratation, knew that the threat from Hitler was real and the only way to stop the German advance into Europe was by force. Henry Morgenthau, US Secretary of Treasury, despite his reservations about Monnet and the lack of French capital to buy planes, was one of the strong advocates in aiding France and Britain. Another problem facing Monnet was that the US air industry was still in the infancy stage. The French andBritish were also realising that the only answer to Hitler would be for them to join forces, therefore correspondence began between Neville Chamberlain, British Prime Minister and Daladier for the creation of an Anglo-French Supreme War Council. Daladier was also continuing to push Monnet to procure more US planes, Monnet was hesitant as he saw that the American production capacity was fully extended, the only solution being the repeal by the US Congress of the Neutrality Act, for this joint French-British pressure would need to be exerted on Washington, this pressing for complete co-operation between the US, GB and France formed the work load of Monnet in the years 1938-1940.

The originals are held in various Archives in Europe and in the USA

No Photocopying