740.0011 European War 1939/4360: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Palmer) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:46 p.m.]
45. Reference to my telegram No. 43, June 28. Except for a fully equipped Polish contingent of several thousand the number of officers [Page 895] and soldiers and the quantities of supplies that have gone over to the British in Palestine have been much less than anticipated and are declared by higher French authorities here to be relatively unimportant.
The attitude of these authorities appears now to be primarily one of determination to support the Bordeaux Government unreservedly in carrying out the terms of the armistice in the hope of avoiding the presence here of an armistice commission with Italian and German members; secondarily, but increasingly one of distrust of the British.
General Massiet has taken over from General Le Petit command of the permanent local defense domain (Armée du Levant) and from General Mittelhauser command of the larger so-called expeditionary force pending its demobilization. The latter’s chief of staff is under arrest for connivance with French officers in Damascus in plans for fully equipped units to join the British in Palestine.
British military mission here is leaving immediately in compliance with Bordeaux Government orders received yesterday morning in telegram from General Weygand.11 Head of the mission told me yesterday noon that even as late as the day before French officers had been asking him to assure them that if they could get to Palestine they would be accepted by the British, and I am informed that all that have gone are being taken over without change of rank but with higher British pay. He maintains that at all times the French command here has been fully aware of his attitude and activities; but the High Commissioner later explained to me that the presence here of this British officer whose mission had actually terminated could no longer be tolerated since he had been directly involved in the Damascus plans which resulted in the arrest of General Mittelhauser’s chief of staff.
In response to my inquiry as to the state of public security here and relations with neighboring countries, the High Commissioner told me yesterday afternoon that Noury [Nuri] Pasha12 returning to Baghdad from Ankara had assured him of the good will of both Iraq and Turkey. As regards relations with Palestine the High Commissioner said that the Bordeaux Government were allowing him considerable freedom of action and that he would do his best to maintain these on a normal basis, but he added that he fears that certain British elements in Palestine might now again stir up trouble in the Djebeldruze. He emphasized that with such a possibility in mind it was essential that a well-disciplined French force be maintained here; also that he hopes that this and undeviating support of the Bordeaux [Page 896] Government will forestall the sending to Beirut of an armistice commission with Italian or German members whose presence here might lead to serious disturbances in this area.