In our previous blog, we explored
how the Soviet Union reshaped Central Asia with artificial borders and strict
assimilation policies. However, they were not the only ones drawing lines on a
map. At the exact same time, Western imperial powers were executing a similar “divide
and rule” strategy in the Middle East.
Today, to understand the endless conflicts, border disputes, and political crises we see on the news every day, we must look back to the aftermath of World War I. The Middle East we know today was not formed by natural historical progression, but by the pens and rulers of European diplomats.
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| Generated by AI |
During the depressed days of World
War I, Britain, France, and Tsarist Russia had already drawn the map of the
Middle East behind closed doors. They divided the region among themselves
through secret treaties (especially the Sykes-Picot Agreement). However, an
unexpected storm broke out: Russia withdrew from the war due to the Bolshevik
Revolution in 1917. The new Soviet government created a massive diplomatic
crisis by exposing these secret imperialist plans to the whole world.
When US President Woodrow Wilson
published his Fourteen Points
(which explicitly opposed colonialism), the perfect plans of Britain and France
took a heavy blow.
The San Remo Conference
However, these obstacles were not
enough to stop the Western powers. The USA, disappointed by European politics,
returned to its famous Monroe
Doctrine (Policy of Isolation). This massive shift left the Middle Eastern
stage entirely to Britain and France. Breathing a sigh of relief without the
pressure of the USA, these two powers found a new disguise to achieve their
goals: The Mandate System.
Consequently, at the San Remo
Conference in 1920, this new version of colonialism was formalized. They
reached a strict consensus to officially divide the Middle Eastern territories
under mandate regimes.
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| After the resolution on 25 April 1920, standing outside Villa Devachan, from left to right: Matsui, Lloyd George, Curzon, Berthelot, Millerand, Vittorio Scialoja, and Nitti. Enhanced by AI |
Middle East Map
According to the official excuse of the League of Nations, some regions were not yet capable of “governing themselves” or “protecting their lands from attacks.” Therefore, it was argued that these nations should be managed by a “developed” state until they reached a certain level of maturity.
By the
early 1920s, the Middle East was divided between two major imperial powers:
- France: Took Syria and Lebanon under its
mandate. It also strengthened its control over Algeria and Tunisia in
North Africa.
- Britain: To protect its trade
routes to India and secure oil fields, it brought Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and Kuwait into its mandate system.
It also took strategic points in the Arabian Peninsula under its protection.
It was an
announcement that the future of millions of people would be decided by others.
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| Emir Faisal's party at Versailles, during the Paris Peace Conference of 1919; left to right: Rustum Haidar, Nuri al-Said, Prince Faisal (front), Captain Pisani (rear), Lawrence, Faisal's servant (name unknown), Captain Hassan Khadri |
Empty Promises and the Spark of Resistance in Egypt
While
Britain and France were dividing the Middle East on paper, they needed to
soften the inevitable anger of the local people. To do this, they issued a
joint declaration on November 7, 1918, promising Arab nations the right to “establish
their own democratic governments.” However, it soon became clear that these
promises were nothing more than a stalling tactic. The first
major crack in this colonial system appeared in Egypt. Britain's attempt to
establish total dominance clashed heavily with Egyptian nationalists. The Wafd Party, founded by Saad Zaghloul in early 1919, led a
massive resistance movement, organizing strikes and protests throughout the
country. Britain tried to extinguish this fire by exiling Zaghloul and other
leaders, but this move backfired and only fueled the public's anger. Stepping Back: The Winds of
Independence Faced
with a growing and unstoppable crisis, Britain was forced to declare Egypt's
independence with a declaration on February 28, 1922. The ruler of the time,
Khedive Fuad I, accepted this declaration and took the title of King (Melik).
At the end of this long struggle, Egypt completely abolished capitulations in
1937 and became a member of the League of Nations. It wasn't just Britain; France also had to bow to the resistance in the region. Due to increasing nationalist pressures, France was forced to sign treaties paving the way for independence for Syria in 1930 and Lebanon in 1936. The Middle East we know today was manufactured in
European conference rooms. Sykes-Picot, San Remo different names for the same
ambition. However, the wounds never healed. In our next post, we turn eastward
to Japan, and the Meiji Restoration. |
