The British Mandate 1945-47

Timeline of Key Events

• April 1945:​ British forces liberate Bergen Belsen.

• May 1945:​ End of WWII in Europe; Britain decides to allow only 1,500 Jews a month into Palestine.

• October 1945:​ Start of the Jewish insurgency.

• April 1946:​ Britain refuses to allow 100,000 Jewish refugees into Palestine.

• July 1946:​ Irgun blows up the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

• February 1947:​ Britain asks the UN to find a solution.

• July 1947:​ The SS Exodus is turned back from Palestine.

Background & British Policy

• Zionist Demands:​ 1945 London Conference; demanded immediate creation of a Jewish state and help moving Holocaust survivors.

• Labour Government (July 1945):​ Faced 250,000 Jews in European displaced persons' camps.

• Ernest Bevin's Policy:​ Set strict limit of 1,500 Jewish immigrants a month.

• Reasons for Restriction:

  1. Believed a flood of immigrants would cause civil war between Arabs and Jews.

  2. Britain needed to keep good terms with Middle East Arab states (e.g., Saudi Arabia) due to oil importance; these states did not support Jewish migration.

The Jewish Insurgency (1945–47)

• Cause:​ Angered by Britain's attitude, Zionist organisations abandoned the wartime truce.

• Extremist Groups (Irgun and Lehi) Aimed to:

  1. Wage violence against the British to force troop withdrawal.

  2. Horrify the British public into demanding withdrawal.

• Moderate Groups (Haganah) Aimed to:

  1. Help Holocaust survivors reach Palestine by any means necessary.

  2. Get worldwide sympathy for a Jewish state.

• Insurgency Tactics & Operations:

  • October 1945:​ Extremist and moderate groups worked together; blew up Palestine railway system in 153 places.

  • Next 24 Months:​ Targeted anything British (offices, police stations, oil pipes, airfields, bridges); stole weapons, robbed banks.

  • 1946 Alone:​ 73 British troops killed.

  • December 1946:​ Two Irgun terrorists sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment and 18 strokes of the cane; in retaliation, Menachem Begin (Irgun leader) kidnapped four British soldiers and beat them with 18 strokes each.

The Bombing of the King David Hotel

• Date:​ 22 July 1946, just before noon.

• Target:​ Luxurious hotel containing Mandate administration and British Army headquarters (southern wing).

• Method:​ Lorry drove to tradesmen's entrance; members disguised as Arabs placed milk churns with explosives in main columns supporting the southern wing.

• Warnings:​ Three warnings telephoned, but not to the right people; building not evacuated by 12:37 pm.

• Casualties:​ 91 people killed (41 Arabs, 28 Britons, 17 Jews); mostly civilians; southern wing destroyed.

• Aftermath:​ Haganah criticised Irgun; British announced high state of alert; Palestinians subject to harsh restrictions (search raids, curfews, road blocks, mass arrests); British immigration policy remained unchanged.

Operation Agatha

• June 1946:​ British authorities launched massive operation against Zionist underground.

• Actions:​ Over 10,000 British security forces raided buildings, confiscated documents/papers, arrested 2,700 Jewish suspects.

• Irgun Purpose:​ taking revenge, and they believed this was where the confiscated papers were.

Impact of Jewish Terrorism on Britain

• Mandate Costs:​ It made the Mandate increasingly expensive to run

• Public Opinion:​ It was hard to justify 100,000 troops in Palestine when Britain was still recovering from the war. there were also war weariness and public concerned about troops dying.

• Troops:​ Increasingly demoralised.

• Cyprus:​ British established 12 camps to hold Jewish refugees; over 50,000 kept there; limited to 1,500 immigrants a month.

The SS Exodus

• July 1947:​ Haganah bought old American passenger ship, renamed Exodus 1947.

• Passengers:​ Picked up 4,500 Jews (many Holocaust survivors) in France.

• Interception:​ Stopped by Royal Navy and passengers transported back to France.

• Protest:​ Passengers refused to leave ship and went on hunger strike.

• Outcome:​ British took them to Hamburg, Germany, to return to refugee camps.

• Impact:​ Caused worldwide outrage against Britain; moved sympathy towards establishing a Jewish state.

US Support for Zionism

• Sympathy:​ Holocaust survivors' demands met with sympathy in the USA (over 5 million Jews in 1945).

• Support Methods:​ Smuggling immigrants, financial aid (over $46 million given in 1945 alone), press encouragement of Jewish terrorism.

• Source I Quote:​ "The Jews of America are with you... Every time you blow up a British arsenal... the Jews of America make a little holiday in their hearts."

• Truman Pressure:​ US Zionists pressured President Harry Truman.

• US Actions:​ Admitted 150,000 Jewish refugees immediately; repeatedly asked Britain to allow 100,000 Jews into Palestine.

• British Reluctance:​ Ernest Bevin refused (feared Arab revolt); Britain could not afford to offend USA due to reliance on US aid.

Britain Hands Over the Problem

• By Early 1947:​ British position impossible (could not agree to Zionist demands without angering Arabs; could not stop Jewish terrorism; lacked money; negative publicity; US pressure; British public demands to end situation).

• Decision:​ Asked newly formed United Nations to find a solution.