Peace to End All Peace, 20th Anniversary Edition Paperback – July 21, 2009

Most informative. It shows how politicians work for their own aggrandizement, and rarely for the people, whom they use as mere pawns. The book gives a valuable insight into how the Middle East got to where it is today. Unfortunately, not much has changed in political policy.

Although somewhat intimidating at first due to its length and the density of the material, this is probably the best elucidation available of the complex events one hundred years ago that led to the creation of the borders of what we now know as the Middle East. The writing is quite good, the illustrations provide a welcome break, and the maps are helpful. It is essential reading for anyone trying to make sense of the endless problems in that part of the world.

As I read this wonderful book, I conjured a fantasy of a White House meeting held a couple of months before the Bush Administration’s fateful 2002 decision to invade Iraq. In attendance were the usual suspects: Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Condi Rice, Colin Powell, Dick Rumsfeld, et al. But some sage attendee had also suggested the inclusion of Professor Fromkin who was asked to reflect on the notion of such an adventure in light of his study of the history of the Middle East. The professor went on for a couple of hours describing the events leading up to, and then following, the allied victory in World War One: the British change of heart about the essential integrity of the Ottoman Empire; the second and third thoughts about the Balfour Declaration; the ex parte division by the allies of the human and territorial spoils of war; the resultant festering resentment of foreign domination; the brutal machinations of the occupiers (especially the French in Algeria and elsewhere); the interwoven, ever-lasting, invariably brutal sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia…the list went on and on. The government officials sat in rapt fascination at the professor’s tale. They thanked him for his visit, and upon his departure, took just moments to conclude that any such invasion would be a historically tragic mistake.Of course, such a conclave was never convened. Despite many attendees’ knowledge of the same history Professor would have recounted, the invasion decision was taken and its predictable (if someone were listening and thinking) consequences dog us and the rest of the world to this day.We history buffs are especially enamored of Santayana’s observation that, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But I guess governments don’t read history books, no less invite an authority on a particular region or period in for a coffee and a chat before a momentous and irreversible decision is made. More’s the pity. The upshot is this: if you believe your knowledge of the Middle East is not quite what it should be and you wonder from time to time why certain events happen and others do not in this perpetually troubled part of the world, just read this book. Then you will know what our Iraq invasion decision makers didn’t...or chose to forget.

Very interesting and in formative book about the war in the Middle East during WW1, and the poorly arbitrarily divided Middle East that we are left with today. Little if any thought was given to the longstanding tribal allegiances and enmities of the area when these "national" boundaries were made. It explains a lot about the chaos we have there now. In addition some of the chiefs of state were placed arbitrarily also to head the governments of these states with little regard to the will of their subjects. Also of interest is the post war infighting and gradual disintegration of the european allies cooperation. Although of interest and educational value, it is by no means an easy read. One tends to get bogged down with the never ending presentation of the various caliphs and tribal war lords who appear then disappear through out the book. A suggestion would be to list the main actors in the drama in the front of the book for easy reference. I still found it of great interest to those of us trying to understand our current dilemma there to avoid another quagmire like Viet Nam.

Peace in our world is fleeting. WW1 was a horrible total war. Millions died a horrible death. There was revenge on the minds of the Allies at Versailles. The world dramatically changed after WW1. The Russian Revolution, creation of new nation states, the Middle East changes and the failure of the Weimar Republic in Germany. The title of this book is ironic. You will read detail about change in Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan and other countries. Great Britain was involved in many of these changes in a complicated Middle East. Much disillusionment by the leaders of this era. Very good factual detail coming from this Author about post WW1 politics.

Good book, very insightful into history around that region.