WW2 in Iraq

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I happened to read that there was a major conflict between Iraq and the British in 1941. What were the causes of this conflict? Why didn't Axis use this fact more than they did? They did just send some airplanes while Churchill feared that the Germans could have thrown an entire expeditionary force into the conflict. This could have of course have something to do with Op. Barbarossa. But having the iraqi oil-fields in non-allied hands must have been a dream for the Germans.
Any thoughts?

 

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There was a rebellion in Iraq which was destroyed by the Brits. Iraq was supplied with some Italian and German equipment but the supply route was not easy. I doubt if the Axis could have gotten ground troops in there. They had a hard enough time getting to Libya.

 

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The Iraqi Air Force was equipped with a few obsolete aircraft given by the British, and a few of what it considered modern ones - but of a rather second class, like the Breda Ba.65 - some 60 in all. In April, 1941, at German urgings and with the promise of supporting Luftwaffe air units, the Iraqi government was overthrown by pro-nationalist prince of the Royal house backed by a cabal of officers (the Golden Square). The military of Iraq was thrown against the British presence, which included the British Middle East RAF training school at Habbinayah.

The most modern aircraft at Habbinayah were 9 Gladiators, everything else being older and more obsolete. Some 9,000 Iraqi ground troops and light artillery came to lay seige, but were beaten off by strafing attacks and attacks by the 400 troops airlifted in just before the seige. Began. By the time relieveing troops appeared (HabForce, coming in from Transjordan), the seige ha dalready been lifted and the beseiging force retreated.

Meanwhile, the promised Axis air support finally materialized however weakly: He111s, Bf110s and CR.42s flew into Mosul through Syria. However, supporting them by air at such a distance proved too difficult (and in the face of the collapse of the Iraqi rebellion) and the air units were withdrawn after only a couple of weeks.

 

[Keynes]

In a repeat of WWI, Germany tried to rally Islamic nationalist opinion against Britain. Unlike in WW1, this actually had real impact in WW2, giving rise to great unrest in Egypt and India, as well as the Iraq revolt.

Reza Shah (Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's father) in Iran also tilted strongly toward the Axis and was removed from the throne by Britain and the Soviet Union in late 41.

Despite strong anti-Russian bias, the Turks wisely refrained from taking a pro-Axis stance during the war.

 

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well, in WWI british troops were soundly defeated and had to surrender in MEsopotamia... actually quite and humiliation to the Turks (another one to add to Gallipoli and the Turkish Sinai offensive) that let the brits to consider the middle east as a key theater of operations later in 1918

 

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The goal of operation Blau was (among other) to capture the caucasian mountains and oilfields. Hitler had some strange ideas about driving armored forces through Persia and linking up with the Japanese in India. Didn't work for so many reasons.

EDIT: And this is within context because such an offensive would have included ending British rule over the middle east.

 

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What if?

The germans sending their paras to Iraq instead of dropping them on Crete

 

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Re: What if?

Originally posted by Linus
The germans sending their paras to Iraq instead of dropping them on Crete

Well, the Ju-52s and other transport planes would have to fly from captured Greek airfields, and be UNESCORTED by fighters, assuming they could reach as far as Iraq. Anyway, assuming the FJ forces seized control of Iraq, how were they gonna be resupplied and sustained, seeing that there's no way to trace supply routes back home? Unless the Turks decide to join up, and that's a big if.

 

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This has very little to do with Germnas trying to rally Islamic opinion, but more a part of the process of decolonization. Technically countries like Iraq, Egypt and Iran were independent. But due to various treaty provisions, Britain had military and economic privilieges which essentially gave Britain control in these countries, and this was deeply resented. Anti-British factions tried to take advantage of the war believing that Britain was weak after initial defeats and otherwise occupied tried to 'break' away form this domination. BBefore the war, Britain wuld have proably negotiated for a while and come to a compromise. But in light of the war, CHurchill was not interested in dicussing the fine legal points of the various treaties. In Egypt, British forces attacked the royal palace and then ended the Egyptian problem, Iran was invaded outright by Britain and Russia, and Iraq Britain replaced the nationalist Prime Minister. It did not take very long at all (Iraq's army at this time was around 9000 men IIRC). Most of these nationalist movements at some point or other were involved wiht the Germans, the American,s the Russians, Italy, France (and even Sweden - Iran gave many construction contracts to Sweden mainly to spite the Brits!)as a bargaining/ negotiating position.

 

[Krasnaya Strela]

If I recall correctly, it was a joint UK, SovU operation. UK from the south and the Russian drove down through Azerbaijan from the north. I recall reading that the UK was pretty frantic about getting the Soviets to leave after thier assistance was no longer required.

 

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Originally posted by General Winter
If I recall correctly, it was a joint UK, SovU operation. UK from the south and the Russian drove down through Azerbaijan from the north. I recall reading that the UK was pretty frantic about getting the Soviets to leave after thier assistance was no longer required.

In Iran, not in Iraq

 

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by the way, anzone has a list of Soviet Units in Iran in 1941 ?
I believe they got regrouped in 51st ARMY (who was the commander?) later in decembre 41 but not 100% sure.

 

[Keynes]

Originally posted by D. Marlborough
This has very little to do with Germnas trying to rally Islamic opinion, but more a part of the process of decolonization.

Don't see how this is mutually exclusive.

Certainly German agents were much more active in Egypt, Iran and Iraq then in e.g. Rhodesia or other British colonies. Certainly Germany exploited religious divisions and sought to portray themselves as friends of Islam; this is in fact a basic component of German diplomatic strategy from 1900 - 1945.

Reza Shah was also a big admirer of facism and of Hitler personally; this has been forgotten somewhat by the West, esp. in the US where his son still enjoys posthumous support in some quarters.