Figure 1.--Premier Rashid Ali, a member of the al-Qadiriyya brotherhood, al-Kailani staged a coup with pro-Axis elements in Iraqi Army and launched attacks on British bases as part of an effort to join the NAZI war effort. They apparently expected significnt aid the the Germand Itlians. The British drove Ali and the Golden Square from power. Ali wrote Hitler romising 'to fight the common nemy until the final victory." Here Hitler meets Ali at his East Prussian headquaters near Rastenburg (July 15, 1942). At the time Hitler was directing the German offensive that would led to the Stalingrad disaster. Looking at the photogrph, ones gets the impression that Hitler is shaking hands with a Jew. People with Ali's appearance featured prominently in NAZI anti-Semitic propaganda. This must have affected Hitler's thinking. Click on the image for a fuller discussion.

Iraq was a backwater of the War, but a very important backwater. The country was an imprtant in maintaining communication lines between India and the British position in Egypt protecting the Suez Canal. Even more importantly, Iraq was the principle source of oil for the Desert Army and the Royal Navy Eastern Mediterranean Squadron. Mesopotamia had been a Turkish Province for centuries until seized by the British during World War I. The British than created the country of Iraq as a monarchy. The Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930 provided for a major British stake in Iraq. The British obtained an interest in the developing Mosul and Kirkuk oil fields and air bases near Baghdad in central Iraq and Basra in the south. To help protect the bases the British had a mixed force which included Iraqis recruited for this purpose. The British were also given transit rights. Britain with these guarantees granted independence to Iraq (1932). Nationalists criticized the treaty, but the Nuri es-Sa'id Governent was pro-British. The royal governent created a small army consisting of of five divisions, a navy consisting of river patrol craft, and a small airforce with obsolete aircraft. When war broke out in Europe (September 1939) Sa'id wanted to support Britain and declare war on Germany, but Iraqi nationalists oppsosed this. The Sa'id Government did break off relations. The Grand Mufti after failing in his effort to drive the British from Palistine sought refuge in Iraq and began to stir up anti-British and anti-Jewish sentiment. A new Government with pro-Axis views led by Rashid Ali took power (March 1940). Ali was backed by the pro-Axis Golden Square. This was a group of four Iraqi army officers (thus the term 'square') which played a part in Iraqi politics during the 1930s and early-40s. Ali himself was a dedicated member of the al-Qadiriyya brotherhood, The al-Qadiriyya brotherhood along with other similat Islamist organizations became a part of Germany's Middle eastern policy even before world War I. The fall of France (June 1940) dramatically changed the military ballance in the Mediterranean and thus the Middle East. Ali initiated various intrigues against Britain. British military successes in the Western Desert caused Ali to resign. The next primeminister acted to breakup the Golden Square. A military coup placed Ali back in power (April 3, 1941). At the same time, spectacular German successes in Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete convinced the Iraqi nationalists that the Germans were about to quickly defeat the British. Ali tore up the 1930 Treaty and struck at the British air base at Habbaniya. The French Vichy authorities controlling Syria assisted Ali by allowing the Germans and Italians to deliver some assistance. General Wavell, the British Middle East commander was hard pressed at the time. He had to contend with Rommel in the Wester Dessert and the disaterous intervention in Greece. He was reluctant to commit forces to Iraq, but Churchill insisted. An Indian division struck from the south landing at Basara. The Habforce (a British brigade and the Arab Legion) struck west from Jordan. Ali's forces were quickly defeated and he escaped seeking refuge in NAZI Germany. He would soon be joined by the Mufti. The Mufti arrived later because of the time he spent stirring up trouble in Iran. To his credit, Ali asked the Germans about their anti-Semitism and what that meant for the Arabs. 【Weinreich, pp. 111-12 --fn. 947.】 This was something as far as we know that the Mufti never did. Ali and the Mufti would compete to control the Arab expatriate community in the Reich.

Background

Iraq was a backwater of the War, but a very important backwater. Mesopotamia had been a Turkish Province for centuries until seized by the British during World War I. The British than created the country of Iraq as a monarchy. The Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930 provided for a major British stake in Iraq. The British obtained an interest in the developing Mosul and Kirkuk oil fields and air bases near Baghdad in central Iraq (RAF Hasbbaniya) and Basra in the south (RAF Shaibah). The British were also given transit rights. Britain with these guarantees granted independence to Iraq (1932). Nationalists criticized the treaty, but the Nuri es-Sa'id Governent was pro-British. The royal governent created a small army consisting of of five divisions, a navy consisting of river patrol craft, and a small airforce with obsolete aircraft. When war broke out in Europe (September 1939) Sa'id wanted to support Britain and declare war on Germany, but Iraqi nationalists oppsosed this. The Sa'id Government did break off relations. The Grand Mufti after failing in his effort to drive the British from Palistine sought refuge in Iraq and began to stir up anti-British and anti-Jewish sentiment. A new Government with pro-Axis views led by Rashid Ali took power (March 1940). Ali was backed by the pro-Axis Golden Square. This was a group of four Iraqi army officers (thus the term 'square') which played a part in Iraqi politics during the 1930s and early-40s. Ali himself was a dedicated member of the al-Qadiriyya brotherhood, The al-Qadiriyya brotherhood along with other similat Islamist organizations became a part of Germany's Middle eastern policy even before World War I.

Importance

The country was an important in maintaining communication lines between India and the British position in Egypt protecting the Suez Canal. Even more importantly, Iraq was the principle source of oil for the British Desert Army and the Royal Navy Eastern Mediterranean Squadron. Producgtion was small by American srandards, but wiuld have provided the Germans all the oil they needed. 【Broich】

British Forces in Iraq

To help protect the bases the British had a mixed force which included Iraqis recruited for this purpose. The existance of two British air bases sounds imposing, bu these were air bases in name only and there were no modern aircraft in these bases. RAF Habbaniya was a flight school. 【Broich】 They existed in case the need rose to bring in air forces. ut in 1941, Btitish air forces were fully commited to combat zones and none to spare in backwaters.

The Fall of France (June 1940)

The fall of France dramatically changed the military ballance in the Mediterranean and thus the Middle East. This meany that Mrshal Petasin's Vichy men were now in control and collaborating weith the NAZIs. And it mean that the Germans now had a way of getting supplies and support to the Golden Square. 【Broich】 The fact that Hitler was absorbed with evebts in the Balkans and the planning for Barbarossa probably is what saved the situation.

Iraqi Coup (April 191)

Ali initiated various intrigues against Britain. British military successes in the Western Desert caused Ali to resign. The next prime-minister acted to breakup the Golden Square. A military coup placed Ali back in power (April 1, 1941). At the same time, spectacular German successes in Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete convinced the Iraqi nationalists that the Germans were about to quickly defeat the British. Sensing British weaskness, Rashid Ali and his supporters in the Iraqi Army staged a pro-German coup that overthrew the pro-British regime of Regent 'Abd al-Ilah and his Prime Minister Nuri al-Said. They installed Rashid Ali al-Gaylani as Prime Minister (April 1). The Army was the only well-orgsnized force in Iraq, over shadowng the civiilian government. The Arny commanders had attachments to Germany dating back to World War I. In addition the Grand Mufti had stirred up latent antimetic sentiment, Ali tore up the 1930 Treaty and struck at the British air base -- RAF Habbaniya near Kirkut. ASctually a flight school, not a well-equipped or defended base, The French Vichy authorities now controlling Syria assisted Ali by allowing the Germans and Italians to deliver some assistance. One of the first Iraqi actions was to cut the Kirkuk pipleline branch leading to Haifa in Briish controlled Palestine which was supplying British forces including the Royal Navy. 【Broich】

British Response

General Wavell, the British Middle East commander was hard pressed at the time. His fiorces had been substabially reduced by Churchill's Greek venture nd he was now being pressed by Rommel's Afrika Korps in the Wester Dessert. He was reluctant to divert forces to Iraq, but Churchill insisted. Claude Auchinleck's India Command sent troops to Basra. . An Indian division struck from the south landing at Basara. The Habforce (a British brigade and the Arab Legion) struck west from Jordan. 【Broich】 Major battles are ofren seen as fought by large armires. TYhis battle was fought by a smallpolygot force and was of huge sihniicance given that the British campsihn in North Africa was being run on Iraqi oil. The British were badly outnumbered by the Iraqi Amy and this dies not include Vichy forces in Syria.

Result

Ali's substantial forces were quickly defeated. The Uraqi Army was not aware if how small the Bitish fiorce was. Akli abnd the Goldn Square commanders escaped to Iran and sought in Berlin where they would spend the War. He would soon be joined by the Palestinian Grand Mufti. The Mufti arrived later because of the time he spent stirring up trouble in Iran. To his credit, Ali asked the Germans about their anti-Semitism and what that meant for the Arabs. 【Weinreich, pp. 111-12 --fn. 947.】 This was something as far as we know that the Mufti never did. Ali and the Mufti would compete to control the Arab expatriate community in the Reich.

Sources

Broich, John. Blood, Oil, and the Axis.

Weinreich, Max. Hitler's Professors: The Part of Scholarship in Germany's Crimes Against the Jewish People (Yale University Press: 1946), 291p.

Created: 7:16 PM 12/9/2015
Last updated: 7:16 PM 12/9/2015