Evening star., 1941-06-10
Syria the Touchstone


Syria by British and Free French"
forces is one of those decorating in
cidentS that may cause both military
and diplomatic explosions far re-
moved from the immediate scene of
action. In thus boldly attacking the
territory held by their former ally,
Britain is taking complex risks.
Of this, Britain is we'll aware. But,
provided she has the military power
to break down French local resist
ance and occupy Syria quickly, she
had no alternative. To have re-
manned on the defensive would have
given Germany the opportunity to
consolidate its grip on Syria and thus
acquire an open door into the whole
Near East. That danger had to be
foreStalled at all costs.
Now that the British have struck,
it is to be presumed they have the
strength TO follow through. Another
fiasco like that of Dakar would not
only have compromised British pres
tige in the Near East but would have
so depressed and angered public
opinion at home that parliamentary
crisis of the first magnitude would
have been inevitable
First reports seem to indicate that
the British invasion, entering Syria
from four points, is proceeding salts
factorily, though Vichy claims that
its troops are offering stiff resist
ance. Marshal Petain has denounced
the invasion in no uncertain words,
so it is obvious that this is a head-on
clash between Vichy and London. 1t
will undoubtedly play into the hands
of Admiral Darlan and the other
supporters Of full cooperation with
Germany, and formal war between
Britain and the Vichy government
of France is more than possible. That
was one of the risks Britain had to
take.
One of the most interesting ques-
tions involved in Britain's sudden
stroke is its effect upon General
Weygand, who commands in French
North Africa. Up till now, Weygand
seemingly has been trying to play a
middle-o the-road policy. Open
warfare between Britain and Vichy
would presumably render continu-
ance of this attitude impossible.
Another intriguing speculation
concerns General Charles de Gaulle
and his Free French" movement.
Despite all the aid he has received,
De Gaulle has not been accorded a
diplomatic status. He and his fol-
lowers have been technically sub
sidized auxiliaries of Britain. War
with Vichy might well be followed
by British recognition of his regime
as the real government of France.
And this might be followed by SINH
lar action on the part of our own
Government.
1t will be surprising if General
Dentz and his army in Syria can put
up prolonged resistance. He lacks
heavy mechanized equipment and is
repeatedly very short on gasoline and
oil, having received none from Iraq
since the British shut off the pipe
line to Syria when France made her
armiStice with Germany almost a
year ago. Furthermore, it is unlikely
that the Germans can be of much
immediate help except in the air.
1t would have been militarily unwise
for Germany to have risked many
air-borne ground troops in Syria
without mechanical equipment cap
able of withstanding that of the
British invaders, who are presumably
well supplied. 1t would also have
been politically unwise, because Ger
many has everything to gain by en-
broiling France and England directly
while Germany remains discreetly in
the background.
Therefore Syria will probably be
in British hands very soon. That
will greatly strengthen Britain's
local strategic situation, increase her
prestige among the Arabs and pos
sibly stiffen the attitude of Turkey,
her wavering ally.