The British Agreements druing WW1

Arab Nationalism

  1. The middle East was under Ottoman control until the end of WW1
  1. They all hated it becuase while the Ottomam's were Muslims, they were Turks, and not Arabs.
  1. Due to this, the Arabs were harshly treated while under Ottoman control
  1. Due to Arab nationalism and pride, a lot of figths and clashes broke out between Turks and Arabs

This is because the Arabs felt their culture was being insulted

McMahon-Hussein Agreement

First agreement made during WW1 by Britain regarding the Middle East, made in 1915

  1. The Arabs would help Britain defeat the Ottomans (which were allied with the Germans)
  1. Britain would grant the Arabs independence after the war ended
  1. By 19.18, the Arabs carried out their promise and the Ottoman Empire fell
  1. 10 million Arabs were freed from Turkish rule, and they all thought they won indpendence
  1. The Arabs didn't know that the British were intending to stay in Palestine

Syces-Picot agreement

This was the second agreement made By Britain regarding the Middle East, made in 1916

  1. The Syces-Picot agreement was between France and Britain.
  1. This was made because both Britain and Frnace were scared that they were going to lose access to oil in the Middle East after the war
  1. Thus, they agreed that both countries nwould take a part of the Ottoman Empire each after the war ends
  1. This massively ignored the chances of complete Arab Independence

Balfour Declaration

This was the third agreement made By Britain regarding the Middle East, made in 1917

  1. When British troops closed in on Jerusalem, Lord Arthur Balfour wrote a letter to Baron Rothschild
  1. The letter stated that the British governemnt would be keen in supplying a home for the Jews in Palestine

Reasons for the Balfour declaration:

A. Balfour supported Zionist aims, as he knew a lot of Zionist leaders

B. Balfour wanted to appeal to American Zionists which would persuade the American Governent to send more troops to the Western Front

C. Balfour was optimistic for the future economin and political support of the US regarding British affairs in the MIddle East.