The American Chargé in Vichy, Mr. S. Pinkney
Tuck, on September 7 was called in by Monsieur Laval who said that in
recent bombings of Le Havre and Rouen by combined military forces of
the United Nations a number of people were killed and others wounded
and that he, M. Laval, desired to enter a protest to the American Government
since it was reported some American flyers participated. Mr. Tuck's
immediate reply was that these air forces were bombing military plants
in the employ of Germany and that, of course, the Americans do not desire
to see the French people suffer any more than can be avoided since they
have already suffered to an incalculable extent under German occupation
but that M. Laval must be assured that the military plants operated
by or for Germany and other German military properties in France will
be bombed at every opportunity in the future.