World War One Middle East

Ottoman Empire Turkey, North Africa, Southwest Asia and Southeast Europe. Capital City – Constantinople Leaders – Sultans Tolerant of other religions Millet system (non-Muslims formed small communities and were allowed to keep their faith (Jewish or Christian) as long as they paid the jitza (a tax). Legal system – justice Powerful, stable, wealthy empire (1300s-1566)

Reasons for the Decline of Ottoman Empire Weakened by too many wars Land lost to national groups and Europeans The Ottoman Empire was very diverse ethnically + nationalism = many groups wanting their freedom Weak Leadership Loss of intellectualism = loss of innovation = fell behind the Europeans in technology Financial issues – tax collections – high debt Unhappy peasantry New World silver flooding the market and causing silver to inflate = inflation Trade routes changing to bypass the Middle East in favor of water routes and trade in the Atlantic On losing side in World War I

World War One-Middle East Triple Entente Great Britain France Russia GB-Recruits The Arab Nation India Triple Alliance Ottoman Empire (Turks) DECLINING OTTOMAN EMPIRE (“Sick man of Europe”) SIDES WITH GERMANY Germany Austria-Hungary

The Gallipoli Campaign(1915) The main combatants looked beyond Europe for a way to end the stalemate. Allies’ strategy attack a region in the Ottoman Empire known as the Dardanelles. This narrow sea strait was the gateway to the Ottoman capital, Constantinople. By securing the Dardanelles, the Allies believed that they could take Constantinople, defeat the Turks, and establish a supply line to Russia.

British, Australian, New Zealand, and French troops made repeated assaults on the Gallipoli Peninsula Turkish troops, some commanded by German officers, defended the region. Trench Warfare turned Gallipoli into another bloody stalemate. Battled for a year the Allies gave up the campaign and evacuated. suffered about 250,000 casualties.

The letters declared that the Arabs would revolt in alliance with the United Kingdom, and in return the UK would recognize Arab independence.

T.E. Lawerence Archeologist turned British Officer In 1916, he was sent as a liaison officer to join the Great Arab Revolt, led by Prince Feisal. He took money and guns and helped keep the Revolt alive. T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia) Wrote Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) -Great Britain and France secretly reach an accord, known as the Sykes-Picot agreement, by which most of the Arab lands under the rule of the Ottoman Empire are to be divided into British and French spheres of influence with the conclusion of World War I.World War I Colonel Sir Mark Sykes Francois George-Picot

The Balfour Declaration was a November 2, 1917 letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lord Rothschild that made public the British support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Lord Rothschild A Zionist

League of Nations assigns Mandates In the opening weeks of the Versailles peace conference, it was clear that Great Britain and France would not honor their wartime promises to Arab leaders for independence. Instead planned to divide the Arab Middle East between them. (Great Britain and France)

Impact of the Mandates The League of Nations determined that instead of granting the territories of the former Ottoman Empire independence they would become “mandates” of other countries. It was the responsibility of the controlling country to help the “mandate” grow economically and politically so that they could become independent nations later on. Britain and France administrative control of Palestine, Transjordan, Iraq, Syria, & Lebanon The “mandates” soon realized that, although the system proposed eventual independence, it was just a new system for the old imperialism.

Cultural Implications Religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity Languages: Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew, Kurdish, Armenian Borders were created by European nations without thought to ethnic makeup of the region relations between Muslims and Jews deteriorated.