The secret pact that became a scapegoat for all of the. The man who created the middle east by christopher simon sykes. But it is not merely a narrative, it contains a measure of analysis as well. Was the introduction of guns gunpowder to the middle east beneficial or harmful. Was the sykes picot agreement a folly by the french and british empires and poor strategic planning. What are some good books about the impact of the sykes. Redrawing the middle east sir mark sykes, imperialism and the. At the age of only 36, sir mark sykes was signatory to the sykes picot agreement, one of the most reviled treaties of modern times. James barrs book is a tale the activities of the british and french in the middle east, from the picotsykes agreement in 1915 to the british withdrawal from palestine in 1949. Why border lines drawn with a ruler in ww1 still rock the. This book looks to provide answers to a number of questions.
The sykespicot agreement was drawn by the eponymous british and french diplomats in 1916 to determine the divide of the collapsing empire in the event of an allied victory in. Sykes and picot never consulted local inhabitants or political leaders in the middle east. At the age of only 36, sir mark sykes was signatory to the sykespicot agreement, one of the most reviled treaties. His new book, redrawing the middle east sir mark sykes, imperialism and the sykespicot agreement, draws upon historical archives to. The sykespicot agreement was one of the defining moments in the history of the modern middle east.
Lawrence in arabia author examines lasting impact of sykespicot. How did the muslims, led by the ottomans, go from a global power to the sick man of europe. The sykespicot agreement is seen as the original sin in a troubled region. Or part of a carefully constructed plan to divide the muslim world in order to control it. How the curse of sykespicot still haunts the middle east the new. The agreement was based on the premise that the triple entente would.
The sykespicot agreement is a secret understanding concluded in may 1916, during world war one, between great britain and france, with the. In the sykespicot agreement, the british and french agreed to divide up the arab world between themselves. In his book the man who created the middle east, christopher sykes. Founded in 2005, the log has since chronicled updates and breaking news about authors, books, publishing, museums, awards, contests, events. Colonel sir tatton benvenuto mark sykes, 6th baronet 16. The sykespicot agreement may 1916 oxford university press. Robin wright on the legacy of the sykespicot agreement, and the strife that continues over its artificial boundaries in the middle east. The sykespicot agreement as seen through arab eyes. At the age of only 36, sir mark sykes was signatory to the sykespicot agreement, one of the most reviled treaties of modern times. Nprs robert siegel talks to lawrence in arabia author scott anderson about the sykespicot agreement, a secret pact signed among allied. Sykespicot agreement, conservative party politician, diplomatic advisor, and traveller.
Redrawing the middle east sir mark sykes, imperialism. Yet, as sykess grandson and biographer tells us, sykes himself was a young idealist. In 2014, isis broke through the border of syria and iraq proclaimed a caliphate and declared sykespicot to be over. Lawrence in arabia author examines lasting impact of sykespicot agreement nprs robert siegel talks to lawrence in arabia author scott anderson about. This book is about more than the sykespicot agreement of 1916, which sought to divide britsh and french spheres of influence following the breakup of the. His work included two books on military science and three on the ottoman empire and islamic. The secret pact that became a scapegoat for all of the middle easts problems. A story of empire, conflict and the sykespicot agreement paperback. Monday marks the 100 years since the signing of the sykespicot agreement, the secret anglofrench pact reached during the first world war that. The result, the sykespicot agreement in 1916, was a series of lines. His new book, redrawing the middle east sir mark sykes, imperialism and the sykespicot agreement, draws upon historical archives to present a. Why arabs resent sykespicot interactive al jazeera.
Lawrence in arabia author examines lasting impact of. He wrote books, including accounts of his travels in the ottoman east. French and british diplomats secretly reached the sykespicot agreement, carving up the middle east into spheres of influence for their respective countries. The sykespicot agreement and the modern middle east yale. Yet its cocreator, sir mark sykes, had far more involvement in british middle east strategy during world war i than the agreement for which he is now most remembered. Signed by the respective parties on the 9th and 16th of may 1916, the exchange of letters between france and great britain respecting the recognition and protection of an arab state in syria, also known as the sykespicot agreement, is seen as a symbol of the arrogance and shortsightedness of european colonial practices. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.