History 102SY The United States and the Middle East 1900 to the Present

Woodrow Wilson and the Breakup of the Ottoman Empire

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Woodrow Wilson and the Breakup of the Ottoman Empire

At start of 20th century—US govt had no real interest in political situation in Middle East Still mostly heeding President George Washington’s warning against involvement in Old World politics George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796

Situation in Middle East around 1900

US govt mainly concerned with protecting lives and property of Americans living and traveling in ME, especially Protestant missionaries Sarah and Eli Smith Members of Syrian Protestant College (later American University of Beirut)

Main causes of World War I: Decline of Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires

Main causes of World War I: Decline of Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires

Germany, Austria, and Italy vs. Britain, France, and Russia Main causes of World War I: Unstable and dangerous alliance system

August 1914—Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand in Sarajevo ignited World War I

Triggering of alliances: Austria and Germany vs. Serbia, Russia, France, and Britain

Devastating impact of World War I on Middle East

US missionary relief efforts

Three issues drawing US into Middle East during WWI: 1) Armenian issue 2) Zionist issue 3) Imperialist issue

Armenian Issue During WWI some Armenian activists (esp. Dashnaks) allied with Russia against Turkey Dashnaks

Armenian Issue Turkey retaliated against Armenians as a whole, rounding them up and deporting them from eastern Turkey to interior; up to 1.5 million Armenians died

Armenian Issue American missionary groups, in ME and US, played key role in dispensing aid and raising money for relief

Zionist Issue For centuries, Palestine had been under control of Ottoman Empire

Zionist Issue Late 19th century—European Jews, inspired by Theodor Herzl, began settling in Palestine in pursuit of Zionist program Theodor Herzl

In Hussein-McMahon correspondence of 1915, Britain implied that Palestine would be part of Arab state after war During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists: Henry McMahon Sharif Hussein of Mecca

1916—Sherif Hussein launched “Arab Revolt” against Ottoman Empire During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists:

1917—Arab forces led by Faisal, Hussein’s son, captured Damascus, Syria During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists:

1917—Arab forces led by Faisal, Hussein’s son, captured Damascus, Syria During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists:

Arthur Balfour Chaim Weizmann 1917—Chaim Weizmann elicited letter from Arthur Balfour pledging British support for “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine (Balfour Declaration) During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists:

Balfour Declaration, 1917 During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists:

Balfour Declaration, 1917 “His Majesty’s government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this 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, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”

Woodrow Wilson Louis Brandeis Influenced by Louis Brandeis, Woodrow Wilson endorsed Balfour Declaration, even though it appeared to contradict principle of national self- determination During WWI Britain gave conflicting pledges to Arabs and Zionists:

Imperialist Issue November 1917—Bolsheviks seized power in Russia

Late 1917—Bolsheviks exposed Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 Imperialist Issue Mark SykesFrançois Georges- Picot

January 1918—Wilson issued Fourteen Points; Point Twelve called for breakup of Ottoman Empire and “autonomous development” of Empire’s non- Turkish components Imperialist Issue

November 1918—Germany, Austria, and Turkey were defeated With dissolution of Ottoman Empire, US now faced same three issues as during war: imperialist issue, Zionist issue, and Armenian issue

Henry King King-Crane Commission concluded that 1) Syrian population was adamantly opposed to French mandate in Syria and 2) Zionist program should not be implemented Charles Crane Imperialism and Zionism

But Wilson was in no position to heed King- Crane recommendations

1920—At Treaty of San Remo France got single mandate over Syria and Lebanon; Britain got separate mandates over Iraq, Transjordan, and Palestine

Sykes-Picot and San Remo

1920—Faisal’s brief reign

—Britain and France urged US to assume mandates over Constantinople and Turkish Straits and over newly proclaimed Armenian republic Armenian issue

Neither idea came to fruition Armenian issue

1920—Turkish forces crushed Armenian republic, whose territory was reabsorbed by Turkey and Soviet Union

1923—In Treaty of Lausanne, Turkey, led by Mustafa Kemal, regained sovereignty over Straits Mustafa Kamal

1922—British and French mandates formally established in Middle East Faisal Abdullah

1919—US Senate debated Treaty of Versailles

Objections to Article X Joseph M. McCormick

Objections to Article X Joseph M. McCormick

Hiram Johnson Objections to Article X