1940: Syria

Syria, a French mandated Arabic territory in the Near East, was in 1940 drawn into the vicissitudes which befell France as a result of her collapse in the war against Germany. In preceding years the Syrians had protested repeatedly and violently against the French mandate, and had demanded their independence. The months of the war, the maintenance of a large French army in Syria and the introduction of wartime regulations, put a temporary lull on the outward manifestations of Arab nationalism in Syria. The French army maintained in Syria under the command of General Weygand, who was very familiar with the Syrian situation, represented the most important part of the armed forces at the disposal of the Allies for any defensive action in the Near East and in the Mediterranean. When France gave up the struggle in June 1940, after Italy's entrance into the war, Great Britain was left alone to face the fascist forces in the Mediterranean. There was some hope maintained that the Syrian army under General Eugene Mittelhauser, the French Commander-in-chief in the Middle East, would join Great Britain and the forces of free France, and continue the struggle against the Fascist forces. However, on June 28 General Mittelhauser, in agreement with the French High Commissioner for Syria, Gabriel Puaux, decided to cease hostilities against Germany and Italy, but to maintain the French mandatory administration in Syria and in the Lebanon.

This change in the situation brought about an increased unrest in Syria, where the Arab forces again raised the demand for independence. The neighboring Arab countries, especially Iraq, and Turkey, all allied with Great Britain, were vitally interested that Syria should not become a part of the lands under Fascist domination and serve as a spearhead for the Fascist penetration of the Near and Middle East. An Italian military commission arrived in Syria at the beginning of September, charged with the demobilization of the French army in the Near East under the terms of the armistice. Its arrival was generally regarded as the first attempt to make Syria a jumping-off place for far-reaching activities which might endanger the position of Turkey and of Iraq. The presence of this Italian mission increased the unrest among the Arabs, who feared an Italian penetration of their country.

In June 1940, many Arabs believed that Great Britain would be unable to defend her positions in the Mediterranean single-handed against the vast numerical superiority of the Fascist forces. However, the intervening months with their great successes for Great Britain and Greece against the Italian armed forces which have proved completely powerless so far to break the British hold over the Mediterranean, have changed the attitude of the Arabs and partly also that of some of the French officers and soldiers, several of whom were reported to be joining the British forces. The French colony became divided internally. The dissatisfaction of the Arabs grew more menacing after the assassination of Dr. Abdur Rahman Shahbandar, one of the most gifted Arab national leaders. The idea of a federation of Arab states with an independent Syria as its nucleus gained great momentum.

In view of the importance of Syria, which could easily become the key to the whole strategic situation in the Near East, the French government of Vichy appointed on Nov. 25 Jean Chiappe, a former prefect of the Paris police and a well known friend of Fascism and supporter of French Fascist movements, as French High Commissioner in Syria and Lebanon, to succeed Gabriel Puaux. Chiappe took off from Marseille on an airplane to Syria, but this plane was shot down over the Mediterranean when it flew through a British-Italian combat zone. The Vichy government appointed on Dec. 9 General Henri Dentz as the new High Commissioner and Commander of the French forces in Syria and Lebanon. See also IRAQ.

Archaeological Excavations in Syria.

See ARCHAEOLOGY.

1939: Syria

Proposed Independence of Syria.

Syria, which is an Arabic country under French mandate, went through troubled times in 1939. The treaty which had been concluded in 1936 between France, on one hand, and the Republic of Syria and the Lebanon (into which two parts the mandated territory had been divided), on the other, had guaranteed that within three years the mandate would be terminated and Syria and the Lebanon become entirely independent. This treaty was not ratified by France, however; and the developments of 1939 have discarded it and inaugurated an entirely new situation in Syria. The treaty had been the work of the Nationalist party in Syria, which had come to power in the elections of 1936 and formed the government in the three years following. The reluctance of France to ratify the treaty brought about the disintegration of the Nationalist party.

New Demands of France.

On May 12, the French High Commissioner in Syria, Gabriel Puaux, who took office on Jan. 7, 1939, made an official declaration in which he demanded a change of the proposed treaty of 1936 which would decentralize the administration for the protection of the minorities, assure complete equality between citizens of all religious and regions, and strengthen military cooperation between Syria and France, in view of the present international situation.

Reorganization of Syria.

A new law decreed the complete reorganization of Syrian administration beginning with July 1. This new law abolished the Syrian constitution of May 4, 1930 in favor of complete decentralization. Two provinces, the district of Latakia and the Jebel Druze, become under the title of autonomous territories completely independent of the central government as far as the Administration and finances are concerned. Another province, the Upper Euphrates, received almost as far-reaching an autonomy. But even the remainder of Syria, the six provinces of Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Hauran and Euphrates, received a far-reaching local autonomy; so that it may be said that Syria represents not more than a very loose federation of practically autonomous parts, in all of which the French maintain a close control.

Under these circumstances not only the Syrian cabinet, but also the President of the Syrian republic resigned. The French High Commissioner appointed a council of directors to rule the mandated territory under his direction. He declared France's readiness as theretofore to conclude a treaty of independence with Syria; but Syrian public opinion continued to be enraged over the suspension of the Syrian constitution and the cession of Alexandretta to Turkey.

Alexandretta.

The district had formed a part of Syria under the mandate, but had been constituted later as an autonomous republic under the name of Hatay and had been ceded outright to Turkey by France on June 23, 1939. The territory is in area approximately 10,000 sq. mi. with a population of 220,000. Turks made up about 40 per cent of the population, the rest being Arabs, Armenians and Kurds. The district is of great strategic importance and had been claimed by Turkey for many years. Turkey promised at that occasion to respect the frontiers of Syria and in no way to engage in any enterprise that might affect the territorial integrity and internal peace of her neighbor. Those inhabitants of Hatay who do not desire to become Turkish citizens may apply for Syrian or Lebanese citizenship within six months, and within eighteen months leave the territory of Turkey with all their goods and cattle.

Effects of the War.

The outbreak of the great war produced a momentary halt in the Syrian situation. One of the most important French generals, Maxime Weygand, who had been in former years High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief in Syria, was now dispatched again to Syria to become Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces in the Near East and in the eastern Mediterranean. The strategic importance of Syria in case of a conflict which might involve the eastern Mediterranean was stressed again. General Weygand conducted also the military negotiations with Turkey for common defense of the Near East in case of an attack by Germany or the Soviet Union.

1938: Syria

The French mandated territory of Syria witnessed a continuation of the uncertain situation in which this Arabic territory has found itself for several years. The treaty concluded in 1936 between France on the one hand and the Republics of Syria and the Lebanon on the other hand, had not yet been ratified by the French Parliament at the end of 1938. This treaty foresaw the independence of Syria and of the Lebanon and their admission as member states to the League of Nations within three years after the ratification of the treaty. It had been then generally assumed that the treaty would go into full effect, including the independence of Syria and the Lebanon, by 1939. At the end of 1938 there were, however, repeated declarations by French authorities that in view of the grave international situation in the Mediterranean a revision of the treaty was necessary which would definitely postpone the termination of the mandate and the independence of the mandated territories. As against this the Syrian nationalists demanded the immediate termination of the mandate and the complete independence of their country. Until then the Syrian Ministry had tried to conduct the negotiations with France in a very conciliatory spirit, against much opposition in their own ranks. The international tension between France and Italy increased the internal tension. It would seem that Syria is heading toward a troubled year in 1939.

Syria had to cope during 1938 with the problem of minorities. The most exacting problem concerned that of the Turkish minority in Alexandretta and Antioch. The Turkish Republic supported this minority, and, after long negotiations, this district was established, through Turkish pressure, as a practically independent state under nominal Syrian suzerainty, but entirely determined in its program and organization by the example offered by the Turkish Republic. It received also the Turkish name of Hatay. Lesser troubles occurred among the Kurdish inhabitants of the northeastern district, among the Alauites of the coastal region, and among the Druzes in the south. The Syrians also were much concerned with the situation in Palestine, and some of the Palestinian leaders, among them the Mufti of Jerusalem, established their headquarters in the Lebanon and from there were in constant touch with the Arab revolutionaries in Palestine.

The relations between the Syrian state and the Lebanese Republic did not improve during 1938. The Syrians regard the Lebanese territory as an integral part of Syria, and many elements within the Lebanon agree with this position, especially the Mohammedans and a large part of the Christian youth in the Lebanon who have a distinct tendency toward Arab nationalism. On the other hand, a large part of the Christian population in the Lebanon, especially the older people, although Arabic speaking, wish to maintain the independence of the Lebanon and are afraid that in a united Syria they will lose their privileged position. The necessity of keeping a balance between the various religious groups in the Lebanon has created there a very expensive administration, which led during 1938 to a number of changes in the administrative set-up. A customs union had originally been foreseen between Syria and the Lebanon, but great difficulties had developed in the discussion about the apportionment of the proceeds, so that at the end of 1938 no settlement had as yet been reached. The political uncertainty led to an economic depression which affected Syria as well as the Republic of Lebanon. See also FRANCE: Foreign Relations.