Ringo
Platinum Member
On May 29, 1945, after ten days of continuous demonstrations and armed clashes, French troops stormed and burned the Syrian parliament building (they failed to arrest Syrian President al-Quwatli, who fled to Transjordan) and began a 36-hour bombardment of Damascus that claimed approximately 400 lives.
Although France (represented by de Gaulle) recognized Syria's independence on January 3, 1944, due to the expiration of the League of Nations mandate, French troops continued to remain on its territory.
On May 31, Churchill demanded that de Gaulle "immediately order the French troops to cease fire and return to their barracks" (the British insisted that French troops in the Middle East remain under the command of the British Middle East Command until the end of the war with Japan).
On June 1, the 31st Indian Armored Division was ordered to cross the Syrian border, and by nightfall that same day, the heavily outnumbered French were forced to clear the streets of Damascus. By the end of July, British forces had established effective control over all of Syrian territory.
De Gaulle was furious at the "British betrayal," and Foreign Minister Bidault called the crisis "worse than Fashoda." Since Syria declared war on Germany on February 26, 1945, this conflict can be considered the first in a series of future undeclared wars between the United Nations.
Although France (represented by de Gaulle) recognized Syria's independence on January 3, 1944, due to the expiration of the League of Nations mandate, French troops continued to remain on its territory.
On May 31, Churchill demanded that de Gaulle "immediately order the French troops to cease fire and return to their barracks" (the British insisted that French troops in the Middle East remain under the command of the British Middle East Command until the end of the war with Japan).
On June 1, the 31st Indian Armored Division was ordered to cross the Syrian border, and by nightfall that same day, the heavily outnumbered French were forced to clear the streets of Damascus. By the end of July, British forces had established effective control over all of Syrian territory.
De Gaulle was furious at the "British betrayal," and Foreign Minister Bidault called the crisis "worse than Fashoda." Since Syria declared war on Germany on February 26, 1945, this conflict can be considered the first in a series of future undeclared wars between the United Nations.
