Celebrating Syria’s 62nd birthday

While French planes were bombing Damascus on May 29 1945, Prime Minister Faris al-Khury was at the founding conference of the United Nations in San Francisco, presenting Syria’s claim for independence from the French Mandate. The French had been controlling Syria since the infamous battle of Maysaloun in 1920, and had already bombed Damascus earlier in 1925. The French officers were unfazed by Khury’s actions, expecting to force Syria into obedience after they had categorically refused to sign a treaty with France.

Khury stormed into the General Assembly and purposely sat in the place reserved for the French ambassador to the UN and pretended to sleep. The French official walked in, and seeing that his seat was occupied, decided to wait briefly. When Khury continued to nod-off, the French official angrily asked him to leave. The Syrian prime minister snapped back: "I was not sleeping! You could not tolerate me for 10 minutes because I was sitting in a place that was not mine! You have been in a country that is not yours for 25 long years! How in the name of God do you expect us to tolerate you?” He then repeated a quote by British statesman Leo Amery to British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain: “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!”

This is one of the many stories that led to Independence Day in 1946.

1- The Minister of War Yusuf al-Azma who died while combating the invading French Army at the infamous battle of Maysaloun on July 24, 1920.

2- Syrian girls at Maktab Anbar when the high school created a section for female students under the Manddate.

3- Students at the Faculty of Law at the Syrian University taking an exam, supervised by the Dean Faris al-Khury. The Law Faculty was a hotbed for anti-French acttivity during the Mandate.

4- President Shukri al-Quwatli delivering Syria’s Independdence Speech at the Grand Sarail on April 17 1946.

5- Three nationalists in the cabinet of Prime Minister Ahmad Nami during the Syriian Revolt of 1925. From left to right: Lutfi al-Haffar, Faris al-Khury, and Husni al-Barazi. They were arrested by the French while serving as cabinet ministers for their ties to the revolt leader Abdul-Rahman Shahbbandar.

6- Naziq al-Abid, a pioneer women activist in Syria, at the Battle of Maysaloun on July 24 1920. Abid lobbied for female sufferage in 1918-1919 and volunteered into the Syrian Army to fight with General Yusuf al-Azma in 1920.

7- President Shukri al-Quwatli greeting Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal (later king) on Syria’s first Independence Day, April 17 1947.

8- Prime Minister Faris al-Khury at the Security Council of the United Nations, serving as council president.

9- The Hamidiyya Bazaar in Old Damascus during the years of the French Mandate.

10- The Rabwa Road in Damascus in the late 1920s, during the French Mandate.

11- President Hashem al-Atasi signing the Franco-Syrian Treaty of 1936 with French Prime Minister Leon Blum in Paris. Seat-ed with the Syrian President are Jamil Mardam Bey, Saadallah Jabiri, and Prince Mustapha Shihabi. Standing is Naim Antaki.

12- President Hashem al-Atasi delivering his innaugaration address at the Syrian Parliament in 1936. This was considered the irst National Era under the French. Standing behind him are the nationalist leaders Fakhri al-Barudi, Nazim al-Qudsi, and Tawiq al-Shishakli. In the middle stands Faris al-Khury, the Speaker of Parliament.

13- Leaders of the National Bloc preparing to embark to Paris in March 1936 to negotiate a treaty with the French government. From left to right: Jamil Mardam Bey, Hashem al-Atasi, Faris al-Khury. Behind Atasi stands Saadallah al-Jabiri. The Bloc succeeded in negotiating a treaty (which never materialized), and was elected to office upon their return in September 1936. Mardam Bey became Prime Minister. Jabiri became Foreign Minister. Khury became Speaker of Parliament and Atasi became President of the Republic.

14- The French High Commissioner Henri Gouraud inspecting his troops at the Battle of Maysaloun on July 24 1920.