July 12, Despite' the fact that the Vichy Government announced on Wednesday night in a communique that it could not continue th 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 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.
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 {s 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 pre~ pared to concede, but what it does not appear fo understand is that whatever the armistice terms which the Allies have offered or are prepared to offer only the complete climina~ tion 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 forees, and such others who may decide to remain under the new administration. In the circumstances for the Germans to speak of the reported terms as amounting to a Diktat ridiculous. Only they know how to prepare such things, and if the alleged terms are indeed correct then the Allies have been more than moderate.
It is to be hoped that the situation which at the moment is more than a little confused will shortly be clarified and that Vichy will appreciate the futility of further continuing a struggle of which, humanly speaking, the result is a foregone conclusion. To carry on the struggle can only mean the loss of more valuable lives without any military advantage being derived. Britain has no territorial ambition in either Syria or Lebanon, and, long as they are not used as land or sea bases by the enemy, will be quite content to eave the administration of the two areas in the hands of the Free French within the framework of that independence which has. been guaranteed to Syria by Great Britain. The execution of that guarantee will be but 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 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 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 tack by massive parachute troops' may be possible, as a means of embarrassing the army 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 berating further troops for the other theatres of war in which activity can. be expected almost at any moment, and the pos sibilities are that if Vichy continues to re-Ject the Allied terms and carries on the Struggle 1¢ 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.