
Syria and Lebanon 1941
The Allied Fight against the Vichy French
David Sutton(Author)
Osprey Publishing
Published on 17. February 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
96 pages
978-1-4728-4384-5 (ISBN)
Description
A detailed study of the Syrian and Lebanon campaign of World War II.
In June 1941, Australian, British, Indian and Free French forces invaded the Vichy French-controlled mandate of Syria and Lebanon. They faced an enemy that had more artillery, tanks and aircraft. They fought in rocky, mountainous terrain, through barren valleys and across swollen rivers, and soon after the initial advance faced a powerful Vichy French counter-attack on key strategic positions. Despite these difficulties, the Allies prevailed, and in doing so ensured that the territory did not fall into German or pro-German hands, and thus provide a springboard from which Axis forces could attack British oil interests in Iraq, the key territory of Palestine or the Suez Canal. This book examines the high military and political strategy that lay behind the campaign, as well as the experiences and hardships as endured by the men on the ground.
The battles in Syria and Lebanon were complex actions, often at the battalion level or below, and this work uses extensive war diaries and available records to make sense of the actions and examine how they affected the wider campaign.
In June 1941, Australian, British, Indian and Free French forces invaded the Vichy French-controlled mandate of Syria and Lebanon. They faced an enemy that had more artillery, tanks and aircraft. They fought in rocky, mountainous terrain, through barren valleys and across swollen rivers, and soon after the initial advance faced a powerful Vichy French counter-attack on key strategic positions. Despite these difficulties, the Allies prevailed, and in doing so ensured that the territory did not fall into German or pro-German hands, and thus provide a springboard from which Axis forces could attack British oil interests in Iraq, the key territory of Palestine or the Suez Canal. This book examines the high military and political strategy that lay behind the campaign, as well as the experiences and hardships as endured by the men on the ground.
The battles in Syria and Lebanon were complex actions, often at the battalion level or below, and this work uses extensive war diaries and available records to make sense of the actions and examine how they affected the wider campaign.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
Colour illustrations throughout, including battlescene artworks, maps, 3D diagrams and photographs.
Dimensions
Height: 245 mm
Width: 182 mm
Thickness: 8 mm
Weight
308 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4728-4384-5 (9781472843845)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
02/2022
1st Edition
Osprey Publishing
€16.49
Available for download

E-Book
02/2022
1st Edition
Osprey Publishing
€16.49
Available for download
Persons
Dr David Sutton is a historian in the Military History Section at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia. He specializes in World War II, in particular the early stages of the Nazi-Soviet War, and Australian actions in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. His doctoral thesis focused on operations Barbarossa and Typhoon, in particular, Hitler's drive towards Moscow in 1941.
Graham Turner is a leading historical artist. He has illustrated numerous titles for Osprey, covering a wide variety of subjects from the dress of the 10th-century armies of the Caliphates, through the action of bloody medieval battles, to the daily life of the British Redcoat of the late 18th century. The son of the illustrator Michael Turner, Graham lives and works in Buckinghamshire, UK.
Graham Turner is a leading historical artist. He has illustrated numerous titles for Osprey, covering a wide variety of subjects from the dress of the 10th-century armies of the Caliphates, through the action of bloody medieval battles, to the daily life of the British Redcoat of the late 18th century. The son of the illustrator Michael Turner, Graham lives and works in Buckinghamshire, UK.
Content
ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN
CHRONOLOGY
OPPOSING COMMANDERS
- Allies
- Vichy
OPPOSING FORCES
- Allies
- Allied order of battle
- Vichy
- Vichy order of battle
OPPOSING PLANS
- Allies
- Vichy
THE CAMPAIGN
- Coastal column, 7-15 June 1941
- The war in the air and on the sea
- Central column, 7-15 June 1941
- Right column, 7-15 June 1941
- The Vichy French counter-attack
- Taking Damascus
- Continued fighting at Merdjayoun and Jezzine
- Mopping up around Damascus
- North Syria and Palmyra
- Attacks along the Euphrates
- The final push on the coast
- The Battle of Damour
- The war at sea
AFTERMATH
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
CHRONOLOGY
OPPOSING COMMANDERS
- Allies
- Vichy
OPPOSING FORCES
- Allies
- Allied order of battle
- Vichy
- Vichy order of battle
OPPOSING PLANS
- Allies
- Vichy
THE CAMPAIGN
- Coastal column, 7-15 June 1941
- The war in the air and on the sea
- Central column, 7-15 June 1941
- Right column, 7-15 June 1941
- The Vichy French counter-attack
- Taking Damascus
- Continued fighting at Merdjayoun and Jezzine
- Mopping up around Damascus
- North Syria and Palmyra
- Attacks along the Euphrates
- The final push on the coast
- The Battle of Damour
- The war at sea
AFTERMATH
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX