Western Imperialism During WWI Flashcards
Imperial Interests During WWI
Russia wanted to concur Istanbul and Turkish straits - saw themselves as defenders of eastern orthodox Christians
France wanted Greater Syria to have access to silk trade and defending Christians
British wanted India and Oil
Husayn - McMahon Agreement
Who: Sharif Husayn of Mecca (official guardian of Mecca, patriarch of Hashemites) and McMahon, high ranking British official in Egypt
Why: Husayn didn’t like CUP, wanted own empire. Britain wanted to cripple Ottomans with fifth front
What: Britain funneled money into the Faysal-led revolt, supported occupation of Iraq, Syria, Jordan. Borders were ambiguous for Faysal, as the Brits already promised Syria to France.
When: 1916
Where: Mecca, slowing moving northward up into Damascus
Faysal
Who: Son of Sharif Husayn, leader of the Hashemite / Arab revolt, became King of Iraq
What: Led the Hashemite revolt, King of Iraq
When: 1916 - ?
Where: Mecca, Damascus, Paris
Abdullah
Who: Son of Sharif Husayn, King of Jordan with British authority
Constantinople Agreement of 1915
Who: Brits, French, Russians
Why: To divide up the middle east
What: Russia gets Turkish straits and Istanbul, France gets Greater Syria, Britain gets Iran
When: 1915
Lawrence of Arabia
Who: English diplomat to Arabia
What: Faysal’s buddy who participated in the Arab Revolt, advocated for an Arab Kingdom at Paris
Hashemite Revolt
Who: Sharif Husayn, McMahon, Faysal, Lawrence of Arabia
Why: To create a fifth front, to create an Arab/Hashemite Kingdom
What: Hashemite strategic access to space, occupation of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan, Damascus. Faysal becomes King of Iraq. Abdullah the King of Jordan.
When: Mid 1916 - 1918
Where: Mecca, northward to Jordan, Palestine, Damascus
How: By creating many alliances with Nomadic groups from Mecca to Damascus through his linkage to Muhammad and creating an Arabic identity
Sykes - Picot Agreement
Who: Sykes (British) and Picot (French)
Why: To rehash the Constantinople agreement. Russia got Constantinople and others, French got Greater Syria, Anatolia, and got ‘influence’ over the rest of Syria, and parts of Iraq. Brits got eastern Iraq, Kuwait, eastern Saudi Arabia, a port in Palestine, and had ‘influence’ over rest of Iraq, Jordan, Southern Palestine.
When: 1916
Woodrow Wilson
Who: American President, 14 points, self-determination advocate
What: Said that colonized people deserve at least some say in governance and that diplomacy should be transparent
When: June 1918
Where: All over the world, Americans broadcasted it all over to inspire nationalist movements.
Paris 1919 - Treaty of Versaille
Who: Lots of nations, but mostly the victors
Why: To basically decide what the post-WWI global order would be
What:
1. Decided Germany would pay for the war
2. Ottoman Land
3. Armenian state? No. And the U.S. voted against being their colonial state.
4. Hashemite state? Said no to Faysal and T.E. Lawrence
5. Greater Syria Question - Both Faysal and France had dibs on it. Britain gave it to France and made Faysal King of Iraq - new state.
When: Jan-July 1919
Where: Versailles
6. Mesopotamia Question - idk Iraq?
Egyptian Revolution 1919
Who: Egyptians (Wafd Party, Sa’id Zaghlul), Britain, Ottomans
Why: Wafd Party wanted independence from both but wasn’t permitted to attend the Paris conference
What: After Wilson’s 14 points, Egyptian nationalists mobilized, weren’t allowed to attend the conference, Americans endorsed this
When: 1919
Where: Egypt
Post WWI Syria
- Faysal went to Paris and trying to consolidate power with local Syrians, he was the second best option after independence.
- He doesn’t get Syria, and misleads Syrians about what happened.
- England and France sign San Remo agreement, allowing France to defeat Syrian nationalists and occupy.
San Remo Agreement
Who: Brits and French
Why: To resolve the Arab and Syrian question
What: Agreement that led to France invading and occupying Syria.
Also formalized mandate system
When: April 1920, Syria august by August
Where: San Remo, Damascus
Syria Congress
Who: Syrian Nationalists and Faysal/Hashemites
Why: To attempt to empower Faysal as king to stave off western imperial rule
What: The establishment of a constitutional monarchy with Faysal as King
When: March 1920
Where: Damascus probably
Mandate System
Who: European States/U.S.
Why: To have international legitimacy in colonization
What: Colonization or at least influence over certain regions to extract wealth
When: 1919 - Decolonization
Where: Officially created in 1920 through San Remo
