Description
Book SynopsisThe term ''Fertile Crescent'' is commonly used as shorthand for the group of territories extending around the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Here it is assumed to consist of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. Much has been written on the history of these countries which were taken from the Ottoman empire after 1918 and became Mandates under the League of Nations. For the most part the histories of these countries have been handled either individually or as part of the history of Britain or France. In the first instance the emphasis has normally been on the development of nationalism and local resistance to alien control in a particular territory, leading to the modern successor state. In the second most studies have concentrated separately on how either France or Britain handled the great problems they inherited, seldom comparing their strategies. The aim of this book is to see the region as a whole and from both the European and indigenous points of view. The central argument i
Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Fieldhouse's strength lies in his detailed and extensive knowledge of British imperial and general history. * Jan Zouplna, Quarterly Journal of African and Asian Studies, vol 74 *
...the value of this work lies in its exceptional clarity and the succinctness of its synthesis, which make it ideal for students and the uninitiated. The slim, but judiciously chosen, select bibliography and the detailed index add to its usefulness. * Jennifer M. Dueck, French Studies *
'As one would expect from Fieldhouse, the style is brisk and efficient, the writing lucid and the substance fair-minded. In a subject of daunting complexity, and on which much that is written has a polemical purpose, even well-informed readers will find its balance and clarity exceptionally useful. * John Darwin, TLS *
Its comparative approach helps fill a huge gap in Middle East scholarship. * H-Soz-u-Kult *
Table of ContentsPART I: BEFORE THE MANDATES 1900-1922 ; 1. The Decline of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East and the 'Arab Awakening' before 1914 ; 2. War and the Partition of the Ottoman Empire 1914-1922 ; PART II: ALIEN RULE AND NATIONALIST REACTIONS 1918-1958 ; 3. Britain in Mesopotamia/Iraq 1918-1958 ; 4. Palestine: The Genesis of the Mandate ; 5. Palestine: The British Mandate 1918-1948 ; 6. Transjordan 1918-1956 ; 7. Syria and the French 1918-1946 ; 8. Lebanon and the French 1918-1946 ; PART III ; 9. Conclusions ; Select Bibliography ; Index
