Product Description

The End of Empire in the Middle Eastis an original and perceptive study of Britain’s withdrawal from her last Arab dependencies - the Sudan in 1956, South West Arabia in 1967 and the Gulf in 1971 - based upon a combination of first hand experience and extensive research. Glen Balfour-Paul opens by outlining Britain’s position in the Middle East at the end of the Second World War. He then presents in three separate chapters a detailed account of the forces that culminated in withdrawal from each of the countries. In the final chapters, the author compares and contrasts the three episodes in terms of Britain’s evolving attitude to empire, public pressures from within and outside the territories, the tensions that arose between policy makers in London and those executing their decisions, attitudes of British officials to their task and the political and economic aftermath of independence.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #241729 in Books
• Published on: 1994-02-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Review
‘[This book] is an erudite and scholarly examination of Britain’s relinquishment of direct political control over the Sudan, South West Arabia and the Gulf.’ Nader Entessar, Muslim World Book Review

‘… an important addition to the historical record of Britain’s withdrawal from the Middle East.’ Ritchie Overdale, History

‘Balfour-Paul’s elegant style and his eye for apt quotation bring to life a vanished age in which the British still ruled much of the world.’ W. M. Roger Louis, The Times Literary Supplement

‘Elegantly written and gives a balanced picture which should commend it to experts and amateurs alike.’ Peter Tripp, British Journal for Middle Eastern Studies