The Peace on The Horizon - 75 Years after The World War 2 in the Middle East (39)

 

(Japanese Version)

(Arabic Version)

 

(contents)

Chapter 2 Global wave – The end of colonial era and the emerging two super powers

 

039 Comparison French colonial rule with British one (1/3)

 According to the Sykes-Picot Agreement at the World War I, France has got the area of southern Turkey, Syria, northern Iraq and Lebanon. Britain got southern Iraq, Jordan, Northern part of Arabian Peninsula and Kuwait. Both countries reigned as colonial rulers in their respective regions.

 

However, the independence movement took in various places after the World War II. The political system after France and the UK granted independence were largely different. During the World War II, France was occupied by Germany. There was no room for France to think about Middle East. Taking one chance in a million, Lebanon and Syria declared independence as republic states in 1941. France could not afford to interfere the independence. On the other hand, the UK has made Jordan and Iraq to kingdoms of the House of Hashim, which was descendants of the prophet Muhammad. The UK fulfilled the promise of the Hussein McMahon Correspondence.

 

It is an interesting fact that France acknowledged Lebanon and Syria as republic states, and the UK acknowledged Jordan and Iraq as kingdoms. One reason was due to the political system of each countries. Both countries are parliamentary democracies, but the UK has the constitutional monarchy as shown in its official state name "United Kingdom". UK people had no objection to acknowledge Jordan and Iraq as kingdoms.

 

(To be continued ----)

 

 

Areha Kazuya

(From an ordinary citizen in the cloud)