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Who did the Arabs want independence from at the start of the 20th century?
European colonial rule
What was the result of WW1 for Arabs?
Arab nationalism was boosted by the Arab Revolt in which an Arab army thought against the Turks
Further strengthen after the war, in opposition to continued European domination
What is Arab nationalism/Pan-Arabism?
A movement striving for Arab political unity
Treatment by the GPs in WW1
Had been promised land during WW1 but not given it
What were the mandates?
Britain and France were granted mandates over Arab lands in the Treaty of Versailles to govern them until they were ready to govern themselves
France gained Syria and Lebanon and Britain gained Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq
What were the aims of Pan-Arabism?
The desire for Arab political unity
To establish one Arab state
Fragmented nature of the Arab world before WW2
Before WW2 they weren’t as united but during WW2 jewish immigration increased which meant Arabs united against them
Opposition to Zionism before WW2
Before WW2, many people didn’t see the need for Jews to be in the Middle East which led to opposition
There were Arab-Jewish riots, in 1921 unrest in Jaffa and Tel Aviv led to Arab attacks on Jews and their property which led to Britain stopping Jewish immigration. Britain also told the Arabs that only a small part of Palestine would be a Jewish homeland
Who was Nasser and what did he do?
He was the leader of Egypt and he was seen as a leader of the Arab world by the mid-50s because of: his military strength, his propaganda ‘voice of the Arabs’, the Suez Canal and the Baghdad pact
Some Arab counties felt that Arab nationalism was a cover for Egyptian imperialism
He implemented Arab socialism through the nationalisation of industry, the Aswan dam and developed healthcare and education
He untied the Arab world through the Voice of Arabs, Cairo conference, military campaigns against Israel and union with Syria
What was Egypt like after Nasser?
Sadat was president next and served for 11 years, he was assassinated by army officers, he served VP twice to Nasser, led Egypt in Yom Kippur War, engages in negotiations with Israel and the PLO strongly opposed him
Mubarak was president after Sadat and was elected 4 times, the longest serving ruler, VP to Sadat for many years, focused on economy and improved lives of some but left millions in poverty, cracked down on Muslim Brotherhood, condemned by Arab world for links with Israel
French rule of Syria
1920 = confirmed Syria as a French mandate and French forces occupied Damascus - force used to squash Arab risings, press censorship was enforced
1936 = French government rejected Syrian independence
1945 = French left Syria
The Assads in Syria
In 1970 Assad seized power from the Ba’ath party who believed in Arab unity.
1970s: the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood began a civil war against Assad and the Ba-atheists with mass killings and international terrorism
In 2000 Assad’s son succeeded him and initially allowed greater freedom which he soon restricted
Soviet influence in Syria
The communists were gaining in support as Soviet influence increased in Syria
Conflict between Syria and Israel
Syria has never recognised Israel as a legitimate state and does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory
Israel likewise regards Syria as a hostile state and generally prohibits its citizens from travelling there
Six Day War 1967: caused by disputes over the Suez Canal ended in Israeli victory with over 18,000 Arab causalities and 700 Israeli casualties
Influence of Muslim Brotherhood in Syria
Syria had its own branch of the MB
Like in Egypt, it believed that Islam should play a central role in the government and legal system
It was a Sunni-dominated body which attracted increasingly wide support and constituted the main opposition to the Baathist government
In the 1970s Assad ordered a crack down on Muslim Brotherhood arresting over 8000 members and later killing 500 unarmed MB prisoners
Membership of MB was then made a capital offence punishable by death
Syria resulted in stopping MB by mass killings rather than arresting members like Egypt did
What is Wahhabism?
A religious Sunni Muslim movement
Most laws in Saudi Arabia were derived from the Koran with laws enforced by religious police
Saud monarch
They have stayed in power for so long because they have made Wahhabists happy, just about appeased the west enough and have been excused of spreading extremist ideology.
They have very well balanced the needs and wants of many different people making sure to not make anyone overly angry
What was the impact of oil in Saudi Arabia?
The Saudi King enjoyed many luxuries but his country was poor so he allied with the West, particularly the USA, in order to prospect for oil
After WW2 oil production brought great wealth to the country and SA looked to the non-Muslim west to help them as SA didn’t have the technology and expertise to do it on their own
The country’s alliance with the west was made even stronger by the Saudi fear and hatred of communism
The wealth generated by oil allowed Saudi Arabia to develop majorly
There was some opposition to the alliance with the West but the Saudi leaders showed they were devoted Muslims through the building of mosques and Islamic school
Saudis Arabia’s relations with the West
The West had the expertise, skills and technology to develop and protect the oil in SA
The alliance was made stronger by SA’s hatred for Soviet communism
Khomeini
Leader of the Islamic revolution of 1979
Was forced into exile by the Shah’s government in Iran
In 1978 there were hug strike and demonstrations calling on the Shah to abdicate
The Shah left Iran to receive cancer treatment and never returned
British rule of Jordon
During WW1 Arab nationalism was growing, encouraged by the British
Many affairs were left to British officials e.g. defence, finance and foreign policy
In 1921 Transjordan was made a British mandate
Jordan became independent in 1946
Roads, communications, educations and other public serviced slowly but steadily developed during British rule
Jordan’s monarchy post-WW2
End of WW2 saw the British attempt to pull back from financial and political responsibility for this mandate leading to them having full independence
The king was assassination in 1951 but was replaced by his son
Ataturk in Turkey
Made women equal to men politically
Turkey was very advance and rich, ahead of its time at this point
Persecution of minorities in Turkey
Kurds discourages from speaking Kurdish and dressing in their Kurdish clothes
Large Kurdish landowners were relocated to the west of the country
Not recognised as Turks
Many Kurds fled Turkey whilst the remaining minority were often persecuted
Turkey’s current stability
Has one of the largest economies
The banning the wearing of headscarves for girls in higher education was overturned in 2008
There’s less than a 10% gap in male and female school attendance and 79% of women can read and write
2010 there was an attempt to overthrow the government but this wasn’t successful
Western influence in Iran
Independent but British control of oil
During WW2 British and USSR troops invaded but they withdrew their troops after 1945
After the nationalisation of the oil industry Britain persuaded other to not buy Iran’s oil
Mossadeq
Leading member of parliament that said “ Oil resources of Iran, like its soil, its rivers, its mountains, are the property of the people of Iran”
He gained huge support and in 1951 the Shah was forced to appoint him PM
The Shah in Iran
1979 Revolution in Iran
Hostages in Iran
Iran’s war with Iraq
British control of Iraq
Baathist takeover
Sunni/Shi’ite divisions in Iraq
Saddam’s Iraq
Oil in Iraq
Iraq-Iran War 1980-88
First Gulf War 1991
Second Gulf War 2003
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