After Ally blockade of Germany-allied Ottoman Empire caused mass starvation (est. 500K dead) in historic #Syria (which includes Lebanon, Palestine) France&UK greedily grabbed that territory as victors' spoils.WW1 end was start of many ills for Syrian et al peoples #Armistice100
I'm going to excerpt a few pages from #TheHomeThatWasOurCountry A Memoir of #Syria - these experiences of WW1 are often left out from these commemorations. Rivals yet co-victors France & UK, used their victory to gain more power/wealth, at expense of Syria's peoples
On #Seferberlik - what WW1 years were like for peoples of historic #Syria
On #Seferberlik for the conscripts (w/accounts from people from my ancestral village in #Syria)
and what #Seferberlik was like for the civilians left behind
what the victory France/UK victory meant for historic #Syria peoples; came appearances by #SykesPicotAgreement #BalfourDeclaration #WoodrowWilson #LawrenceOfArabia #LeagueOfNations
note the irony in Syrians begging that if a mandate be forced on them, they asked that it be the US, perceived as having less imperial designs on MidEast than France and UK 😂
despite vocalizing w/words Syria didn't want France mandate control, then saying it w/guns bc France didn't understand words - incl valiant battle at #Maysalun where even women fought against French soldiers - France assumes control, quickly seeking societal divisions to exploit
fast forward to WW2, more duplicity, and the legacy of France in Syria, finally forced to leave by the UK. note that Syrian independence day is known Evacuation Day, for when the last French solider finally left...
oops, sorry for double screen shot in tweet 8. and here's the missing sentence
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