Sharmaine C.

Kalaw 2010-27979

January 17, 2012 Mrs. L. Bolinao

Lawrence of Arabia
Before the start of First World War, there were already foundations of Arab nationalism being set. One that caused a relatively bigger impact is the Balkan Wars. Though offshoot, these wars had caused a line of thought akin to that of the Western Europeans and resulted to devaluation of the varying cultures present in the Ottoman Empire. One of those devalued cultures is that of the Arabs, which comprised about a third of the empire. The subjection of the Arabs had gotten more dominating especially when compared to when the Ottoman Empire had rooted practices of respect for the different races and religions. It was dangerous that such a huge population of the empire had succeeding rebellions and was overall dissatisfied. However, the Arabs , being composed of many tribes, lacked unity, and would seem to rather fight each other than the Turks. Myths Thomas Edward Lawrence, for his knowledge of the Levant and Mesopotamia through his studying in Oxford University, was one of those stationed in the Intelligence Staff. He wasn t made popular for this. He was more known, as popularized in the movie, to have helped in advising Prince Faisal in his revolt against the Turks. I found it a little odd that such big decisions and influential events were thought of by just one man. T. E. Lawrence s knowledge of the Middle East is certainly something to herald but after some researching I found out that he was never the one to conceive of this plan for the Arabs to fight against the Ottoman Empire. It was the Arab Bureau that had thought of it and it would really help for the independent tribes and groups within the Arab community that they be led by outside powers. However the goal was not as noble as the movie s insinuated one. Their goal was for the Ottoman Empire s complete fall and not really the independence of the Arab people.

Now T. E. Lawrence was just one of the many soldiers from Britain and France that served in Arabia. The heavy romanticization in the movie made it seem that the effort from the Allies was only through him. In fact, T. E. Lawrence s well-known successes would not have happened if it weren t for the many other efforts from the Intelligence Staff of the Allies. Just one of these would be Gertrude Bell. I don t think she was even mentioned in the film but the information that she had received from Sheikh Harb of the Howeitat was crucial to the success of Lawrence s seize of Aqaba. Her contribution had made the Arab campaign there more united since the intelligence she gathered was of tribal elements and also helped in the guerilla warfare along the Hejaz Railway, which was probably one of the most popular scenes in the movie. Under the command of Prince Faisal, Lawrence contributed in the war as an advisor. He was the one who thought of not planning a siege of the Ottoman stronghold in Medina but focus instead on the weak but crucial for the Ottoman troops the Hejaz Railway. This had caused the Ottomans to spread out their troops rather thinly and stationed soldiers for the protection and repair of the railway. It was never effective, being unfamiliar to the deserts and having a battlefield that had grown exponentially with too little number of soldiers to cover it. Lawrence s plan was very effective. Experiencing victory after victory, one would think that the soldiers under their command would multiply. The numbers did grow but it was accompanied by some leaving the army under Lawrence and Faisal as well. Some soldiers came and left after arriving at towns. The number had only sky-rocketed during the attack at Syria since many Arabs fought for their homeland there. The thought of the soldiers growing exponentially since their cause is highly respectable and they prove to be very effective is inviting. However it simply was not the case. Probably only a few hundred were thought of as to have remained loyal throughout Lawrence s stay in Arabia Victories The victories Lawrence experienced in Arabia were duly given attention in the movie. He led this surprise and rather reckless attack to Aqaba. Aqaba was a strategic port but it was only

prepared for naval assaults. Its defense for land attacks was low and the surprise that Lawrence led to the Turks there inevitably led to their victorious siege of it. It proved to be most helpful as the British could off-load supplies from there. Lawrence did not just win the port here, but also Prince Faisal s respect and General Allenby s confidence. Lawrence was also involved in the fall of Damascus near the end of the war. Though he was not present at the formal surrender of the city, he had contributed greatly for making a somewhat Arab government there that was led by Faisal himself. He had envisioned Damascus as the capital of the Arab state. And it would seem that his vision would become reality. However, this Arab government in Damascus did not last long. French forces occupied it under General Gouraud. I think the movie had left it out direly how much the Australian Light Horse and the Indian troops had also helped in the capture of Damascus. They were the ones who had first arrived there and they had also successfully defeated the remaining Turkish troops present and the very representatives of the Arabs have also been left out. The Arabs too had their own leaders that had shaped the course of the fall of Damascus. Lawrence certainly contributed but the movie very much failed to give credit to the Australian, Indian and Arab effort there. After the war T. E. Lawrence had sought greatly for the independence of Arabia. The Sykes-Picot Agreement between France and Britain disproved of Arab independence. It was during these times that he had worked with Lowell Thomas and Harry Chase. They were war correspondents and he had cooperated with them in the hopes that his ideas of having a free Arab state would be heard through their work. It was during these times that he had worn Arab dress (dishdasha) again. The film that came out of this work was highly influential to the world after the war. I deem him one of the greatest beings alive in our time we shall never see his like again. His name will live in history. It will live in the annals of war. It will live in the annals of Arabia. Winston Churchill

This reaction to T. E. Lawrence s accomplishments may sound skeptical and disbelieving of his achievements and efforts. But I cannot say that I don t recognize him as one who had gravely influenced a war that had definitely redrawn maps. He had his pros and cons. His popularity might have caused a little more fiction in his otherwise very factual accomplishments. But he is indeed a hero and whether completely noble were his actions or not, he ll surely be a name that will not ever be left out in the history of World War I.