740.0011 European War 1939/12724: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Engert) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 2—10:06 a.m.]
259. Last night’s raids were even more intensive than those reported in my 257 of yesterday.18 No damage whatever was done to any military objectives although several may have been aimed at. The Municipality or City Hall was badly damaged and is being permitted by the American University to occupy one of the latter’s buildings. A native hotel, a flour mill and two small mosques were hit. Several bombs narrowly missed the Saint George and Normandy, two leading Beirut hotels. At least 8 civilians were killed including a woman and her 4 children.
The head of the Lebanese Government accompanied by the Mohammedan member of his Cabinet came to see me this morning to ask if I could not bring to the attention of the British Government the fact that the raids of the last two nights had caused great consternation among the inhabitants, both Christian and Moslems, who had counted on England’s good nature and had hoped bombing of thickly populated areas in the center of Beirut would be avoided.
I have also received an official written protest from the High Commissioner who states that the French air force has refrained from bombing Jerusalem and Damascus although British troops and headquarters are there.
Please see second paragraph of my telegram number 257, June 30,19 which contains my considered opinion on the subject.
- Not printed.↩
- In the second paragraph of this telegram the Consul General at Beirut suggested that even though bombings might be justified on military grounds, the possible advantages might be offset by a revulsion of feeling by the local inhabitants against the British (740.0011 European War 1939/12662).↩