740.0011 European War 1939/9431: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut ( Engert ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 29—11:30 a.m.]
89. I learn now that in the course of the disturbances referred to in the first paragraph of my 88, March 26, some 8 or 10 people including 3 gendarmes were killed in Aleppo, between 40 and 50 were wounded and about 300 arrests were made. Six were killed at Horns and one at Damascus. Martial law has been proclaimed at Damascus, Aleppo, Horns and Hama and no natives are permitted to travel between those cities. Beirut is quiet.
The following bazaar rumors have for the past month been current in Damascus and elsewhere. The French authorities have traced them to German and Italian sources and believe them to be largely responsible for the riots.
- 1.
- Most Syrian wheat and other foodstuffs are being shipped to France while the British blockade permits nothing to come in.
- 2.
- Some 20,000 French refugees from Lorraine will be settled in Syria on land to be expropriated from the Syrians.
- 3.
- In return for Turkish support the British Government has promised Turkey a free hand in Syria (this report was officially denied by the British Consul General).
- 4.
- The League of Nations being defunct the French mandate in Syria no longer has any raison d’être. Besides how could a defeated nation pretend to rule over other races?
- 5.
- Germany is in favor of Arab unity and will see that Syria is given independence and that Palestine is handed over to the Arabs.
- 6.
- The British will make of Syria first a battlefield and then a colony. The countries of the Near and Middle East should therefore look to Germany if they want prosperity and peace.
- 7.
- It is useless to expect the United States to do anything for Syria; they did nothing after the last war and besides they will this time not be in a position to do anything because Germany will have won the war long before help from America can possibly become effective.
Repeated to Vichy.