Despite the fact that the Vichy Government announced on Wednesday night in a communique that it could not continue the struggle in Syria the situation with regard to General Dentz's application for armistice terms is at the time of writing still obscure. It appears that General Sir Henry Maitland-Wilson replied promptly to the Vichy commander's application, but it is not at all clear whether General Dentz has rejected them, or whether the fighting which is proceeding is that which continues ordinarily under an armistice which has been applied but not actually signed. There are indications that the reported terms which the British and Free French are reported to have indicated to General Dentz are approximately correct. In this connection the alleged requirement that the Vichy commander should hand over intact all munitions, guns, planes, equipment and warships and to guarantee that there shall be no further damage to means of communication is of importance, for it is now reported that the Vichy naval forces in Beirut have fled and sought refuge in a Turkish port. It is to be believed that they will be allowed the customary period in which to prepare for sea, and, should they, not sail, will be interned for the duration.
With the report that Vichy has decided to reject the terms offered by the Allies comes the news that Australians are already entering Beirut. If that is confirmed then a most signal success will have been obtained, which should serve to shorten the campaign. That it must end shortly even Vichy seems prepared to concede, but what it.does not appear to understand is that whatever the armistice terms which the Allies have offered or are prepared to offer only the complete elimination of the Vichy influence from Syria can be accepted. The place of the Vichy officials in the administration of the mandate can easily be taken by members of the de Gaulle and such others who may decide to under the new administration. In the to speak of more than moderate.
It is to be hoped that sit ion whic at the moment is more than a little will shortly be clarified end that Vichy fulfilling what the French Government itself negotiated with the Syrians, but failed for internal political reasons, not unconnected with the reluctance of certain French officials to lose their jobs, to ratify.
For the rest it would seem that it will be necessary at all times to maintain a comparatively substantial force in Syria as a precaution against any attempt of the enemy to land on its coasts from the Balkans. It is true that such an attempt would be considerable risk so long as the British Navy controls the eastern Mediterranean, but attack by massive parachute troops may be possible, as a means of embarrassing the army of occupation and diverting rather more forces than otherwise would be necessary for the defence of the various aerodromes. On the other hand a rapid, conclusion of this campaign should have the result of liberating further troops for the other theatres of war in which activity can be expected almost at any moment, and the possibilities are that if Vichy continues to reject the Allied terms and carries on the Struggle it will be for some dark reason of Hitler's whose orders Vichy now so obviously obeys.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.