DK - World War II Map by Map

82 GERMANY TRIUMPHANT 1939–1941

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SYRIA

EGYPT

PALESTINE

Cyprus

IR

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T U R K E Y

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S A

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Vichy French

Army

Habforce

Iraqi Army

Madinat ath Thawrah

Masjed Soleyman

Famagusta

Ad Diwaniyah

Dayr az Zawr

Latakia

Qasr-e Shirin

Tel Aviv-Yafo

An Nasiriyah

As Suwayda

Iskenderun Al Hasakah

Abu Kamal

Ramadi

Habbaniyah

Rutba

Damascus

Rayak

Fallujah

Jerusalem

At Tafilah

An Nabk

Karaman

Tripoli

Baghdad

Sanliurfa

Celeken

Larnaka

Palmyra

Abadan

El Arish

Karbala

Nicosia

Aleppo

Hama

Paphos

Mardin

Kuwait

Zakho

Kirkuk

Mosul

Beirut

Basra

Homs

Haifa

Acre

Gaza

Arar

Bijar

CONFLICTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

In 1941, the Allies moved swiftly to secure

their access to resources in the Middle

East and prevent Axis forces from gaining

control of this oil-rich region.

△ British troops captured

British troops surrender during the German invasion of Crete

in May 1941. Code named Operation Mercury, the invasion

involved the mass deployment of Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers).

May 6 German

planes arrive in Mosul.

Apr 29 British

civilians evacuate or

take shelter in the

British Embassy.

Jul 14 The Armistice

of Saint Jean d’Acre is

signed; Free French

commander Georges

Catroux takes charge

of Syria and Lebanon.

May 22–23 German

planes operating out of

Mosul support the Iraqi

counteroffensive at Fallujah.

Apr 18–May 6 Allied

troops arrive in Iraq

and secure Basra.

2

3

4

5

1

TIMELINE

THE ALLIES SECURE THE MIDDLE EAST

Between April and July 1941, Allied ground forces—

supported by squadrons from the Royal Air Force and the

Royal Australian Air Force—took control of Vichy Syria,

Lebanon, and Iraq, creating a bloc that offered access to

oil and protection for their other territories in the region.

KEY

British-controlled territory

Axis-controlled territory

APR 1941 MAY JUN JUL AUG

FREE FRENCH AND BRITISH INVASION OF

SYRIA AND LEBANON JUNE 8–JULY 12, 1941

On June 8, the British and Free French invaded

Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon to

prevent the Germans using them as bases for

attacks on Egypt. Troops moved in from Palestine,

Transjordan, and Iraq, but hopes that the Vichy

forces would capitulate faded as they put up strong

resistance. By July 10, Damascus had fallen and the

Allies were closing on Beirut, and the Vichy French

sought an armistice. Fighting ceased on July 12.

THE BRITISH TAKE CONTROL IN IRAQ 3

MAY 2–30, 1941

The British responded by launching air strikes

on the Iraqi forces on May 2. More Indian troops

landed at Basra and an invading force—Habforce—

set out from Palestine. It reached Habbaniyah on

May 18, capturing Fallujah the next day. On May 27,

Habforce and the forces at Basra advanced on

Baghdad. Rashid Ali fled to Iran and, on May 30, an

armistice was signed that restored the pro-British

government of the Prince Regent Abd al-Ilah.

2

Habforce advance

on Habbaniyah

May 11–18

British forces

advance

Jun 8–Jul 12

Allied advance

on Baghdad

May 27–30

Free French

advance

Jun 8–Jul 12

Pro-Axis territory

Vichy French Army

British and Commonwealth forces

Iraqi Army

CRISIS IN IRAQ APRIL 1–MAY 6, 1941

On April 1, 1941, Iraq’s pro-German prime minister,

Rashid Ali, seized power. Determined to retain

access to Iraq’s oil, Britain landed the forces of the

10th Indian Division at Basra. Such a concentration

of troops around Basra was not allowed under

the terms of the Anglo–Iraqi Treaty (1930), and on

April 30 Iraqi troops advanced on the RAF base at

Habbaniyah, demanding an end to all British troop

movements on the ground and in the air.

1

Oil fields

Oil pipelines

RAF bases

10th Indian Division

landings Apr 18–May 6

Iraqi advance Apr 30

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