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Middle East
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(25)
1919
May
15
The Greek landing at Smyrna
On 15 May 1919 Greek troops landed at Smyrna with the consent of the powers. The shooting and killing of Turks that day inflamed Turkish resistance.
1922
October
11
The Armistice of Mudanya
On 11 October 1922 at Mudanya on the Sea of Marmara, Ankara made an armistice with the Allies. Greece gave up Eastern Thrace and the war with Turkey ended.
1940
July
01
Italian air raids on Palestine
In July 1940 Italian bombers from Rhodes began attacking Haifa. The first raid, on 15 July, set oil tanks ablaze; the second, on 24 July, killed over forty.
September
09
The Italian air raid on Tel Aviv
On 9 September 1940 Italian bombers from the Dodecanese hit residential Tel Aviv. Between 107 and 137 died – the deadliest single air raid on Palestine.
October
19
The Italian air raid on Bahrain
On the night of 18–19 October 1940 four Italian SM.82s from Rhodes bombed the refinery in Bahrain and Saudi Dhahran, then landed in Eritrea.
1941
April
01
The Iraqi coup d’état
On 1 April 1941 the colonels of the “Golden Square” overthrew the pro-British government and regent Abd al-Ilah in Baghdad. Rashid Ali al-Gaylani took power.
18
The British land at Basra
On 18 April 1941 the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade landed at Basra; the day before, aircraft had begun flying a British infantry battalion into Shaibah.
30
The Iraqi siege of Habbaniya
On 30 April 1941 Iraqi troops occupied the plateau above the British air base at Habbaniya and demanded that flying stop. The base was under siege.
May
02
The Anglo-Iraqi War begins
At dawn on 2 May 1941 training aircraft from Habbaniya and Wellingtons from Shaibah struck the Iraqis above the base. Within five days the siege collapsed.
09
The fatwa of the Mufti of Jerusalem
On 9 May 1941 the Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Husseini, proclaimed in Baghdad a fatwa calling on Muslims to wage holy war against Britain.
13
Fliegerführer Irak at Mosul
On 13 May 1941 the core of Fliegerführer Irak, a German air group sent via Vichy Syria to aid Rashid Ali’s government, reached Mosul.
14
The RAF against Vichy airfields in Syria
On 14 May 1941 London let the RAF attack German aircraft on Vichy Syria’s airfields. Bombs fell on Palmyra and Rayak – a prelude to war in the Levant.
17
The Battle of Fallujah
On 19 May 1941 British troops from Habbaniya took the Euphrates bridge at Fallujah, opening the road to Baghdad, and on 22 May repulsed an Iraqi counter-attack.
23
Directive No. 30
On 23 May 1941 Hitler’s Directive No. 30 named the Arab freedom movement a natural ally against England and granted Iraq modest aid. It came too late.
31
Baghdad surrenders
On 31 May 1941 an armistice ending the Anglo-Iraqi War was signed outside Baghdad. Rashid Ali and the Mufti had fled to Iran; the Regent returned on 1 June.
June
08
The invasion of Syria and Lebanon
On 8 June 1941 British, Australian, Indian and Free French troops entered Vichy Syria and Lebanon. On 9 June the Australians forced the Litani.
14
The Battle of Jezzine
In mid-June 1941 Australians took Jezzine in Lebanon after a night march through the mountains and occupied Sidon; the Vichy French struck back.
July
01
The British take Palmyra
On 1 July 1941 the Arab Legion routed a Vichy company at Sukhnah. Palmyra, besieged since 21 June, surrendered on 3 July, and Slim's Indians took Deir ez-Zor.
12
The Armistice of Acre
At midnight on 12 July 1941 fighting ceased in Syria and Lebanon. Armistice terms were initialled at Acre and signed on 14 July by Wilson and de Verdilhac.
August
25
Key event
The invasion of Iran
On 25 August 1941 British and Soviet troops entered neutral Iran without a declaration of war. The Shah’s army stopped fighting after four days.
September
16
The abdication of Reza Shah
On 16 September 1941, as the Red Army marched on Tehran, Reza Shah abdicated for his son. The Allies then entered the capital and the new shah took his oath.
1945
February
24
Egypt declares war on the Axis
On 24 February 1945 Egypt's parliament backed war on Germany and Japan. Moments later Prime Minister Ahmad Mahir was shot dead in the parliament building.
27
Syria and Lebanon declare war on the Axis
On 26 and 27 February 1945 Syria and Lebanon, formally independent since 1941, declared war on Germany and Japan in order to become founders of the UN.
March
01
Saudi Arabia declares war on Germany
On 1 March 1945 Saudi Arabia declared war on Germany and Japan. Ibn Saud met the deadline on its final day, securing a place among the founders of the UN.
May
29
The Levant crisis
On 29 May 1945 French troops attacked the parliament in Damascus and shelled the city. British intervention forced the French back to their barracks.