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Line in the Sand - Britain, France and the Struggle that Shaped The Middle East
A fascinating insight into the untold story of how British-French rivalry drew the battle-lines of the modern Middle East.
In 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. They drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier, and together remade the map of the Middle East, with Britain’s 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria.
Over the next thirty years a sordid tale of violence and clandestine political manoeuvring unfolded, told here through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T.E.Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Using declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr vividly depicts the covert, deadly war of intrigue and espionage between Britain and France to rule the Middle East, and reveals the shocking way in which the French finally got their revenge.
In 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. They drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier, and together remade the map of the Middle East, with Britain’s 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria.
Over the next thirty years a sordid tale of violence and clandestine political manoeuvring unfolded, told here through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T.E.Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. Using declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr vividly depicts the covert, deadly war of intrigue and espionage between Britain and France to rule the Middle East, and reveals the shocking way in which the French finally got their revenge.
- GenresMiddle East
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About the author
James Barr
85 books5 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
See James Barr for the historian and Visiting Fellow at St. Antony’s College, Oxford.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
See James Barr for the historian and Visiting Fellow at St. Antony’s College, Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 28, 2024
"Line in the Sand - Britain, France and the Struggle That Shaped the Middle East" by James Barr is a very interesting, well researched book.
I have always been fascinated by history, especially surrounding the wars and Nazi Germany.
Even though this book touches little on World War I and II, it acknowledges it from the POV of what was happening in the Middle East at similar times - 1915-1949 - which is the main focus of this book.
The overarching sense I get from this is that I now understand a little more about why and how the Middle East became such a volatile and unstable region; as well as the declaration of Palestine becoming a "home" for the Jewish people who survived the Holocaust but also being subjected to stringent British immigration policies.
In addition, it also highlights the tensions between the British and French governments as well as the American involvement. Undercuts and backhanded deals from both governments made the political landscape in the Middle East increasingly untenable.
I have always been fascinated by history, especially surrounding the wars and Nazi Germany.
Even though this book touches little on World War I and II, it acknowledges it from the POV of what was happening in the Middle East at similar times - 1915-1949 - which is the main focus of this book.
The overarching sense I get from this is that I now understand a little more about why and how the Middle East became such a volatile and unstable region; as well as the declaration of Palestine becoming a "home" for the Jewish people who survived the Holocaust but also being subjected to stringent British immigration policies.
In addition, it also highlights the tensions between the British and French governments as well as the American involvement. Undercuts and backhanded deals from both governments made the political landscape in the Middle East increasingly untenable.
February 23, 2025
This is a tough one to review... I found this to be one of the most infuriating books I've ever read. Not because it's a bad book, either. James Barr does a fine job of making a difficult subject very readable, and unputdownable, I found.
No, it's been infuriating because the British, ffrench, and Americans are such [insert your own swear words here]. The Americans only ever cared about Middle Eastern Oil. The french only ever cared about thwarting the British and how they appeared to everyone else. The British cared only about themselves, and are greedy, stupid, incompetent, and hell bent on protecting their inherited wealth. None of them cared about the people of the countries they were illegally occupying and 'bringing civilisation' to. Arbitrarily carving up the region, as they had Africa the previous century, with the same disastrous results, the same crap is still happening a hundred years later. If I didn't know better I'd say that it was a deliberate plan of action to continuously destabilise the region to facilitate a land grab and rape these lands of their resources.
A well-written explanation of atrocious behaviour. Makes me ashamed of my country.
No, it's been infuriating because the British, ffrench, and Americans are such [insert your own swear words here]. The Americans only ever cared about Middle Eastern Oil. The french only ever cared about thwarting the British and how they appeared to everyone else. The British cared only about themselves, and are greedy, stupid, incompetent, and hell bent on protecting their inherited wealth. None of them cared about the people of the countries they were illegally occupying and 'bringing civilisation' to. Arbitrarily carving up the region, as they had Africa the previous century, with the same disastrous results, the same crap is still happening a hundred years later. If I didn't know better I'd say that it was a deliberate plan of action to continuously destabilise the region to facilitate a land grab and rape these lands of their resources.
A well-written explanation of atrocious behaviour. Makes me ashamed of my country.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews