The Struggle for Independence
Independence Recognized, only to be taken Away!
Before the invasion of 1941, General Charles de Gaulle and the British made an agreement, whereby Syria and Lebanon were to be free. The British were to be responsible for external military safety, while the Free French were to assure internal security. The Vichy troops were given safe conduct back to France, while a large British army and a handful of Free French forces remained in the country, to defend it against German attack. In order to supply the army properly, the railroad was extended from Haifa to Tripoli. General Catroux gave up the title of "Haut Commissaire" and most of the important countries recognized the independence of Syria and Lebanon by turning their consulates into legations.
1942: the Free French declare Independence, but times are not ripe!
General Edward Spears gave up his military connections and became the British Minister. After some delay, the United States appointed George Wadsworth as Minister in the summer of 1942, and established a Legation alongside of the University Hospital.
"Nevertheless, Lebanon’s transition to independence did not occur without clashes and violence. The return to constitutional life was not implemented until late 1942, under pressure from Spears, who insisted on the need to organise national elections and did not hide his sympathies for the independence of the two countries. When the French finally agreed to manage the elections, Ayub Thabit, a Protestant politician close to Iddi, was appointed to head an interim government."
Traboulsi, Fawwaz. History of Modern Lebanon, edited by Fawwaz Traboulsi, Pluto Press, 2007.
"The new President began preparing for the elections by fixing the number of deputies to be elected at fifty-four, assigning thirty-two seats to the Christian sects and twenty-two for the Moslems and Druzes. Such a distribution of seats was clearly unjust to the Moslem group, whose numbers in the country justified better representation. [...] In the face of violent Moslem protests, Ayyub Thabit was at last removed from office on 21 July, to be replaced as Chief of State by a Greek Orthodox lawyer and millionaire, Petro Trad."
Kamal Salibi, The Modern History of Lebanon, Trinity Presss, Worcester, London, 1965, p.188
