The President then elaborates on the French. They are a political “headache.” Their leader in exile, General de Gaulle, hopes to be only one mile behind Allied troops in taking over the French government. The President says he wants to get out of France and Italy as quickly as possible, letting the British and the French handle their problems together. As he sees it, there will definitely be a race for Berlin. He believes we may have to put our divisions into Berlin as soon as possible. He foresees a “railroad” invasion of Germany, with little or no fighting.
