Why did Britain and France want to control the Middle East?

France and Britain needed proximity to oil reserves in the Middle East. World powers seek control for both economic and geopolitical reasons. “The Ultimate Destiny of Palestine” and talks back then about the establishment of a Jewish state in that region.

What is the Sykes-Picot Agreement and what role did it play in the Arab Israeli conflict?

The Sykes-Picot Agreement was a private wartime treaty between Britain and France which was to determine the post-war partition of Arab Middle East lands. 2. It was named after its chief negotiators, Mark Sykes of Britain and Georges Picot of France.

How did the British affect the Middle East?

In the period from 1798 to 1882, Britain pursued three major objectives in the Middle East: protecting access to trade routes in the eastern Mediterranean, maintaining stability in Iran and the Persian Gulf, and guaranteeing the integrity of the Ottoman Empire.

Why did the French colonize the Middle East?

And in the Arab east as in North Africa, France’s empire sought to imprint a durable cultural and social influence as well as expanding the metropole’s political and strategic power. France’s relationship with the Ottoman Empire had been ambiguous, as part of the long struggle for dominance among the European powers.

What was the problem with the Sykes and Picot agreement?

The Sykes-Picot Agreement created the modern Middle East. It represents one of the first instalments in a long line of modern European – and subsequent American – meddling in the region. And, in providing a set of unrealistic and impossible promises to the Arabs, it led directly to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

What were the consequences of the Sykes-Picot Agreement?

Impact and legacy The defection of Russia from the war canceled the Russian aspect of the Sykes-Picot Agreement, and the Turkish Nationalists’ victories after the military collapse of the Ottoman Empire led to the gradual abandonment of any Italian projects for Anatolia.

Why did Britain invade the Middle East?

POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONSOLIDATION, 1798–1882. In the period from 1798 to 1882, Britain pursued three major objectives in the Middle East: protecting access to trade routes in the eastern Mediterranean, maintaining stability in Iran and the Persian Gulf, and guaranteeing the integrity of the Ottoman Empire.

How colonialism affected the Middle East?

European colonialism in the Middle East reinforced tensions between religious groups, many of which still exist today. However, the economies of the countries involved also suffered, which meant that the Europeans felt the need to protect their investments. This was especially true in Egypt.

What was the Sykes-Picot Agreement WW1?

Britain and France conclude Sykes-Picot agreement On May 19, 1916, representatives of Great Britain and France secretly reach an accord, known as the Sykes-Picot agreement, by which most of the Arab lands under the rule of the Ottoman Empire are to be divided into British and French spheres of influence with the conclusion of World War I.

Why did Britain sign a secret agreement with Russia in 1915?

In March 1915, Britain signed a secret agreement with Russia, whose designs on the empire’s territory had led the Turks to join forces with Germany and Austria-Hungary in 1914.

Who were Sir Mark Sykes and Francois Georges Picot?

More than a year after the agreement with Russia, British and French representatives, Sir Mark Sykes and Francois Georges Picot, authored another secret agreement regarding the future spoils of the Great War.

What if Britain and France controlled the Middle East?

The rest of the territory in question—a huge area including modern-day Syria, Mosul in northern Iraq, and Jordan—would have local Arab chiefs under French supervision in the north and British in the south. Also, Britain and France would retain free passage and trade in the other’s zone of influence.