ABSTRACT
StatefollowingatriptotheGulfinMarch1944reflectstheattitude ofAmericanofficials.62
HendersonvisitedBasraandIraqfirst,thenKuwait,Bahrainand Dhahran.HehadwantedtogoonfromtheretoQatarandthe TrucialStates,butwaspreventedbywhathereferredtoeuphemisticallyas'difficultiesofcommunication';itismorelikely, however,thatBritishofficialsintheGulf,whohadneverallowedany Westerners(exceptmissionarydoctors)intotheTrucialStates, stronglydissuadedhimfromgoing.Theyalsokepthimunderclose observation.InBasra,forexample,hemetfreelywithleadingIraqis, butinKuwaitandBahrainmeetingswiththerulerstookplaceinthe presenceoftherespectivePoliticalAgent,whoalsoactedas interpreter.
