Why did Churchill and De Gaulle invade Syria in 1941?

Why did Charles De Gaulle and Winston Churchill decide to invade Syria and Lebanon (the Levant) in 1941? Let's find out!
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ABOUT TIK 📝
History isn’t as boring as some people think, and my goal is to get people talking about it. I also want to dispel the myths and distortions that ruin our perception of the past by asking a simple question - “But is this really the case?”. I have a 2:1 Degree in History and a passion for early 20th Century conflicts (mainly WW2). I’m therefore approaching this like I would an academic essay. Lots of sources, quotes, references and so on. Only the truth will do.
This video is discussing events or concepts that are academic, educational and historical in nature. This video is for informational purposes and was created so we may better understand the past and learn from the mistakes others have made.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Hope you all had a good Christmas! Due to time constraints, I wasn’t able to put the Patreon/SubscribeStar list in the video, so I apologize for that. Subtitles aren’t available yet, but I will put them in as soon as I can. Due to Christmas, the next Stalingrad video will not be out next week. I’m aiming to get it done for the week after (10th of January). I’m sorry for the delay.

[@jeffbybee5207]

No worry love you stuff and merry Christmas to you

[@Infernal460]

Same to you. (Edit) Ps. Noticed the WW2 for dummies book, lol.

[@abuseofmainstreammediacanh5713]

Merry x-mas holidays and a happy new year TIK! Born in Switzerland, I am a 1/2 French 1/2 German speaker and have passed a good part of my life living amongst the French (might even have a passport somewhere in a box). I just wanted to give you some "insider advice" when it comes to talk about France, the Free French and their Relation to Vichy: It is very important to know that there is a very strong "filter" applied when you look at this through the lens of history written for and by English speaking nations. Unfortunately, this filter is "visible" in this very interesting video. I got aware of this phenomena the first time I saw a French made documentary about the liberation of Paris. At school in Switzerland, we have very much the US/British version of WWII when it comes to history. So, watching this French documentary, I was astonished to the point that I went checking if it was really about the same event! I don't say that the French have it all right and the Brits all wrong - as usual the truth is somewhere in between. Hearing a British Historian talking about the Free French makes me often think of this Churchill quote " History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." So, I think, the hole context of Charles de Gaulle, the Free French is a very interesting one and I would love to see more of it coming from you since you are not running after the usual suspects but want to get it the way it happened. However, if you want to cover it with the quality we are used to see from TIKhistory, I strongly suggest that you have a good look at French sources (there is a lot, but not so much translated) or ideally look for a cooperation with a French youtuber. Keep the good work going!

[@QuizmasterLaw]

i bet lots of people will say "oil" and be wrong but is it really so?

[@QuizmasterLaw]

this is one of your best videos. thank you and good work! I've read up about this campaign, despite that I learned some new things.

[@lonjohnson5161]

I find it interesting that the British wanted small wins in a French colony to convince the Americans to join the fight, given that less than 200 years earlier the Americans wanted small victories in British colonies to convince the French to join the fight.

[@kieranh2005]

Irony?

[@danman101stefan]

O

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

If you want a forgotten war, I reckon at least some people have heard of the Syria campaign, the Madagascar campaign on the other hand is completely forgotten. And the Vichy French there lasted for longer then France did against the Germans in 1940. Also Wavell, as a commander, must have been one of the most underrated and unnecessarily maligned commanders, considering he had 4 fronts to fight with never enough troops to properly fight one of them, plus Churchill breathing down his neck, who was probably worse then Mad Man Hitler when it came to meddling into military matters. Luckily for Wavell Iraq and Iran were relatively short campaigns that didn't sap his limited resources as much as Libya, Greece, East Africa and Syria did.

[@faeembrugh]

I once worked with a South African guy whose uncle fought in that campaign in the Pretoria Highlanders. As a Scot, I was curious if this was a unit made up of ex-pat Scots living in South Africa but - no! They were all Afrikaner troops who liked the idea of wearing the kilt as they thought it looked smart!

[@lovablesnowman]

I don't think anyone criticises Wavell at all really? His sacking is near universally seen as unjustified

[@DoddyIshamel]

@@lovablesnowman Well, it's the old Churchill wrote the history thing. Once Churchill died the rehabilitation of Wavell was pretty swift though.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

@@faeembrugh 🤣🤣🤣 Smart thinking on their behalf. Gotta look sharp after all. Also, your culture now belongs to the world now. Don't some Indian army units and the Jordanian army use bagpipes too?

[@jasoncreamer5747]

@@faeembrugh Plenty of Afrikaaners with Scottish heritage, they are not all of Dutch decent. There's Dutch, German, Swiss, Scott and allot of French to.

[@thefrenchareharlequins2743]

The real question is, why does the British AI never invade Syria when Vichy uses it to capture the Suez all the blooming time?

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Because we all know that Dentz was the REAL desert fox!

[@Perkelenaattori]

Free France has a focus for invading Syria.

[@jswap1]

Tik's videos often talk about different military unit sizes and I can never keep them straight. He inspired me to create a mnemonic to remember them; here it is: Some Poor Chap Baked Red Bricks During Christmas Afternoon Squad Platoon Company Battalion Regiment Brigade Division Corps Army A rule of thumb is that 3 of each smaller unit makes up the larger, so 3 squads to a platoon, etc. I hope this helps someone.

[@NotRexButCaesar]

That is a great mnemonic.

[@dernwine]

Unless you are talking about the British Army, specifically the cavalry, in which case it's: Section, Troop, Squadron, Regiment, Brigade. Or the Artillery which is Section, Troop, Battery, Regiment, Regiment, Brigade (that's not a typo, there's two different Regiments). Or the British Infantry that goes: Section, Platoon, Company, Battalion, (sidebar about how the Regiment is an admin formation that can be bigger than a division), brigade. :)

[@martinlaird4738]

Don’t forget Army Group :)

[@davidhauge5706]

Thank you

[@hazchemel]

fantastic :)

[@thoughtfulpug1333]

16:41 "I don't really want to get into French politics because it's stupid" Agreed.

[@zxbzxbzxb1]

True enough although British ones at this point in time are no better 🧐

[@adamjaquay4279]

@@zxbzxbzxb1 neither were American ones, the US was trying to extract itself from the Phillipines for decades but then suddenly sends much more assets to defend it and then before try to sit on the sidelines and sell weapons to everyone thinking we'll stay out of the war lol. Ahhh politicians lol!!

[@NefariousKoel]

Especially when it involved DeGaulle.

[@thelizardking3036]

Teacher: “in spring 1941, the Arabs were revolting.” Students: “that’s racist!” Teacher: “no I ment…. O, never mind.🤷‍♂️”

[@stein5763]

My grandfather, a Syrian-Circassian, was born in Damascus during the invasion, really nice to see a video showing a part of my extended family’s history. Great work as always Tik.

[@nebras__]

Yo R u Syrian too ?

[@stein5763]

@@nebras__ Yes :3

[@perobusmaximus]

@@stein5763 those types of syrians with jesus-pics-like green eyes are from cyrcassian ascendence, or they are mixed?

[@valta5063]

4:15 Minor Mistake: Rashid Ali al-Gaylani was not the president but the prime minister of Iraq. Iraq was still a kingdom at this time. Great video still!

[@davidhyams2769]

Another mistake - Port Said is pronounced Sayeed

[@maude7420]

Actually I do want a video about Vichy France now that I watched this video I heard it's a terrible mess of politics that is really difficult to accurately define

[@TheImperatorKnight]

That's why I said it was "stupid" and didn't want to get into it... I guess I'll have to at some point

[@stephenconroy5908]

Excellently explained, it's a small but fascinating topic. I learnt about it from Colin Smith's "England's Last War Against France: Fighting Vichy 1940-42", and it's as you say, the need to secure resources, a general distrust of the French (the British distrusting the French? I am shocked, SHOCKED!), and to secure strategic depth if the Western Desert campaign was at risk. It might indeed seem fanciful now, the idea of a German invasion of Cyprus and then Lebanon/Syria, but at the time the Allies couldn't take that chance. Norway and France had already shown that conventional assumptions were the mother of all failures. Wavell was of course justified in his view too, and without realising it I have been quoting him to my line managers for about six months! Fun fact, it was during this invasion where future Israeli defence minister Moshe Dayan was wounded, leading to him wearing his trademark eye patch.

[@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music]

Which formation was he fighting for?

[@denniseggert211]

There is also the point of Turkey. No one knew if the turks wouldn´t side with the germans again as they still had very warm relations and turkey at least secured the german southern Flank during the invasion of the Soviet Union, helping to supply germans and their allied crimean tatars over the black sea in areas the germans had trouble to cover logistical. With the Turks help Cyprus/Lebanon/Syria would be within the Axis reach.

[@danreed7889]

Its a good book

[@guyh9992]

Richard James book "Australia's war with France" provides the Australian perspective. Churchill portrayed it as a walkover to gain Australian support. Vichy ensured large numbers of British and Australian casualties in revenge for Mers-el-Kabir, there was little media coverage and the 7th division called themselves the "silent seventh". British General Wilson treated them like undisciplined colonials and de Gaulle treated them with disdain even though they had just captured Beirut to enable his grand entry to the city. The 7th division had little time for the French after this having suffered 1400 casualties and de Gaulle's treatment. There was also Australian infighting with Blamey sidelining his rival Lavarack from the Greece campaign to this campaign with its lack of publicity. The Australians remained in Northern Syria after this as Blamey formed up his Australian Corps with the addition of the 6th and later 9th divisions.That was the reason why there was little Australian contribution to Operation Crusader. Ostensibly the reason was to defend from a German attack from the north through Turkey but also had a lot to do with the poor relationship between Blamey and British commanders.

[@bernhardjordan9200]

16:43 " I don't want to get in french politics because it's stupid" No truer statement

[@CantusTropus]

I actually never knew about this campaign. Very interesting!

[@agesflow6815]

Thank you, TIKHistory.

[@hisdadjames4876]

Merry Christmas, Lewis, and thanks for another year of thoughtful and thrilling content. You have a hugely influential impact on your audience, I’m sure. 👏👏👏

[@eze8970]

Thanks TIK, enjoyed that!

[@johngraham3697]

Brilliant short analysis. Thank you.

[@rwdyeriii]

Awesome video TIK. I hope you had a great Christmas and have a wonderful New Year.

[@martinMD]

Another huge informative history lesson well done TIK

[@davidhyams2769]

In May 1941, my Dad, who was in the RAMC, was posted to Alexandria to be the medical orderly on a troop train heading to Palestine with troops due to take part in this action. When he arrived at Alexandria, the Transport Officer was also waiting for medical personnel to take ship to Crete. This officer mistakenly believed that my Dad was destined for Crete, so Dad went to Crete instead. You don't argue with a senior officer! Dad was posted missing for several weeks due to this mix-up as he never arrived in Palestine where he was expected. He remained on board the ship in Suda Bay, subjected to daily bombings by Luftwaffe, but made it back safely to Egypt about a month later, when he presented himself back at the unit he had initially been detached from for his journey to Palestine.

[@snuscaboose1942]

Your Dad's story is illustrative. The military can be a machine, it's easiest to follow the prescribed routine, Army knows best, confine your creativity to the role you must perform in your team. Equally, decisions are made on the available information, your father seemed to fail to offer more accurate information due to a fear of offending superiors, that's dysfunctional in a chain of command, why was your Dad fearful of fulfilling his role, someone up the chain is not doing their job. The superior should be offered all available information, such as "Sir, the orders I was given, by so and so, are to accompany a troop train heading to Palestine". Then it's up to the superior in the chain of command to make a call. It's up to the superior officer to foster an environment where information can flow freely.

[@davidhyams2769]

@@snuscaboose1942 You pose an interesting question. My Dad was known to be someone who always stood up for his rights and principles. He's no longer around to ask about this but he did record his memoirs, which I have just listened to again to refresh my memory. I cannot believe that he was sent to Alexandria without movement orders, specifying where he was to go and all other necessary details. But apparently, the Transport Officer didn't care about any of this. He insisted that Dad was a "volunteer" for Crete and threatened to charge him with disobeying a direct order to sign the "volunteer" form if he continued to argue. I cannot imagine that such a charge would have stood up, but Dad didn't want to take the risk. To make this whole situation worse, Dad's CO had given him what was supposed to be a cushy job, just taking the train to Jerusalem and having a couple of days R&R there before coming back to Egypt, not accompanying the troops to Syria.

[@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music]

Crete's beautiful, I'm glad he got to see it.

[@davidhyams2769]

@@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music That is such a crass, insensitive statement. He never went ashore. He was on a ship in Suda Bay, being attacked by the Luftwaffe every day and having to care for the wounded soldiers being brought on board from the island. I've been to Crete myself and, yes, the island is beautiful and the people are so friendly. but I don't think my Dad had the chance to appreciate this.

[@I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music]

@@davidhyams2769 THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A JOKE.

[@minxythemerciless]

Sort of interesting is that Syria ended up with a very large amount of German weapons after the war including tanks and the iconic Sturmgewehr 44. The tanks at least were used in the battles against Israel.

[@BountyFlamor]

Those tanks were prizes from the Soviet Union after the war, though.

[@christophersmith5691]

Yes those weapons were supplied by the USSR, often through Czechoslovakia. Israel obtained things the same way, though sometimes illicitly

[@mappingshaman5280]

some rebel groups in syria still use the stg 44 to this day.

[@keithad6485]

Read somewhere years ago that Syria ended up with a quantity of Panzer IVs and used them after the War.

[@bjarthernhovde1501]

Another great one.

[@davidrussell8689]

Superb quality . Thank you for explaining these “ back-waters “ in the conflict and I agree that the bottom line of strategic decisions are economic reasons. Well done .

[@russellnixon9981]

Excellent historical content on a important and over looked subject. I always wondered what De Gaul was doing in Syria and now I know. Thank you for a concise explanation.

[@paulbabcock2428]

Cool. As always another great vid from TIK.

[@scottlindsly]

Because it's not hypocrisy nor a "war crime" as long as you win the war & control the narrative

[@nicholasconder4703]

And another reason why Churchill once said that the greatest cross he had to bear during the war was the Cross of Lorraine.

[@RobertReg1]

Excellent stuff, thank you

[@jayjayson9613]

18000 Australian troops?! Did they ever think to themselves "WTF are we doing here, in this part of the world?" Fascinating that the majority of the troops were Australians.

[@Arbiter099]

I imagine ANZACs thought that to themselves all the time in both wars

[@ramozj6997]

The Allies thought the French would not fight the Aussies due to ANZAC sacrifice for France during WW1.

[@stevep4384]

It's hot there. -same reason as for Gallipoli in WW1.

[@EndOfSmallSanctuary97]

The Australian cavalry are the ones that captured Damascus in WW1

[@keithad6485]

Very sadly, a lot of these troops were brought back to Singapore to resist Jap march southwards and ended up in Jap POW camps.

[@billniederauer5599]

This website is a blessing.

[@IndSovU]

Merry Christmas! You do great work, so no worries about being behind on answering questions.

[@user-bi6db6sr8j]

I really enjoy every video/ Keep it up! Really appreciate it

[@evil1143]

I know you're bummed about the viewer count on the bankwar series but don't give up on it, it's great content.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

How can you tell I'm bummed by it?

[@evil1143]

​@@TheImperatorKnight oooo I'm watching you... Sign 1: Sneer at 17:52 suggesting that the topic of economics that you've already covered is more important (and requires more attention/viewership) than the limited military perspective that this video provides. sign 2 : You going out of your way to say that you poured your heart and soul into it. sign 3: You recommended it as the next video to watch, worried that it'l be forgotten behind the weekly routine of fresh videos. sign 4: In your "How BIG was the Red Army in WW2?" video a commenter "george press" said "Man waited all week for a 9 minute video, lol. Love your channel keep up the good work" and you said "I know, but last week was an hour-long video and hardly anyone watched it :(" Greenwich time is around 3am where I'm from but I'd still get up then for another video in that series, I didn't realise how much more interesting banks are compared to tanks.

[@TheImperatorKnight]

All I can say is, you're spot on!

[@BalenCM]

Nice video, as always, hope you have a great 2022

[@guidor.4161]

Seems like a good investment by the Germans of a few Me110s sent to Syria and the British pull out troops of North Africa, almost losing it...

[@jj-qy6ty]

thnx fot the festive video tik, merry xmas for us, jolly new year to you.

[@corey8420]

de Gaulle, did not have a military in 1941, really bugs me people talk about France as if there were a real resistance against the Germanys after 1940. Judging from all I have learned, a majority of France collaborated with Germany. The relevance of the "French Resistance", has been grossly over aggregated to clear the collective conscious of France.

[@yulusleonard985]

France did not even have military in 1939. French resistance are mostly leftist. I doubt you learn anything. Vichy France are not even collaborating with Germany properly since all they did just doing infighting and more happy killing other French citizen and it went so bad that many of them flee the country and join SS when France liberated by allies.

[@TheLocalLt]

Yes de gaulle did have a military in 1941, that’s how they were able to occupy several French colonies including Syria. The Free French were a force going around the world turning colonies from Petain to De Gaulle, basically recapturing the empire first, while the motherland was occupied. De Gaulle and Free France had basically nothing to do with the mainland France until it was recaptured by the Americans

[@kilometer561]

Fascinating video TIK. I was unaware of the Syrian campaign. Have a great New Year and I am looking forward to more of your excellence in 2022.

[@jamesbeeching4341]

Good video TIK...Roald Dhal was involved in this campaign as a fighter pilot! Also when I visited Lebanon in tbe mid 90s I saw stele (carvings in rock faces) that commemorated Britains invasion in 1941.This was next to one carved out by Alexander the Great!!!!

[@randyhavard6084]

Great video TIK

[@sedargames8161]

1:12 this map is incorrect as it presents Northern Dobrudja as a part of Romania when at this point due to the Treaty of Craiova, it would have been a part of Bulgaria

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Good spot! Thank you for pointing it out

[@blitzkrieg2928]

Also Southern Bessarabia/Budjak would be part of the Soviet Union too

[@Dhjaru]

To me the map seems to be a 1936? Map because all border changes after that seem to be have less detail. and memel is also given to the soviets when it should have been in german hands.

[@Sean-tv1qn]

Concerning your map used in the video: Cyprus was a British colony back then and should therefore be painted in the same colour as Britain.:)

[@worldhistorys-md2rz]

Great video 😎 and I hope u had a awesome Christmas tik

[@CalebNorthNorman]

Great video.

[@davidjhall5315]

Didn't now about that part of the war. Just goes to show there more to understand. Great show tik.

[@alexbowman7582]

It’s more relevant to ask why Britain and France forced Israel onto Palestine after WW2. It was to ensure a western presence in the Levant.

[@davidogundipe808]

Have a happy holiday tik.

[@leonardoandresfacello3941]

Your chanel y very good. Please more videos with subtitles

[@oldmanriver1955]

My father was a infantry soldier with the Australian 2/33rd Battalion, 25th Brigade, 7th Division that led the Australian advance into Syria.

[@bryangrote8781]

Thanks for covering this little known campaign. First video I’ve ever seen on it.🃏👍

[@jaroslavpalecek4513]

Happy new year!

[@onthatrockhewillbuildhisch1510]

De Gaulle already had territory representing 'France Libre' in Chad, Equatorial Africa, Cameroons, and New Caledonia (and French India and Polynesia). He had small numbers of military forces in Britain, Somaliland-East Africa, Libya and Chad. Syria would ADD to 'France Libre'' - not be its first capital -(which was Brazzaville). Cheers!.

[@BoqPrecision]

French Somaliland would later become: "Djibouti"

[@TheLocalLt]

@@BoqPrecision yep but first it became the French Territory of the Afars and Issas, the two ethnic groups there, who later fought a civil war. Djibouti today hosts 8 foreign military bases (including both America and Communist China) but has not felt the payoff and is sadly one of the poorest countries in the world.

[@BoqPrecision]

@@TheLocalLt I'm an Issa. It's not an ethnic group but a Somali sub-clan part of the Dir tribe.

[@TheLocalLt]

@@BoqPrecision thank you sir for educating me. I find the history and culture of the horn of Africa to be very fascinating

[@illjan]

May I ask how you create the maps for these videos? I really am interested in how you, and other history channels for that matter, always have maps for your videos, which are accurate to the situation, or even show change happen (looking at videos that show certain territory gain day by day or similar). I don't know if you have some tricks up your sleeve to make it easier, since I know you have a lot to do and can't imagine you would spent a boat load of effort into a single map for a single video

[@robinstevenson6690]

The campaign in Syria, Iraq, and Iran was one of the important turning points of WWII. It gave an important morale and personnel boost to the Free French forces and was a way stating clearly that France would be fighting back against the Axis from then on. It cleared up the Arab/Muslim threat to the British in the Middle East. It led to the establishment of a year-round transportation network for Lend-Lease deliveries to the Soviet Union.

[@florinivan6907]

Technically speaking Free France. Vichy France was at war with the Allies. Vichy France was just as much french as Free France. Actually it was more french than Free France since it fought against the english. What is more french than that? Like it or not but France was in a de facto civil war its just that the ones on the Allied side won and the losers were declared illegitimate. But they kind of weren't.

[@mappingshaman5280]

@@florinivan6907 well the free french were fighting the germans which is arguably equally as french as fighting the english.

[@theFutureSoundWaves]

As a former Syrian, it was pretty interesting to learn this part of history. It was kinda clouded by the other parts of modern Syrian history. Thank you for your work and happy new year!

[@adamr5307]

Wdym former Syrian?

[@louplibre9734]

@@adamr5307 Maybe he fled Syria just like 20% of the population (can you imagine that , 20% Syrians abroad mainly in the middle east and particularly in Turkey , even white immigrés fleeing bolchevism weren't near this percentage at all)

[@adamr5307]

@@louplibre9734 leaving your country doesn't change where you're from

[@bobi6623]

Wouldn't saying anti jewish be better than saying anti semites since arent arabs semites as well?

[@marcwiart5657]

That's stupid British politics but lets not ever admit that!

[@lowtierwaifu3881]

"Syria is such a beautiful country, it would be a shame not to send troops to vacation there." -British thought leaders

[@omarkassas2760]

Great video. I'm Syrian and never knew about this. Minor thing:arabs are not anti-semitec since we are a semitec people. Arabs back then were against a jewish state in palastine but they were not anti semitec.

[@angryrushfan7725]

True Syrian arabs are semitic, but overall they still hold less than favorable views on the Jews. There's a reason why the SS had so many arab volunteers, not to mention the German war criminals who sought asylum in Syria/Middle East.

[@calumdeighton]

It's the small fronts and wee conflicts that things seem to revolve around the most. Manpower and resources were being sapped out of Britain to deal with an Arab Problem. Will definitely need to re-go through this. But this reminds me a tad about Burma and how that side Front played some big bits in the Far East. And how Finland, kinda, dictated a fair bit of the USSR's resources alongside with dealing with the Germans. And the Japanese as well. It's the details in the side conflicts that seem to have the most significant impact on things yet to come.

[@dalgoodman619]

My grandfather was a gunner with the Australian 7th Division during this campaign.

[@christophersmith5691]

A very interesting story, well told.

[@deanmurphy5735]

Good episode TIK. My uncle took part in this campaign. You are right about the maps. He told me his company commander used a map he got out of the bible.

[@SaulKopfenjager]

STICK TO BANKS! (or, stick it to the banks, but seriously it was a hard & costly fight in Syria in '41 for both sides, I have read it was a difficult, distasteful fight against friends in Australian records.)

[@jefaus06]

The Interesting thing about the Australian 7th Division is that there was a media blackout about this campaign. They didn't want people knowing that they had attacked the French. That is how the 7th Division got the name "the Silent Seventh". They were instructed not to talk about this part of the Mediterranean Campaign. This blooding of the Division in Syria assisted them when they were sent to New Guinea to block the Japanese on their drive down the Kokoda Track.

[@ajsimo2677]

It couldn't have been much of a media blackout because the campaign is reported in The Times newspapers of June & July 1941, and the fighting against Vichy French forces is specifically mentioned. British, Australian & Free French forces are referred to (but not the names of their units).

[@RobbyHouseIV]

I hadn't been aware of British involvement in Syria with respect to the French in 1945.

[@LinhHLe]

Spot on, This time for Indochina

[@JackRSlim]

Thanks for talking about French British relationship

[@Hopeforhumans]

Thanks again for the great work. a small note "Port Said" is pronounced "Port Saeed" with a long e.

[@timzales5344]

Compass Games has a board game called Forgotten Legions where you can play out the 1941 Syrian campaign. Interesting situation!

[@TheTrollTeamNL]

Which source is refering to the claim that syrians were antisemitic?? It would help me a lot

[@Wobbothe3rd]

Next up: Why did Churchill and Stalin jointly invade Iran in 1941? I would guess exactly analogous logic.

[@user-bi6db6sr8j]

Thanks)

[@jeffreymalinowski4091]

Hey TIK- I’ve been watching your videos and on-and-off subscriber for about two years now (sometimes WW2 is just a little too heavy for my KZbin timeline). In all seriousness what kind of patreon subscription or donation would it take for you to do a couple videos related to WW2 in the pacific? Love your vids about the war in Europe and keep up the good work

[@linnharamis1496]

This was an interesting discussion About a little known campaign at the beginning of World War II - thank you.👍

[@COLINJELY]

Sir Rhoden Cutler VC, AK, KCMG., KCVO, CBE former Governor of New South Wales, won his VC during the fighting on the Litani River.

[@atankie71]

Israeli General Moshe Dyan lost his eye scouting for the Australian division.

[@aaroncurley2377]

You’re not 2 years behind; you were just letting suspense build for 2 years 😂 Love your videos!

[@blitzkrieg2928]

Happy Holidays :D

[@penguin6815]

Merry christmas and happy new year to all

[@Kimballion]

Having played World Conquerer too many times.. I didn't know France Syria was THAT big

[@samsonsoturian6013]

Screw that game and everything it stands for

[@Kimballion]

@@samsonsoturian6013 why? I've had fun time playing the series

[@samsonsoturian6013]

@@Kimballion understand it teaches virtually nothing about history.

[@davidgifford8112]

Getting Britain to pull substantial troop numbers out of the Libyan front at the cost of a few aircraft sent to the Levant seems like a smart way to potentially fatally weaken the 8th Army. Even if Germany didn’t see a landing in Syria as being viable, it would have been worrying possibility for Churchill as this would have put the Gulf oil fields in jeopardy. As an aside my father was part of the 1945 re-conquest of Syria. In his words “We were sent to re-acquire Syria for the French” Interesting what the troops were told was the objective of the operation.

[@darklysm8345]

Germany invade Denmark and Norway for strategic reasons: wroooong baaad Uk invade Iran, Syria, Iceland for strategic reasons: gooood, nothing to see here

[@michaelkovacic2608]

The only form of neutrality that is universally respected and will prevent you from being invaded is armed neutrality (looking at you, Switzerland)

[@yochaiwyss3843]

Not justifying Iran (And not knowing enough of Iceland to speak of it) But keep in mind that Vichy France *was* a German Puppet. They did whatever the Germans told them to, up to and including giving away their own citizens. As TIK explained here, had the Germans not sent their troops, small as they may have been, the French in Syria would not have had to be invaded.

[@boristhebarbarian]

1 extra reason for the British invasion of the Levant; the oil pipelines from Kirkuk. 1 section ran via Transjordan to Haifa (fully under British control), the 2nd section ran via French Syria to Tripoli, Lebanon. The extra oil flowing from that pipeline helped the British later on in the North Africa campaign.

[@siyacer]

Merry Christmas

[@fakeplaystore7991]

"It's the economy, stupid!"

[@morewi]

In defense of the east Africa campaign the Italians had invaded first and completely took over British Somalia

[@TheImperatorKnight]

Yes, and I covered that here kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZDbqmqIeNJoftE

[@morewi]

@@TheImperatorKnight thanks for the link

[@nemiw4429]

Buds in, going to the gym listening. Training body and mind at the same time.

[@nicholasconder4703]

Pity you didn't have a chance to make more than a passing reference to the siege of Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, which is what kicked off the invasion of Iraq in 1940.

[@flying0possum]

The far left will start randomly saying that it's "too long"

[@tamerlane3931]

my father witnessed these events as a young man he said that australian and senegalese troops were stationed in beirut, and the locals did not like it the lebanese patriots were hoping that Rommel would break out from africa and liberate them . some even named their newborns "rommel". lol i know 3 old men with the unlikely name always found that hilarious!

[@oceanmadrosci3381]

Will you make video about "Darlean Deal"?

[@TheImperatorKnight]

I will, but probably when I cover Operation Torch

[@yuval0658]

Moshe dayan lost his eye during the 1941 syria campaign

[@telx2010]

Easy to answer once you realize, the world is a stage.

[@user-gp5xc4tj4l]

Hi tik can you make video about the business plot against fdr

[@chalkboy8]

Hi Tik. Where can I get the Stalingrad map?

[@samsonsoturian6013]

Also note the Syrian nationalists claimed all the land part of Ottoman Syria and then some. This included Transjordan, Palestine, and maybe Lebanon.

[@overdose8329]

Definitely Lebanon as well. Lebanon never existed as an entity before the French invented it. Closest in time to Lebanon in a somewhat similar capacity were some crusader states and before that city states like Tyre and whatnot.

[@samsonsoturian6013]

@@overdose8329 there were autonomous warlords in the area with ambiguous relationships to Damascus. The Damascan Sultan would get angry if anyone said he wasn't in charge of Lebanon, but that means nothing

[@dingusdean1905]

Excellent video as usual. One small thing I want to say is that the colour of Iraq is very similar to that of the UK, so some colour blind people might have trouble telling it apart. I hope that helps in future videos :D

[@ALIKN1-1]

I really feel heart broken when I think of the colour blind or blind people and who can't hear 😢😢

[@nekomancer4641]

It's really cool to learn about the part of WW2 on how vichy french and free french maneuver with each others

[@Ivsanval]

The campaign that cost Moshe Dayan an eye.

[@sigcola]

Hi my friend, i have a request for you..why don't you do a work as the stalingrad battle, about all the IIWW? you will need 2 or 3 years, but it will be a fabolous thing-.. the series should be 1) Heeresgruppe Nord nach Leningrad 2) Heeresgruppe Mitte nech Moskwa 3) Heeresgruppe Sud nach Kiyv 4) Winter Sowietische counteroffensiv (1941-'42 near Moskwa) 5) Ladoga See Sowietische conuteroffensive (to open the supply weg to Leningrad) 6) Battle for Stalingrad (that alredy exist) 7) Battle of Kursk 8) Grosse Sowietische offensive in 1943-'44 9) Destruction of the Heeresgruppe Mitte (Offensive nach Orsha and Minsk) 10) The Kurland Poket (alredy exist) 11) The Last offensives 1944-'45 12) Battle for Berlin That's about the East Front, but we also have the Italian front, a really wonderfull front to speak about and, the west front with the americans.. ;) i hope you should like to do it.. i think you will have a lot of fun.. bye my friend

[@davidlisovtsev6607]

it was necessary because Dayan had to lose an eye to a French sniper so he'd a cool looking politician

[@samsonsoturian6013]

Nixon: "I hear you have the best army in the world." Dayan: "I don't know, we only ever fought Arabs."

[@Patrickseventyfour]

"I don't want to go into French politics because it's stupid" is my new favorite line.