1) Political
a) Importance to England
i) Iraq
(1) Imperialism
(a) Iraq secured imperial communications with India
(b) Protected Iraqi and Iranian oil fields
ii) Transjordan
(1) Control and Order
(a) The area was seen by Britain as important to bringing order to the tribal regions east of the Jordan River.
b) Leadership
i) Iraq
(1) King Feisal was installed by the British
(a) Unified the country
(i) Kurdish rebellion was overcome
(ii) Shiite authorities were brought under control
(2) Ghazi
(a) King Feisal I died on 1933, to be succeeded by his son Ghazi
(b) Although an Arab nationalist, he lacked significant authority
(c) Although economic conditions improved, Iraq was a political disaster
(3) Political unrest
(a) Oppression
(i) No legitimate political parties developed
(ii) Elections were largely rigged
(iii) Cabinet members were often incompetent and oppressive
(b) Fighting
(i) Politicians organize tribal uprisings against rivals
(ii) General Bakr Sidqi took power in the name of “reformist middle-class intellectuals and young nationalist army officers” in 1936
(iii) Bakr Sidqi was then overthrown by assassination and military coup
(4) “The Seven”
(a) Army faction which overthrew Bakr Sidqi
(b) Made decisions and created and destroyed cabinets behind the scenes
(5) Nuri al-Said
(a) Civilian Nuri al-Said brought to power in 1938
(a) Al-Said was Pro-British and conservative, kept power for 20 years
ii) Transjordan
(1) Amir Abdullah was named the leader of Transjordan
(a) Abdullah’s policies were parallel to Britain’s
(2) Abdullah always searched for ways to expand his power and influence into the surrounding countries.
c) Treaties and Gaining Independence
i) Iraq
(1) Lausanne Conference
(a) Dispute of oil rich territory of Mosul
(b) Iraq received Mosul
(2) Organic Law of 1925
(a) Established hereditary constitutional monarchy with a two-chamber parliament
(b) Islam became state religion
(3) 1930 Anglo-Iraqi treaty
(a) Iraq to gain independence in two years
(i) 1932 gained independence and became member of the League of Nations
(b) Established 25-year alliance
ii) Transjordan
(1) Independence
(a) On May 25th, 1923 Transjordan was recognized as independent but would be a British mandate.
(b) Became formally independent in 1946 with Abdullah as king.
(2) Treaties
(a) Abdullah urged acceptance of the 1937 Peel commission because it would have joined Arab Palestine to Transjordan.
d) British Involvement
i) Iraq
(1) Organic Law of 1925
(a) Established significant exclusive British influence and rights in Iraq
(2) 1930 Anglo-Iraqi Treaty
(a) England retained significant control
(i) Two countries would consult to form common foreign policy
(ii) Britain gained use of air bases in Iraq, communication facilities
(ii) All Iraqi military personnel to be trained in Britain, all military instructors be British, and all arms supplied by Britain.
(3) Iraq Petroleum Company
(a) Monopolized Iraq’s oil resources
(b) Iraq received only modest royalties of oil production
(c) Iraq had no ownership over the company
ii) Transjordan
(1) England retained significant control
(a) Two countries would consult to form common foreign policy
(b) Britain gained use of air bases in Iraq, communication facilities
(c) All Iraqi military personnel to be trained in Britain, all military instructors be British, and all arms supplied by Britain.
(d) The main positions in the government were held by mainly British and Palestinian officials.
2) Social
a) Unity
i) Iraq
(1) Political tension as a result of racial and religious differences
(a) Kurdish minority (roughly 20% of population) in northern Iraq
(b) Significant Turkish and Christian Assyrian minorities
(c) Large Jewish community in Baghdad
(d) Muslim population Sunnis and Shiites
(e) Shiites had the majority, but Sunnis had more political power
ii) Transjordan
(1) The country as a whole was more united more politically and socially than other Arab countries.
b) Tribes and Minority problems
i) Iraq
(1) Army unit massacred 300 Assyrian villagers in northern Iraq.
(a) Iraqi’s praised massacre and soldiers never punished
(2) Tribal confederations previously and largely free from government intervention dominated the countryside
(a) Tribes of the Euphrates staged massive uprisings in June 1920
(i) Lasted several months
(ii) Rebelled against British dominance of Iraq
ii) Transjordan
(1) Wandering tribes which constituted much of the country would attack French controlled areas
(2) The Arab Legion was created to enforce the will of Amir and keep the nomadic tribes in line
3) Economic
a) Economic Development
i) Iraq
(1) Substantial oil was discovered in northern Iraq
(2) Irrigation, communications, public services progressed
(3) Significant development of Iraq’s vast resources occurred
ii) Transjordan
(1) Upon creation the country was poor and undeveloped.
(2) Received a great amount of help from the British government in the form of aid and assistance.
(3) Transjordan, according to the majority will of the country, developed mostly on its own.
(4) Roads and schools were built.