The Middle East: British Policy in the Middle East from 1908-1948 (depth)

  • Oil discovered in Iran

    Increased Great Power influence in the Middle East (economically motivated)
  • McMahon-Hussein letters

    Exchange of letters about the increase in Arab nationalism, fuelling the desire for independance
  • Sykes-Picot Agreement

    The secret agreement between Britain and France to share Turkey's Arab lands among them which angered Arab leaders. Some Arab land would be under direct British/French rule and other within their influence. Most of Palestine would be under international authority. Britain's reasons for signing: strengthening alliance with France; trading links with the Middle East and the protection of the Suez Canal
  • Balfour Declaration

    Britain declaring support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine in an attempt to appease the Jewish lobby in America so they could enter the war with them. A letter to Lord Rothschild, a leading British Jew, in November 1917, written by Lord Balfour
  • Britain and France granted mandates over Arab lands in the Treaty of Versailles

    Britain and France granted mandates to govern specific countries in the ME until the Arab people were ready to govern themselves. League of Nations allocated Syria and Lebanon to France and Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq to Britain
  • Uprising against British rule in Iraq

  • Faisal made King of Iraq

    Lawrence of Arabia advised the British government to establish Faisal as the king of Syria, but made him king of Iraq instead, and recognised his older brother Abdullah, as the ruler of Transjordan
  • Peel Commission recommended partition of Palestine

    Concluded that cooperation between Arabs and Jews was impossible, recommended the partition of Palestine into two separate states.
  • British government White Paper

    Declaration of an independent Palestine within 10 years - Palestine neither to be Arab or Jewish and instead everyone would live in harmony together
  • The UN voted for partition of Palestine

    End of mandates period - British could no longer afford to keep 100,000 troops and police in Palestine following the devastation of WWII which led to increased rationing. Increased hostilities between Arabs and Jews due to haphazard division of Palestine
  • End of British mandates in the Middle East

  • Hanging of two British soldiers by Irgun

    'Cruel revenge' aimed to drive the British out of Palestine