Post-Decolonization: Southwest Asia
WHAP/Napp
“The British made promises to Jews as well as Arabs. For centuries, Jewish
minorities had lived in eastern and central Europe, where they developed a thriving
culture despite frequent persecutions. By the early twentieth century a nationalist
movement called Zionism, led by Theodore Herzl, arose among those who wanted to
return to their ancestral homeland in Palestine. The concept of a Jewish homeland
appealed to many Europeans, Jews and gentiles alike, as a humanitarian solution to
the problem of anti-Semitism.
By 1917 Chaim Weizmann, leader of the British Zionists, had persuaded several
British politicians that a Jewish homeland in Palestine should be carved out of the
Ottoman Empire and placed under British protection, thereby strengthening the
Allied cause (as the Entente was now called). In November, as British armies were
advancing on Jerusalem, Foreign Secretary Sir Arthur Balfour wrote:
‘His Majesty’s Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a
national home for the Jewish people and will use their best endeavours to facilitate
the achievement of that object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be
done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish
communities in Palestine.’
The British did not foresee that this statement, known as the Balfour Declaration,
would lead to conflicts between Palestinians and Jewish settlers.
Britain also sent troops to southern Mesopotamia to secure the oil pipeline from
Iran. Then they moved north, taking Baghdad in early 1917. The officers for the
Mesopotamian campaign were British, but most of the troops and equipment came
from India. Most Indians, like other colonial subjects of Britain, supported the war
effort despite the hardships it caused. Their involvement in the war bolstered the
movement for Indian independence.”
1- What problem arose as a result of British promises?
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2- Who was Theodore Herzl and why was he significant?
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3- What is Zionism?
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4- Why was Zionism appealing to many Europeans?
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5- Who was Chaim Weizmann and why was he significant?
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6- What did Sir Arthur Balfour write?
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7- Why did the Balfour Declaration lead to conflicts between Palestinians and
Jewish settlers? ____________________________________________________
8- How did British actions affect Mesopotamia?
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9- From what country were most of the British troops in the Mesopotamian
campaign? ________________________________________________________
10- Why did these troops want independence after fighting? _________________
Notes:
I. Geopolitical Significance of Southwest Asia (The Middle East)
A. Region’s strategic/economic importance as world’s key source of petroleum
B. Two thirds of the world’s crude oil is produced in the Middle East
C. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), founded in 1960
II. Egypt
A. Arab nationalism in Egypt, which became an independent republic in 1952
B. By 1954, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser had taken control of the government
C. Great booster of modernization, Nasserequally great proponent of panArabismunity among Arab states
D. Pan-Arabism failed, but Nasser was successful in modernizing his country
E. In 1956, Nasser took step of declaring Egyptian ownership of Suez Canal
F. Suez crisisFrench, British, and Israeli troops tried to seize canal
G. USA and USSR wishing to avoid a serious armed conflict, backed Egypt
H. Nasser strengthened ties with Soviet Union, at least temporarilyhelped
construct constructed Aswan Dam, world’s largest
I. But when Soviets attempted to exert too much control, Nasser expelled them
J. Nasser died in 1970Succeeded by Anwar el-Sadatdrew Egypt closer to
U.S.A., and in 1978, became first Arab leader to recognize state of Israel
K. Sadat was assassinated by Islamic militants in 1981Afterwards, Hosni
Mubarak served as Egypt’s presidentBut Arab Spring/democracy (2010)
III. Israel
A. In 1917, British issued Balfour Declaration, publicly stated intention to
create a Jewish homeland in Palestine – whose population, during the late
1910s, was 90 percent Arab
B. After horrors of Holocaust, international sympathy for Jews, along with
strong U.S. support, led to establishment of state of Israel, in May 1948
C. It is also important to remember journalist, Theodore Herzl, who clarified
and gave political weight to the concept of Jewish nationalism - or Zionism
D. Herzl witnessed Dreyfus Affair and believed that Jews could never be safe in
a Christian-dominated and anti-Semitic Europeneeded a homeland
E. In September 1894, an anonymous note to German military attaché in Paris
was found, leaking French army secrets
F. A brilliant young army captain, Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewgovernment’s
alleged culprit but innocentcase of blatant discrimination/Anti-Semitism
G. But founding of modern state of Israel in 1948 stirred up Arab outrage
H. Israelis had to fight a war in 1948 simply to keep the state that had been
given themwars led to effect of displacing millions of Palestinian Arabs
I. In 1964, the Palestinian diaspora gained a semblance of leadership with the
formation of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a terrorist group and
political movement led by Yasser Arafat
J. Arab states fought several wars against Israel, most notably the Six-Day War
in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973
K. 1980s, Palestinian population of Israel staged an uprising called the intifada
L. Peace efforts continued but issues of land and security made peace difficult
IV. Iran
A.
B.
C.
D.
Last shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ruled from 1941 to 1979
Shah used Iran’s oil wealth to industrialize and modernize
Shah opposed Islamic traditionalism and became ally of USA
Shah relied on repression to carry out modernization: dissidents were
ruthlessly suppressed by the secret police (SAVAK)
E. In 1979, the Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, an Islamic
fundamentalist Shah had exiled years, returned to Iran and took control
F. Transformed the country into an anti-Western (particularly anti-U.S.),
theocratic dictatorship
G. The Iran-Iraq War lasted from 1980 to 1988, and devastated both countries
H. But many Iranians want greater political freedoms (“Green Movement”)
V. Iraq
A. Iraq came under the control of Saddam Hussein in 1979
B. Originally sponsored by the United States because of his opposition to Iran
C. In 1990, invaded the oil-rich state of Kuwait
D. Gulf War (1991)force Hussein to accept 1991 cease-fire agreement, which
included abolishing of chemical and biological weapons programs
E. Continued refusal to cooperate with UN’s inspectors in search for weapons of
mass destruction, USA invaded Iraq in 2003Hussein tried and executed
VI. Afghanistan
A. Islamic fundamentalism led to the creation of a strictly theocratic
government under the Taliban
B. Comprised of Afghans trained in religious schools in Pakistan along with
former Islamic fighters or mujahedin (fighters against the Soviet invasion)
C. Over thrown by USA after 9/11
Complete the Review Quilt Below (Place Key Points in Each Box):
OPEC:
Gamal Abdel
Nationalization of
Theodore Herzl:
Nasser:
Suez Canal:
Anwar el-Sadat:
Arab Spring:
Balfour Declaration:
Israeli/Palestinian
Conflict:
Dreyfus Affair :
Yasser Arafat:
PLO:
Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi:
Ayatollah
Ruhollah
Khomeini:
Saddam Hussein:
Mujahedin:
Taliban:
Questions:
Theodor Herzl's Zionism was the direct
result of
A) His shock at a government order
revoking the citizenship of all French
Jews.
B) His shock at the army's persecution
of Alfred Dreyfus.
C) His frustrated desire to emigrate to
America.
D) A religious revelation that European
Jews should return to the Holy Land.
E) A wave of persecution against Jews
living in the Ottoman empire.
2. In which Middle Eastern nation did a
Shiite theocracy succeed a secular,
modernizing monarchy?
(A) Iraq
(B) Jordan
(C) Syria
(D) Saudi Arabia
(E) Iran
3. Britain withdrew from Palestine in
1947 because
(A) Their mandate had ended.
(B) They could not resolve the conflict
between Palestinians and Jews.
(C) The United Nations demanded that
they leave.
(D) The Arab states demanded that they
leave.
(E) All of the above.
5. Egyptian president Gamel Abdel
Nasser gained great international
prestige when
(A) He negotiated a peace settlement
with Israel.
(B) He succeeded in retaking the Suez
Canal from the British.
(C) He aligned Egypt with the United
States.
(D) He aligned Egypt with the Soviet
Union.
(E) He reclaimed the Sinai Peninsula
from Israel.
6. The French fought to retain Algeria
because
(A) They refused to be intimidated by
terrorists.
(B) Algeria provided valuable mineral
resources.
(C) There were two million French
settlers in Algeria.
(D) President Charles de Gaulle had
dreams of a restored French empire.
(E) All of the above.
7. The nonalignment movement failed
because
(A) Of a lack of vision or leadership
among member states.
(B) Too few states attended the Bandung
Conference to achieve consensus.
(C) Many nonaligned states needed and
accepted aid from either the United
States or Soviet Union.
(D) Many new states were afraid to
alienate the United States.
(E) All of the above.
4. Since the creation of Israel, Israel has
fought and defeated all of the following
neighboring states except
(A) Egypt.
(B) Iraq.
(C) Jordan.
(D) Syria.
(E) Israel has defeated all of the above.
Thesis Statement: Change Over Time: Southwest Asia 1900 – 2000
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