741.90D/2
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Villard)
Mr. Helm18 left the attached informal memorandum19 in regard to the British position in respect to trade with Syria. The policy in this respect was summed up in the first sentence, namely, that the British Government is endeavoring to exercise “the maximum economic pressure on Syria”. While consideration would be given in very exceptional cases to the continuance of certain types of American trade with Syria, the Government of Great Britain hoped that this would not be necessary since it was desired to maintain the pressure as fully as possible.
I asked Mr. Helm whether his Government had given consideration to the possibility that such a policy might force Syria into the arms of the Germans, that serious uprisings might take place, and that bitterness might be aroused against the British Government. Mr. Helm said that the different courses which might be pursued were certainly debatable but that it appeared the policy of his Government was to endeavor to create dissatisfaction with the Vichy regime in Syria and thus win the inhabitants over to the British side. Sufficient pressure would be applied to bring the country to the point of economic collapse, when inducements would be held out by the British for economic rehabilitation. The swinging over of the country to full support of the British would then follow.
I said to Mr. Helm that we had considerable doubts on this score, as he knew by our previous conversations in regard to trade with North Africa. Mr. Helm said that he could only speak personally on the latter subject since he had received no final word from London as to its policy in this area, but he believed that the blockade against the French African colonies was more likely to be tightened than relaxed. He said that he did not desire to discuss the matter without further information from London, but at this time he felt that it was the intention of his Government to pursue a policy in North Africa similar to that in force with respect to Syria. In this connection it was also his opinion that the British Government would endeavor to hamper the trade between Martinique and French Africa or metropolitan France as much as possible.