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Nationalism, Independence and the Middle East

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1 Colonialism, Independence and the Middle East Intervention, Transformation, Independence MES 20 Reflections on the Middle East Prof. Hesham Issa Mohammed Abdelaal History and Conflicts 2 In this Session Colonialism ! 1.Defining Colonialism in the Middle East ! 2.Mandating, Administration and Colonialism! 3.Timeline of colonialism in the Middle east! 4.The United states and the Middle East " Independence movements ! 5.The Independence of the State of Israel. ! 6.The Independence of the State of Egypt! 7.The Independence of the state of Syria ! 8.The Independence of the TransJordan Kingdom ! 9.The Independence of Iran 3 Group Discussion Issues 1.Time Line of the Middle east from 1860-1960 ! • 1860 to WWI ! • WWI to WWII ! • WWII to 1960 " ! 2.Mandating, Administration and Colonialism! • Ottoman ! • European ! • United States " ! 3. Independence movements ! • Unity Of Faith! • Unity of Language ! • Unity of ethnicity ! • Identity Construction S05-1 .key - October 8, 2014 4 Foreign Office Which of the following is NOT true about the Balfour November 2nd, 1917 Declaration?! ! A.It agreed to a national home for Jewish people" !Dear Lord Rothschild, B.It declared protection for civil and religious rights of I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine" declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved C.It declared protection for rights and political status by, the Cabinet. enjoyed by Jews in any other country.! ! ! "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for D.It promised the Jews access to their Holy sites in " Jerusalem" the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious E.It was written after the Sykes-Picot Agreement! rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by !Jews in any other country." 5 ! In the Hussein-McMahon correspondence, which of the following was true? 1. Great Britain is prepared to recognise and support the independence of the Arabs in all the regions within the limits demanded by the Sherif of Mecca. 2. Great Britain will guarantee the Holy Places against all external aggression and will recognise A.Britain agreed to a future Arab state according to the specifications Hussein wanted" their inviolability. 3. When the situation admits, Great Britain will give to the Arabs her advice and will assist them to B.Arabs promised they would revolt against the Ottoman establish what may appear to be the most suitable forms of government in those various Empire" territories. C.Britain promised to guarantee all Holy Places would be 4. On the other hand, it is understood that the Arabs have decided to seek the advice and protected from external aggression" guidance of Great Britain only, and that such European advisers and officials as may be required for the formation of a sound form of administration will be British. D.Arabs claimed all Muslims were acting as one! 5. With regard to the vilayets of Bagdad and Basra, the Arabs will recognise that the established position and interests of Great Britain necessitate special administrative arrangements in order to secure these territories from foreign aggression, to promote the welfare of the local populations Why European Imperialism interests in Middle East? 6 Results of Colonialism Location - Suez Canal- Ottoman Empire- Natural Resources • Creation of new, national states in place of the Ottoman Empire (Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, etc.) ■ Religions: " • Implanting of western-supported regimes (especially monarchies) that use Judaism, Islam, Christianity" violence to maintain authority. In many cases, these would later be violently ■ Ethnic and Languages: " overthrown. Arab, Turks, Persian, Jews, • Centralization of political power. Loss of rural autonomy. Kurdish, Armenian" • Reorganization of social relationships among different groups. Privileging of ■ Borders: " some religious and social groups over others, leading to future conflict. created by European nations without thought to ethnic • Massive economic disruption. New economic relationships, with arrangements makeup of the region Gerome’s Napoleon in Egypt particularly benefiting western powers (1863) • New models: nationalism, “modernity vs traditional” Mandeism They are often called the Christians of Saint John, 6 S05-1 .key - October 8, 2014 Middle East in 1914 7 Ottoman reform: 1830s-1870s Results • New centralization • New technologies (railroad) • New education Ottoman reform: 1830s-1870s Results • New centralization • New technologies (railroad) • New institutions • New education • New institutions • Erosion of Ottoman economic • Erosion of Ottoman economic and political independence and political independence • Capitulations • Capitulations • European protection of non- Muslim minorities • Nationalism • European protection of non-Muslim minorities • loss of Ottoman territories in Europe • Nationalism • Turkish and Arab nationalism • loss of Ottoman territories in Europe • Turkish and Arab nationalism 8 The era of “New Imperialism” 1880’s -1900’s The Age of Empire, 1875-1914 • During this time period European governments scrambled frantically for territory in Africa and strived for trade domination in China, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire and India. • The causes of New Imperialism differed from those of the first explorers, new land and missionary work, and focused mostly on economic expansion, political empire building, military expansion, and the racist belief in European superiority. • Some greatly criticized imperialism as a betrayal of Western ideals of freedom and equality; others realized that in order to maintain the balance of Europe the major players of imperialism must create new legislation to divide territories or open trade markets fairly. 8 • This divide and control attitude created dire consequences for the indigenous Sykes-Picot Agreement 9 ARTICLE 22 OF THE COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS !June 28, 1919 1.To those colonies and territories which as a consequence of the late war have Direct french Control Under French Influence ceased to be under the sovereignty of the States which formerly governed them Direct British Control and which are inhabited by peoples not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, there should be applied the Under British Influence principle that the well-being and development of such peoples form a sacred Direct french Control trust of civilization and that securities for the performance of this trust should be !embodied in this Covenant. 2. The best method of giving practical effect to this principle is that the tutelage 9 of such peoples should be entrusted to advanced nations who by reason of their S05-1 .key - October 8, 2014 10 Outside the Mandate ■ True independence: Turkey! ■ Mostly independent: Yemen, S. Arabia! ■ External control & influence: Iran (Britain, Russia, U.S.), Egypt (Britain)! ■ British treaties of protection: Kuwait, Oman, U.A.E. 10 Rebellions under colonialism 11 • Certain parts of the world put under “trusteeship” of various victorious European powers •British mandates in the MidEast: Palestine, Iraq, Transjordan •French mandates in the MidEast: Syria, Lebanon •Mandates both sanctify western colonialism but also circumscribe it 12 • In 1918 Faysal Ibn Husayn occupied Damascus and raised the Arab Syria !flag to widespread popular support. • The Arab Independence Party convened a general congress to organise !elections. • The Syrian National Congress met in March 1920 and called for independence. COVENANT OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS ! • French opposed and invaded Syria in July 1920. Syria 1918 S05-1 .key - October 8, 2014 French Divide and Rule 13 • In 1920 the French divided its Syrian territory into two separate states: !Damascus and Aleppo. • In 1922 two further states were created: the Alawite State and Jabal !Druze. • In 1924, Damascus and Aleppo were re-united to form the new State of !Syria. • Also in 1920 Great Lebanon was created, ostensibly to protect the !Maronite community. 14 • Transjordan and Iraq did not exist as political or geographical entities prior to the end of World War One •Faysal installed as monarch of Iraq •Transjordan created to reward the Hashemites. Abdallah installed as king of the new state. •Depended almost entirely on British patronage. Jordan & Palestine 1923 Jordan •Amman, the new capital, only had between 2500 – 5000 residents 15 Britain Creates Trans-Jordan • Winston Churchill split off all Palestine east of the Jordan and gave it to Hashemites • ¾ of Jewish homeland • Now known as Trans-Jordan now Jordan • Churchill sympathetic to Zionist goals • Britain - little to develop Jewish homeland S05-1 .key - October 8, 2014 16 Independence ■ Independence was gained in the following years:! • 1923 – Trans-Jordan from Britain • 1930 - Iraq gained freedom from British; borders gave limited access to Persian Gulf and religious and ethnic tensions prevailed • 1936 - Egypt independence from Britain, but military control of the Suez Canal for Britain for 20 years • Lebanon, Syria, Jordan gained independence after World War II 16 17 Full Independence: How and When ■ Military Revolution (Coup): Egypt (1952), Iraq (1958) ■ War: Turkey (1920-1923), Israel (1948) ■ Uprising and Int. Agreement: Syria, Lebanon (after WWII) ■ Treaty: Jordan (1946/8) ■ Communities promised states/autonomy that did not receive them: Palestinians, Kurds, Armenians 17 S05-1 .key - October 8, 2014.
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