Had long talk this afternoon with Prime Minister. [1] He is very
sensitive about Dakar incident knowing I think in his heart that
criticism which has been very general had justification. He was
inclined to be resentful of your cable [2] and made a number of
unfounded points with regard to it which I refuted.

He suggested you had said he and his Government were half hearted
in their prosecution of the war and gave at length all that had
been accomplished in the last four months. I told him this was
absurd and that all you had referred to was the Dakar operation of
which the facts spoke for themselves.

With regard to the Middle East he suggested you had asked for a
guarantee and said how could anyone give it. I pointed out you had
done nothing of the sort but only expressed your anxieties and
hopes that importance was realised and every conceivable step
being taken.

We ranged over all the points of his long cable [3] to you and at
times exchanges became somewhat crisp. Any criticism or suggestion
Prime Minister immediately takes as a personal attack. I urged on
him that this attitude is all wrong and has things out of
perspective. I stressed everyone realises amazing job he has done
and is doing but to resent any view not in accord with his own is
to make job harder.

The real trouble is that no one round the Prime Minister stands up
to him and his judgment is not such as to obviate necessity for
some check on his impulses. Conversation which started in somewhat
antagonistic atmosphere ended on better note.

BRUCE