International records / Foreign Relations of the United States

The Ambassador in France ( Leahy ) to the Secretary of State

t the shortest line of attack would require the establishment of an overland supply line of 1,000 miles across desert from Dakar to Bamako (rail end), Mniamery [ Niamey? ] and Zinder to the Tchad, a large portion of which would be flanked by British Nigeria. The General said that with the pitifully inadequate supplies now available such an enterprise would be folly and every French officer in Africa knows it. He, as do others, said that the strengthening of the military establishment at Dakar is purely a defensive move because many French do fear another British or an Anglo-Saxon attack agains…