740.00119 European War 1939/749: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 2—10:01 a.m.]
791. Embassy’s telegram 776, June 30, 7 p.m. We asked Rochat for further background with respect to the British offer for the cessation of hostilities transmitted through our Consul General at Beirut. He replied that unfortunately there is very little he can tell us and that he himself is somewhat mystified. He gave us the text of a memorandum which he stated had been left with the Director of Political Affairs at Beirut at 1 p.m. on June 21 by the American Consul General at Beirut. The memorandum had not been telegraphed to Vichy by General Dentz but has been forwarded by courier. Memorandum reads as follows in translation:
“Far from wishing to impose dishonoring conditions on General Dentz, His Majesty’s Government is quite willing to grant him all the honors of war as well as to the officers and civil servants who have only done what they considered their duty towards their Government.
Consequently, there can be no question of condemning General Dentz or any officer or civil servant to death or to another sentence.
The High Commissioner, his general staff, all French officers and civil servants who do not desire to remain in the Levant will be repatriated as soon as convenient circumstances permit.
Negotiations with a view to the cessation of hostilities will be conducted by General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson in his capacity as [Page 758] representative of the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces and by the representative of General Dentz. Hostilities will cease at once and military honors will be granted to the military forces.”
The memorandum seemed rather vague and general and offered little indication of the nature of conditions for ceasing hostilities.
Repeated to London, Beirut and Algiers.