An Unissued Proclamation of Martial law by Lieutenant-General Holmes During the Lebanese Crisis (Nov. 1943)

An unpublished proclamation that was to be made on November 24, 1943 by William George Holmes to the lebanese citizens and all troops stationed in Lebanon in response to the British threat to declare martial law following the illegal arrest of the newly elected Ministers of the Lebanese Government by the French Delegate-General; 57.4 cm x 40.9 cm; overall condition near extremely fine. Footnote: In 1942, after a strenuous fight for independence from British and French forces, a free Lebanon State was formally recognized by Great Britain, the United States, and other Allied nations. Anglo-French relations during early-1943 and 1944 largely remained ambiguous since there were still disputes and quarrels between Churchill and de Gaulle in regards to holding free elections in Syria and Lebanon. While the British had tried to press forward with elections in these regions, the French had sought to delay them. In 1943, the French opposition was overcome and elections took place, resulting in a new and freely elected ministry being formed. In November 1943 the French delegate-general, M. Helleu, who said he was acting on behalf of De Gaulle, responded by dissolving the elected assembly in Lebanon and arresting the Lebanese President, Prime Minister, and two other Ministers of the Lebanese Government. In turn, the British threatened to impose martial law and to take matters into their own hands unless the ministers were released, fixing 10:00AM on November 22, 1943 as the deadline for French compliance. R. G. Casey, the British minister resident in the Middle East warned that otherwise on grounds of military urgency he would arrange for the imposition of British martial law to take control of the rising crisis. On November 21, the time limit was extended for another forty-eight hours but the French soon realized that they had no choice but to accept. Helleu was recalled to France soon after, where he was informed of his dismissal, and on November 22, all Lebanese political detainees were released. This unpublished proclamation poster is testimony to the fact that the British were in fact ready and willing to declare British martial law to establish a freely elected Lebanese government.