1. War and Cold War in the Middle East

2. American Zionists grew stronger in mid- to late 1930s; pressured Britain to ease restrictions on Jewish immigration into Palestine Zionist Organization of America convention, New York, 1939

3. Britain initially responded favorably to Zionist pressure, but began to have second thoughts in late 1930s, due to intensity of Palestinian and Arab opposition to Zionism Palestinian rebels against British rule, late 1930s

4. 1939—Britain issued White Paper Placed strict limits on numbers of Jews admitted to Palestine each year Regulated land sales in Palestine to Zionist institutions and individuals

5. David Ben-Gurion Zionists bitterly opposed White Paper, which appeared as refugee situation in Europe was growing increasingly dire

6. Oil In 1920s reliance on automobile (and thus demand for oil) grew extremely rapidly in US

7. Oil

8. 1928—American oil companies signed “Red Line Agreement” with British, French, and Dutch companies for excavating for oil in former Ottoman Empire

11. 1933—Standard Oil of California (SOCAL) got concession to prospect for oil in Saudi Arabia

12. 1938—Socal struck oil

13. War and Cold War in the Middle East

14. In 1940s US government first became concerned about political character and geopolitical orientation of ME countries

15. This resulted from two major events: World War II and outbreak of Cold War

16. US now recognized vital necessity of maintaining access to oil reserves and to strategic positions of region

17. WWII: concerns about potential Axis linkup

18. WWII: North Africa as launching pad for Allied invasion of Italy

19. Lend Lease Act Proposed December 1940 Enacted March 1941

20. Lend Lease and the Middle East

21. During war US sent Lend-Lease to USSR via “Persian Corridor” Iran

22. 1941—Britain and USSR removed Iranian monarch, Reza Shah, and replaced him with his son, Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi Iran

23. Huge American establishment built up in Iran, forging close relationship between US and Iranian governments that continued until late 1970s Maj. Gen. Donald Connally, commander of US forces in Iran and Iraq, with Iranian journalists

24. Frictions resulting from presence of thousands of Americans in Iran

26. Because of its oil wealth, Saudi Arabia became vitally important to US during war Saudi Arabia

27. During war US established diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and declared it eligible for Lend Lease aid King Ibn Saud Saudi Arabia

28. America’s growing involvement in Saudi Arabia caused friction with Britain, which suspected US of seeking to monopolize Saudi oil opportunities and to push Britain out of ME FDR and Churchill

29. February 1945—FDR and Ibn Saud met on US naval vessel on Egypt’s Great Bitter Lake

31. Throughout WWII, US and Britain bribed and pressured Turkey to keep it from aligning with Axis powers Turkey

32. 1942 Turkey

33. North Africa

34. FDR and Stalin wanted early Anglo-US attack on German positions across English Channel Allied disagreement over when and where to confront Germany

35. Churchill wanted to delay cross-Channel attack and start with attack on “soft underbelly” from south Allied disagreement over when and where to confront Germany

36. FDR agreed to follow Churchill’s “soft underbelly” approach Allied disagreement over when and where to confront Germany

37. Late 1942—North Africa campaign began, under command of Dwight D. Eisenhower

38. Spring 1943—Anglo-US capture of Tunisia, paving way for advance up to Sicily and Italy

39. 1942

42. Churchill, FDR, and Joseph Stalin 1945—World War II ended; shortly thereafter Cold War began

43. Role of Persian Gulf oil in European recovery Strategic importance of ME in Cold War

44. Geographical proximity to Soviet Union Strategic importance of ME in Cold War

45. US was determined to retain access to oil reserves and strategic positions of ME but for the time being was content to see Britain remain primary Western power there

46. Iran crisis, 1946 Ahmed QavamJoseph Stalin Early Cold War Crises in Middle and Near East

47. Iran crisis, 1946 Ahmed QavamJoseph Stalin Early Cold War Crises in Middle and Near East

48. Turkish Straits crisis, 1946 USS Missouri Early Cold War Crises in Middle and Near East

49. Turkish and Greek crises, 1947 Greek civil war Early Cold War Crises in Middle and Near East

50. ... leading to Truman Doctrine, 1947 Early Cold War Crises in Middle and Near East