740.0011 European War 1939/557: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Palmer) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 1—8:30 a.m.]
123. Reference my telegram No. 121, October 28.38 Local reaction to piecemeal reports regarding Pétain–Hitler understanding39 is among the French continued distrust of Laval but desire to believe in Pétain. Resultant uncertainty in official circles is reflected throughout native population in growing disesteem for the French and increasing doubt as to their permanence in the Levant. Consequent widespread consideration of possible successors reveals, in contrast with general disdain for Italians, divided sentiment regarding British, Germans and Turks. British are strongly favored by most Christian communities, considerably by Druzes and to some extent by Moslems, latter principally in Lebanon. Germans are highly respected and hopefully awaited by most Moslems except where Turkish influence is still strong in North Syria and Tripoli.
With reference to persistent rumors as to nature and possible scope of eventual cooperation between France and Germany, local press on October 29 gave prominence to notice to the effect that the High Commission had been authorized to declare officially that there was no foundation for reports of peace preliminaries, or of cession of territory, or of the placing of strategic bases at the disposal of Germany or Italy, or of any attempt against French sovereignty in France or abroad. In response to query on my part as to whether this declaration could be made with assurance, the High Commissioner informed me that it was based on a telegram from Baudouin. The statement at [Page 924] first had a calming effect, but it has since been vitiated by the vagueness of successive announcements from Vichy which has caused disappointment among the French and disquietude in native circles.
- Not printed.↩
- See telegram No. 3537, October 26, from the Chargé in the United Kingdom, and following documents, vol. ii, pp. 395 ff.↩