740.0011 European War 1939/11718: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 6—9:40 p.m.]
192. For the Secretary and Under Secretary. Referring to fifth paragraph of my 128, May 4, Sheik Taj-ed-Din came from Damascus to call on me tonight and requested me to transmit the following verbal message to the President of the United States.
“Syria is today facing the gravest crisis in her history. All patriotic Syrians fear that France is about to turn us over to the Axis Powers and we know the revolting hypocrisy with which both the Axis and French authorities here are today accusing the British of seeking to extend the war by attacking Syria. It is a thoroughly cynical policy whose sole aim is to bring about immediate and complete collaboration with a Europe politically and economically reorganized by the Nazis. Those of us who like myself have been loyal to France now believe it to be against the best interests of our country to be governed by a Berlin controlled Vichy let alone Berlin itself. We are therefore in favor of a British occupation of Syria and I know many Frenchmen feel as we do. But unfortunately there are some Syrians who because of German bribes and propaganda are or pretend to be pro-German; these elements might be troublesome as fifth columnists and in many other ways. I therefore venture to suggest the simplest and most effective way of winning them over to the cause of the democracies: A vast majority of Syrians even the so-called German or anti-British faction are today still intensely pro-American and have unbounded faith in the democracy and chivalry of the American Government and people. If therefore the United States could [apparent omission] that it approved the recent British declaration re Syrian independence and Arab unity78 it would have an enormous influence on public opinion in Syria and Lebanon where it would be accepted as proof that anti-British propaganda could safely be discounted. Considering that Syria had in 1919 almost unanimously voted for an American mandate,79 an expression of American interest in her fate at this time would seem rather logical particularly as we realize that the United States will after this war want the world to rise to a higher plane of international morality than after the last war. We all know that America seeks neither political influence nor protectorates but here is an unusual opportunity for her which may never return not only of frustrating Axis military and political designs in a strategically vital area, but also of becoming a factor for stability and constructive help in shaping the future of the world.”
I feel the above appeal has much to recommend it. We are universally trusted because of our obvious disinterestedness and our well-known [Page 722] sympathy for the cause of small nations. After the depressing lessons of the last post-war period we would seem to be justified in expressing solidarity of opinion and action with the British in the face of problems confronting the Arabic world. The immediate effect would undoubtedly be a serious weakening of Nazi prestige in Syria and a corresponding strengthening of all influences which are wishing us well in our efforts to help rid the world of the Nazi menace.
- Speech by Anthony Eden, May 29, 1941, British Cmd. 6289, Misc. No. 2 (1941): Speech by the Rt. Hon. Anthony Eden … delivered at the Mansion House on May 29, 1941.↩
- See Report of the King–Crane Commission, August 28, 1919, Foreign Relations, 1919, The Paris Peace Conference, vol. xii, p. 751.↩