Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The British Commonwealth; The Near East and Africa, Volume III

740.0011 European War 1939/12909: Telegram

The Consul General at Beirut (Engert) to the Secretary of State

Beirut, July 8, 1941—11 a.m.
[Received 2:40 p.m.]

282. My 281, July 8, 10 a.m.

1. General Dentz obviously had no knowledge of the proposal emanating from the Australian Commander-in-Chief quoted in the Department’s 127, July 5, 7 p.m.²⁶ In accordance with the point of view expressed in my 278, July 7, I did not of course make any mention of it. As the record now stands the High Commissioner’s present request for a suspension of hostilities is his own and not a reply to some real or imaginary British proposal. And that, I maintain, is as it should be in view of all the circumstances.

2. General Dentz received me in an empty house—the third his headquarters have occupied since the outbreak of hostilities because of the air raids—and I found the place in a state of utmost confusion. It was evident that he and his staff were about to evacuate Beirut. Incidentally even Conty and other officials of the political bureau were in uniform with large pistols strapped around their waists. The General briefly introduced the subject by stating that the British had broken through at Damour and although they had been counterattacked and had suffered heavy losses they had received reinforcements while the French had not and he had therefore been instructed by Vichy to suggest an immediate suspension of hostilities. But he added with his usual defiance “the game is by no means up yet”.

3. I learn indirectly that the French became discouraged when they found that reenforcements could arrive only in relatively small numbers and that they would soon be short of arms and ammunition as a result of the sinking of the Saint Didier by British planes at Adalia. A French airman also stated that the air force had lost 120 planes between June 8 and July 2 and were difficult to replace. Moreover, even General Dentz did not quite dare invite active German military support more because he knew how strongly his subordinates felt on the subject. But he always implied that he might after all have to resort to it if the British pushed him too hard. So that when Germany attacked Russia and he realized that no help on a large scale could possibly be forthcoming for at least several months his last trump card failed him.

4. I understand that General Dentz will move his headquarters to Tripoli where the American Girls School has just been taken over by the military presumably for that purpose. Garrison there is now said to number about 6,000. Three large planes are constantly being kept in readiness in Beirut for the evacuation of the High Commissioner and his staff. Gold reserves mentioned in paragraph 1 of my 221, June 17,²⁷ amounting to 800,000 sterling have already been shipped to France by air and all stocks of unissued banknotes have been destroyed.

Engert

26. See footnote 17, p. 754.
27. Not printed.