The Anglo-Iraqi War was a short war, fought between the United Kingdom and the Iraqi nationalist government, from April 18, 1941 to May 30 of the same year. Although it was barely a month long, the war resulted in a renewal of British occupation of the country and further fuelled nationalist resentment of the British regime.
Causes
Although Iraq was officially granted independence from the United Kingdom in 1937, a number of conditions were stipulated under the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930, including air bases and free movement for troops through the country. Many Iraqis, especially nationalists were angry at these conditions and felt that their country was still suffering from exploitation by Britain.
In 1939, the government of Nuri es-Sa'id wanted to declare war on Germany and the Axis following the September invasion of Poland. However, the anti-British sentiment generated by the restrictions imposed on their freedom by the 1930 agreement meant that the government was only able to cut off diplomatic relations with the Germans. An openly pro-Axis prime minister, Rashid Ali, assumed control of Iraq, abolished the rights granted to the British under the 1930 agreement and ordered British forces to withdraw.
The British Army's Middle East Command in Cairo hastily assembled a formation known as Iraqforce — which included the Indian 10th Infantry Division and the Arab Legion — and it arrived on April 18.
There were two main British military bases in Iraq, at Basra and at Habbaniya , north east of Baghdad. On April 30 the Iraqi Army surrounded the isolated and poorly-defended Royal Air Force base at Habbaniya and warned that any military activity would be considered as hostile.
British response and resolution
Although Habbaniya had no offensive aircraft, RAF personnel converted as many of the training aircraft as possible to carry weapons. The Iraqis laid siege to Habbaniya with infantry and artillery, and the RAF retaliated by bombing the Iraqi forces. The base was soon relieved by Iraqforce, which defeated the larger but poorly-trained Iraqi Army in a series of battles. The siege of Habbaniya was broken and although the Iraqis received direct aid from the German Luftwaffe, they could not hold out and British forces pressed on from Habbaniya to Baghdad and then to Mosul. Rashid Ali and his supporters fled to Iran and on the first day of June an armistice was signed.
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