740.0011 European War 1939/5206: Telegram

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

82. Reference Department’s 51, August 15 [16], and my 80, August 17. Present French Army in Syria and Lebanon not less than 80,000 [Page 904] nor more than 100,000 according to trustworthy sources of information. It will be recalled that last January in my despatch number 46317 following a visit to various military centers I reported my calculations giving these same figures and mentioned an estimated top figure of 140,000 as a high one. In the light of present information and assuming that these earlier calculations were essentially correct it would appear that arrivals during the spring which probably did not exceed 20,000 may have been later offset by secret departures on steamers arriving here with military supplies up to the end of May.

As reported in my telegram dated August 17, 6 p.m., reservists from Eastern Mediterranean countries were the first to be demobilized. Totaling less than 2000 altogether, many who are not residents of Syria and Lebanon have already been repatriated. To those should now be added 1200 men and 30 officers that left for France yesterday afternoon on the steamship Athos together with 150 naval reservists whose replacements from French regular naval forces at Alexandria brought here by this same steamer.

Further demobilization of reservists to a total of from 35,000 to 40,000 will take place as soon as ships for their repatriation are available. The Germans are insisting that the demobilization and the repatriation of these reservists and the retirement of regular officers in the French Army who have reached the recently lowered age limits should be completed by September 15. It is hoped that negotiations for safe conducts from the British and Italians that are now under way will be concluded shortly. As suggested in my telegram No. 79 of August 17, the importance of repatriating of reservists as rapidly as possible is locally recognized; and it is understood that the departure yesterday of the more troublesome elements and the prospect of early repatriation now anticipated by the remainder has gone a long way toward relieving the tension that had been causing anxiety here.

Subject to immediate retirement are a number of competent and energetic officers familiar with the Near East, most of whom are pro-British and some of whom would prefer to remain here rather than return to France under the present conditions. In general it may be said that reservists, including officers, are concerned primarily with rejoining their families after a long period of separation concluding with one of demoralizing inactivity; that many regular army officers while not now disposed to join the British are considering the possibility of carrying on with their former allies at some later date. Consequently the number of officers and men who originally passed into Palestine and have continued to go over in small groups that might have been larger if demobilization had taken place without any possibility of immediate repatriation, have now reached a total of but 400 or 500 according to both British consular and French military estimates.

[Page 905]

It will be observed that on the basis of the number of French troops now under arms here and of those supposed to be demobilized by September 15 the French military forces in Syria and Lebanon after that date should number between 40 and 60 thousand. It is understood that in local French military circles a force of 40 thousand is considered adequate to maintain order now that, according to military observers who have frequently and recently covered the entire area, native elements seem little inclined to trouble. The effect of German propaganda in Syria is still widely apparent but it is found in anti-British rather than in anti-French feeling and still has to overcome the handicap of association with Italy.

It is interesting to note that the determination of the French authorities here to use all the means at their disposal to prevent disturbances of whatever nature or origin, as reported in my telegram No. 51 of July 10, is frequently reiterated but no longer as at one time with apparent reference to a possible movement against Syria on the part of the British. While French troops are now stationed along the Palestine frontier in greater number and at more points than usual this is not believed to be intended as a warning to the British but rather as a manifestation of a determination to prevent clandestine crossing the border by French deserters or others. This may also have a relation to the prospective arrival of the commission mentioned in my telegram 77 dated August 1618 which the Consulate General has privately learned from an official source will consist of an Italian General and another Italian officer and is expected soon although probable date has not yet been announced. It is assumed that for the time being Italy and Germany are not averse to seeing a French force of from 40 to 60 thousand holding this area; and it is apparently the desire of the French authorities to satisfy these Italian officers that such a force should be maintained here and to avoid any action that might give rise to possible doubt in this regard.

Palmer
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