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America's Forgotten Middle East Initiative: The King-Crane Commission of 1919 (International Library of Twentieth Century History)
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About America's Forgotten Middle East Initiative: The
Product Description Sent to the Middle East by Woodrow Wilson to ascertain the viability of self-determination in the disintegrating Ottoman Empire, the King-Crane Commission of 1919 was America's first foray into the region. The commission's controversial recommendations included the rejection of the idea of a Jewish state in Syria, US intervention in the Middle East and the end of French colonial aspirations. The Commission's recommendations proved inflammatory, even though its counsel on the question of the Palestinian mandate was eventually disregarded by Lloyd George and Georges Clemenceau in favour of their own national interests. In the ensuing years, the Commission's dismissal of claims by Zionist representatives like David Ben-Gurion on their 'right to Palestine' proved particularly divisive, with some historians labeling it prophetic and accurate, and others arguing that Commission members were biased and ill-informed. Here, in the first book-length analysis of the King-Crane report in nearly 50 years, Andrew Patrick chronicles the history of early US involvement in the region, and challenges extant interpretations of the turbulent relationship between the United States and the Middle East. Review "Those who wish to learn about the present-day roots of Arab and Jewish nationalistic positions will find this book valuable ... Patrick's research question was, 'Why did the King-Crane Commission members arrive at their respective conclusions?' To my mind, he credibly answers it in full, while adding fresh insights into the working of the human mind, cultural inhibitions, and the political-national evolvement of the Middle East." - First World War Studies "Patrick's book is a fine addition to the literature on the modern Middle East. It works both as a 'what-if ' reading of one of the most important periods in modern history, provoking much-needed reflection on a set of decisions taken in 1919-20 that shaped so much of the modern history of the Middle East and the wider world, but also, importantly, as an in-depth study of the post-war turmoil and the first attempts by the United States to play the part of a world power." - English Historical Review " ... well-written and thoroughly researched ... Patrick shows that the commission's report does provide a picture--a snapshot--of Arab opinions and aspirations in the aftermath of the Great War." -Diplomacy and Statecraft "A key contribution of this book is its thoughtful analysis of how and,to the extent possible, why, the commissioners reached the conclusions they did. ... Professor Patrick has certainly achieved his objective of restoring the King-Crane commission to its rightful status and, in doing so has contributed a useful building block to the scholarly literature on the United States and the modern Middle East."- Middle East Media and Book Reviews Online " America's Forgotten Middle East Initiative reveals the wisdom of grappling with the powerful role concepts of race and religion played for Americans as the United States assumed a greater role in world affairs, and those who read Patrick's clarifying work will benefit from his careful and even-handed study of an important but overlooked moment in American and Middle Eastern history." - H-Diplo From the Back Cover "The King-Crane Commission Report may be the most detailed account extant of the Wilsonian imaginary applied to a particular region. Patrick's lucid and beautifully written study brings to life all manner of paths not taken in the post-Ottoman Middle East. Historians, regional specialists across disciplines, and international relations scholars will all find this book essential reading." Leonard V. Smith, Frederick B. Artz Professor of History, Oberlin College "This admirably fair-minded book provides a reliable and deeply engaging account of one of the least understood episodes in the history of America's relationship with the Middle East. Anyone interested in how the United States has s
