The King-Crane Commission: An American Inquiry in the Middle East

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. 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. Here, in a book-length analysis of the King-Crane report, Andrew Patrick chronciles 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 Contents Preface Acknowledgements I. Some Oriental Backgrounds of the Paris Peace Conference II. An Inter-Allied Commission ? III. Preparations for a Near Eastern Journey IV. An Inquiry into Zionism: Palestine V. Some Answers to the Syrian Riddle VI. The Problem of the Turkish Homelands: Mandate or Independence VII. Project for an American Policy: The King-Crane Report and Recommendations VIII. Towards an American Policy in the Near East IX. The Road to Lausanne X. Was the Experiment Worth While ? A Selected Bibliography Appendix Index