World War II and British intervention, 1939-45
General Nuri, author of the 1930 treaty, was prime minister when World War II broke out. Believing that the Anglo-Iraqi alliance was the best guarantee for Iraqi security, he wanted to declare war on Germany, but his ministers counseled caution, as British victory was then in doubt. General Nuri accordingly declared Iraq nonbelligerent and severed diplomatic relations with Germany. When Italy entered the war, however, Nuri, then minister of foreign affairs in Rashid 'Ali al-Gaylani's Cabinet, was unable to persuade the Cabinet to break off diplomatic relations with Italy. Under the influence of Pan-Arab leaders, public opinion in Iraq changed radically after France's fall, becoming especially hostile to Britain because other Arab countries remained under foreign control. Pan-Arabs urged Iraqi leaders to free Syria and Palestine and achieve unity among Arab countries. Extremists advocated alliance with Germany as the country that would foster independence and unity among Arabs.
Rashid 'Ali was at first unwilling to side with the extremists and gave lip service to the Anglo-Iraqi alliance. Dissension among the Iraqi leaders, however, forced him to side with the Pan-Arabs. Leading army officers also fell under Pan-Arab influences and encouraged Rashid 'Ali to detach Iraq from the British alliance. During 1940 and 1941, Iraqi officers were unwilling to cooperate with Britain, and the Pan-Arab leaders began secret negotiations with the Axis Powers. Britain decided to send reinforcements to Iraq. Rashid 'Ali, while allowing the landing of a small British force in 1940, was forced to resign early in 1941, but he was reinstated by the army in April and refused further British requests for reinforcements. British contingents entered Iraq from the Persian Gulf and from the Habbaniyah air base in April and May 1941; armed conflict with Iraqi forces followed. The hostilities lasted only 30 days, during which period a few Iraqi leaders, including the regent and General Nuri, fled the country. By the end of May the Iraqi army capitulated. Rashid 'Ali and his Pan-Arab supporters left the country.
The return of the regent and moderate leaders through British intervention had far-reaching consequences. Britain was given what it demanded: the use of transportation and communication facilities and a declaration of war on the Axis Powers in January 1942. Rashid 'Ali's supporters were dismissed from the service, and some were interned for the duration of the war. Four officers who were responsible for the war were hanged.
