§ 36. Mr. Bennasked the Minister of Defence why he authorised the dropping of the leaflets over Cairo by Royal Air Force aeroplanes on the night of Saturday, 3rd November; and if he will circulate with the OFFICIAL REPORT the full text of these leaflets.
§ Mr. HeadThe leaflet to which the hon. Member refers was dropped on the authority of the Allied Commander-in-Chief. I will circulate the text in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. BennCan the right hon. Gentleman explain why the leaflets dropped on Cairo told the Egyptian people that our only quarrel with them was over the ownership and operation of the Canal; why these were dropped within a few hours of the Prime Minister saying that the Canal was not in his mind; and will the right hon. Gentleman now tell the House the date on which that leaflet was printed, and confirm that it had been prepared for an intervention for a totally different cause?
§ Mr. HeadI cannot answer that question without notice, but I can tell the hon. Gentleman that a general directive was given to the Allied Commander-in-Chief to make use of pamphlets and other means of psychological warfare to avoid casualties. Within those terms of reference he had to act on the spot, and it is impossible to have direct supervision from this country of every pamphlet produced.
§ Mr. StokesWhile that may very well be so, does not the right hon. Gentleman remember that in psychological warfare in 945 the last war the effect of our attacking Hitler by pamphlets was to rally the Germans behind him? The effect of these pamphlets, lambasting Nasser, has only been to rally the Egyptians behind him. Really the right hon. Gentleman ought to know better than to allow the propagandists in his Department to behave in this disreputable manner.
§ Mr. HeadThis type of warfare is a highly technical matter. I believe that the expert in the last war was the hon. Member for Coventry, East (Mr. Cross-man). All I can say is that it is extremely rash to try to assess the effects of psychological warfare on one pamphlet in one instance.
Air Commodore HarveyIs my right hon. Friend aware that only yesterday hon. Gentlemen opposite were complaining about the lack of preparation, and now that they find that preparations had been made, they are still complaining.
Following is the text of the leaflet:People of Egypt.Why has this calamity descended upon you?Because the Nasser Government was foolish enough to seize the Suez Canal which is vital to world interests.Because the Nasser Government was foolish enough to reject all appeals to agree to the reasonable solution suggested by the 18 Powers.Because the actions taken by Nasser and a handful of his ambitious and ruthless colleagues have precipitated the Israeli attack on Egypt provoking a conflict which we profoundly deplore, the kind of conflict the world dreaded and wished to prevent.The world interest requires that war shall cease instantly in this vital area. The Allied Forces have intervened immediately and will do so with increasing force until peace has been re-established.We advance no claims on Egypt or on the Canal save one.The Canal must be placed above national politics and quarrels between nations.It must be safeguarded against the consequences of a war provoked by Nasser's foolishness. Only so can the world's and Egypt's interests prosper in fruitful co-operation.Remember that we have the might to obtain our objectives and we shall use all of it if necessary.O Egyptian people your choice is clear.Either accept the Allied proposals which will bring you peace with honour and prosperity or accept the consequences of Nasser's policy which will bring you heavy retribution not only to the few who are guilty but also to you—the many—who are innocent.