Middle East Inter-War Period

Question 1

What were the limitations of the Transjordan’s independence in 1923?

Answer 1

Troops remained under British command

Foreign policy directed by British

Question 2

Who did Britain put in charge in the Transjordan? When did he officially become king?

Answer 2

Abdullah (Sharif Hussein’s son)

1946

Question 3

Who was made King of Iraq in 1921?

Answer 3

Faisal (Sharif Hussein’s Son)

Question 4

Why were Abdullah and Faisal put in power in the Transjordan and Iraq?

Answer 4

Since Britain wanted to maintain relations with both France and the Hashemites. France wanted Syria and hence Faisal was expelled from there as king in 1921 but the British still wanted him as an ally. They gave him and his brother power in other kingdoms - as Arabs, they hoped this would minimise backlash to British influence in the nations

Question 5

When did Iraq gain independence? What were the limitations of this?

Answer 5

1932
Britain continued to control foreign policy and had two airbases there. Also kept control of oil through the Iraqi Petroleum Company, of which they had a 47.% share.

Question 6

How did nationalist opposition contribute to British concessions in Iraq?

Answer 6

The Iraqi people rebelled against the British after the war when they didn’t get independence. By October 1920, the British had 100,000 troops there. They defeated the uprising but realised they needed to make changes so brought Faisal into rule them.

Question 7

Why did it take longer for Iraq to gain independence than the likes of the Transjordan?

Answer 7

Because Britain needed to secure their economic oil interests in the region first i.e. Mosul oil fields

Question 8

When did Britain award some independence to Egypt? What were the limitations? What changed in 1936?

Answer 8

1922 - Egypt gained independence apart from Britain controlling foreign policy, defense and the Suez Canal
1936 - Becomes an independent state with Britain only allowed to keep military bases there

Question 9

Who did Britain back to rule Egypt in 1922? Who didn’t they back?

Answer 9

King Fuad 
The Wafd (a nationalist political party who sought rule by parliament)

Question 10

Why did Britain have economic reason to give Egypt independence?

Answer 10

To maintain some control over the Suez Canal and limit disruptions to this control

Question 11

What sparked Egypt’s greater autonomy in 1936?

Answer 11

The death of King Fuad and Mussolini’s appeal to the Egyptians to rise up against the British

Question 12

How did nationalist opposition contribute to Egypt’s independence in 1922?

Answer 12

The Revolution of 1919 saw a nationwide uprising after the arrest of the nationalist leader Said Zaghlul. This disorder and unrest continued into 1920 and 1921 despite British forces crushing opposition.

Question 13

What did the 1919 Paris Peace Conference mean for Palestine’s hopes of being a Jewish homeland?

Answer 13

It increased hopes of being a homeland for Jews because the conference gave Britain a mandate to control Palestine. It likewise stated that Britain would seek to make Palestine a Jewish national home. However, it did acknowledge that Britain would have to safeguard the rights of non-Jewish communities there.

Question 14

Which treaty confirmed the rights of Britain to rule over Palestine?

Answer 14

Treaty of Sevres (1920)

Question 15

What provoked Arab riots in Palestine 1920-21? Name a place where many occured

Answer 15

The mass Jewish immigration into the country and Britain’s accomodation of this. Arabs disliked the Balfour Declaration and Paris Peace Conference.
Port of Jaffa saw many riots as it was where many Jewish immigrations arrived.

Question 16

What was Churchill’s response to Arab demands when he visited Palestine in 1921 as a minister?

Answer 16

He refused to reject the Balfour Declaration

Question 17

What happened to Jewish immigration during the 1920s? How many Jews were there in 1919? 1929?

Answer 17

The rate of Jewish immigration decreased
1919 = 60,000 Jews
1929 = 160,000 Jews

Question 18

How many Arabs were there in Palestine by 1929?

Answer 18

1 million (far more than the 160,000 Jews)

Question 19

What was the JNC?

Answer 19

The Jewish National Council. Had a government type function for the Jewish community e.g. organised education, health-care and security. By 1929, its leadership was elected by Jews from 26 countries.

Question 20

Tensions over the Western Wall led to how many Jews being killed by Arabs in August 1929?

Answer 20

133 Jews

Question 21

When was Irgun formed? What was it?

Answer 21

1931

A Zionist paramilitary group

Question 22

What was the Peel Commission’s recommendation for Palestine in 1937?

Answer 22

To establish a purely Jewish territory in Galilee and the Western Coast. The rest of the land would be purely Arab.

Question 23

Why did Britain abandon the plan of the Peel Commission?

Answer 23

Due to the outright rejection and revolt by the Palestinian Arab Leadership

Question 24

How did the Arab revolts 1936-39 potentially strengthen the Zionist movement in Palestine?

Answer 24

Britain destroyed much of the Arab’s leadership during this revolt and the Arabs suffered many casualties. Hence, the Jews were empowered. Likewise, they gained a British trained defence force (the Haganah) as a result of the revolts.

Question 25

How many Jews were in Palestine by 1939? What had driven this increase?

Answer 25

450,000

Jews fleeing persecution in Germany

Question 26

What was the 1939 White Paper’s recommendation?

Answer 26

It recommended that an independent Palestine, governed jointly by Arabs and Jews, be established within 10 years.
It agreed to allow 75,000 Jewish immigrants into Palestine over the period 1940–44, after which migration would require Arab approval.

Question 27

What was issued by the British High Commissioner for Palestine after the White paper was rejected?

Answer 27

An edict which banned Jews from purchasing land in 95% of Palestine (March 1940)

Question 28

How did metropolitan interests show themselves being prioritised within the White Paper and subsequent measures?

Answer 28

Britain suddenly became willing to appease the Arab population through these measures, so as to prevent Germany from inciting the Arabs against the British in the war.

Question 29

When was the Mosul-Haifa oil pipeline constructed? Where was its other exit point? Why?

Answer 29

1932-34
Pipeline diverged and one line ended up in Tripoli. This was in French controlled Lebanon. This showed how the British wanted to keep France as an ally despite taking the Mosul Oil Fields (North Iraq) in WW1 which were attributed to France in the Sykes-Picot agreement.

Question 30

What were the two key economic interests that shaped policy in Palestine in the period? e.g. crushing Arab revolt

Answer 30

Suez Canal

Mosul-Haifa Oil Pipeline