PÉTAIN PHILIPPE: (1856-1951), French General of World War I, Prime Minister of France 1940 and Chief of the French ...

PÉTAIN PHILIPPE: (1856-1951), French General of World War I, Prime Minister of France 1940 and Chief of the French State 1940-44. An excellent and very good content A.L.S., 'Ph. Pétain', two pages, to a 5.5 x 4 card, Madrid, 12th February 1940, on the printed stationery of the French Embassy in Spain, to General Bessieres, in French. Pétain states in part ''..I have no reason to be unhappy with the result of my mission, but I have to deal with a strong other part, because the German propaganda which has settled down in the country and which they exert with powerful means and constant disloyalty..´ Petain explains the poor means he has to face the Nazi propaganda, stating `I do not have the same means, I have to just explain the facts without comments, I have to show myself courteous and oppose to all press lies with serenity…´ Accompanied by the original envelope, addressed in Petain´s hand. EX Pétain was French ambassador to Spain for only one year, from May 1939 to May 1940.