The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War

The Last Crusade: The Palestine Campaign in the First World War - Anthony Bruce [epub]

This is the first full account of World War I in Palestine since the official history published in the 1920s. It was a tough and fast-moving campaign, fought against a formidable enemy in harsh terrain and sometimes stupefying heat. Its highpoints - T.E. Lawrence's capture of Aqaba with a charge of Arab horsemen, and Allenby's victory march through the walled city of Jerusalem with fighters overhead and volleys of machine-gun fire in the streets - are classic moments in the history of warfare, but there is more that is equally gripping; the battles of Gaza were among the most hard-fought, and the battle of Megiddo among the most brilliant and decisive victories of the entire war.

Hostilities began with the defence of the Suez Canal, Britain's jugular, against the Ottoman Turks and their German allies. The Allies' thrust into Palestine when Allenby took over from the less aggressive Murray, and Lawrence harnessing the irregular forces of Arab nationalism, were much needed victories. In contrast to the failures at Gallipoli and in Mesopotamia, or the inconclusive battles on the Western Front, Palestine's view of movement and dramatic success made an essential contribution to the Allied will to win. Anthony Bruce has produced a comprehensive military history of the campaign, drawing on the full range of sources including the experiences of those who took part.

The author fails to mention that this campaign led to the drafting of the British Mandate for Palestine in 1922 which in turn set the stage for the creation of Israel in 1948