740.0011 European War 1939/11742: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 7—3:33 p.m.]
195. High Commissioner published proclamation today in which he denies as gross lies the reports referred to in my 184, June 3, and claims all that happened was that “some foreign airplanes flying from west to east landed in Syria in order to continue their journey. They are returning under the same conditions going from east to west”. He stated that the French Government had modified its policy toward Germany because France was facing starvation and hundreds of thousands of her sons were in captivity. If nothing is done to preserve France now there will be no Frenchmen left when years hence the “hypothetical victory is won which is being dangled before your eyes”. He added the Marshal demanded that all French possessions be defended and in Syria and Lebanon the people did not want any emancipators other than the French.