Neutrality breached: The British Invasion of Iraq.
273The fighting that occurred in the Middle East during WW2 tends to be largely ignored during the re-telling of history. But, not today. So, In this video, we will be looking at the British Invasion of Iraq.
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Iraq came under British control, following the end of WW1, the nation was established as a mandate, which granted them some levels of autonomy, but were still subject to British control. The nation would gain full independence in 1932, but a previous treaty signed in 1930, granted the British military base rights and unrestricted troop transport through the nation. By 1937, few British troops were left in the territory. However, as war brewed in Europe, the two British air bases in Iraq, one near Basra and another in Habbaniya. These bases were used to secure British oil interests in the region, and at the start of the second world war, would also act as training base and recruitment centers for British troops in the region. In September 1939, the Iraqi Government broke off diplomatic relations with Nazi Germany. In March 1940, the nationalist and anti-British, Rashid Ali replaced Nuri as-Said as Prime Minister of Iraq. Rashid Ali made contacts with German representatives to establish some levels of diplomatic relations between the two governments, though he was not yet an openly pro-Axis supporter. In June, when Italy joined the war, the Iraqi government did not break off diplomatic relations. And the Italian Legation in Baghdad became the chief centre for Axis propaganda and for fomenting anti-British feeling in the region. On April the first of 1941, former prime minster Rashid Ali, and a section of pro-German senior military officers, overthrew the Iraqi government in a coup, and aimed to push the nation into an alliance with the Axis powers in Europe, viewing the British government control in the region, as to weak to contest this move, yet, for the rest of the month. Reinforcements for both Iraqi and British forces, were raised and flooded into the country. On May the first, tensions between the two, would boil over.
The British in the region at the start of the conflict, had around 24,000 men raised and equipped under the command of Major-General William Fraser. This included a handful of British regulars, as well as a slew of colonial troops from around the area, many of which, had been transported from India, or were locally raised militia units. The British also had an armored car company, made up of 18 Rolls Royce armored cars, made during the early 1920's. The company also had two functional large tanks and a single Carden Loyd Tankette. They could field around 100 aircraft including a mix of Gloster Gladiator biplanes, Hawker Audax biplanes, Hawker Hart light bombers, and a handful of others. The British navy in the area, consisted of four patrol ships, later reinforced by the Aircraft carrier HMS Herrmis, and two light cruisers, with the ability to call upon ships from the Eastern station squadron if needed. Naval combat, did not occur during this war.