John Broich's Blood, Oil, and Axis (book review)

Broich, John. Blood, Oil, and the Axis: The Allied Resistance Against a Fascist State in Iraq and the Levant, 1941. Harry N. Abrams, 2019.

World War II was a massive war and many fronts and battles remain unknown by the general public. John Broich tells the story of a forgotten campaign in which British Commonwealth forces faced off against Vichy France and several indigenous foes in the Middle East. Broich believes that this was a campaign that, if had gone the other way, could have spelled doom for the British Empire.  If the Axis Powers had gained control of the region, it would have access to plenty of oil, as well as the means to transport it back to Europe via Syria. It would also be closer to taking the Suez Canal, thus hamstring British supply, and to India, which might feel inspired to rebel against Britain. Iraq at the time was nominally independent, but heavily controlled via British influence. Thus it was not a stretch for Iraqi or other Mid-Eastern groups, most notably the pro-Nazi Golden Square, to side with the Axis Powers out of nationalist aspirations. Bordering Iraq to the west was Syria. Its current ruler, Vichy France, was under immense pressure from Germany to supply aid if requested.

Broich’s work is more narrative than argumentative. He chooses a cast of characters to focus on, from Francophile American Jack Hasey to Palestinian interpreter code-named Reading to traveling writer Freya Stark to Nazi liaison in Vichy Syria Rudolf Rahn. Regardless of whether or not they were officially in the military or a member of the belligerent nations, they all felt a need to defy or assist the Axis. The book is thus full of personal stories to help connect with events of the ground. It also is infused with a great deal of tragedy. Perhaps one reason this front is often overlooked is the make-up of the two sides, which does not gel with the favored good vs. evil narrative. The Axis forces consisted of few Germans, mainly Luftwaffe planes coming in from Greece and the Mediterranean. Instead it was primarily made of Iraqis, French, and French colonial troops. Most tragic of all was that Free French with the British fought with Vichy French. Also, at the beginning of most chapters, Broich provides quotes related to America’s recent and ongoing war in Iraq. He seems to suggest a comparison, but aside from the geographic locations and western interventionism he doesn’t elaborate.

While Broich’s book reveals an oft-ignored aspect of World War II, it fails to be truly great thanks to a couple minor flaws. One is that Broich too broadly employs the “fascist” and “anti-fascist” label for characters and factions in the Middle East. Some were undoubtedly attracted to fascism and some were opposed to it. But Broich shows within his own text that most Arabs, Palestinians, Jews, and others were not primarily concerned with growing or fighting fascism, if at all, but with nationalist aspirations or personal honor (for example, many of the Indian troops volunteered to gain prestige in their village, not to battle fascism or serve the British Empire). A second nitpick is Broich’s failure to follow up on his argument, even within a narrative style. He argues that if Hitler had focused his energies on the Middle East rather than the Soviet Union, he could have knocked out Britain. It would have helped if he set some time aside to examine Hitler’s ideology and motivations in regard to coming after the Soviet Union in 1941, and why he possibly would not have considered prioritizing the Middle East.

Overall, Blood, Oil, and Axis is full of information and stories rarely told. Whoever wants to broaden his or her knowledge of World War II should give this a look. It also provides material for those who like to imagine alternate scenarios.

Rating: Highly Recommend

Broich, John. Blood, Oil, and the Axis: The Allied Resistance Against a Fascist State in Iraq and the Levant, 1941. Harry N. Abrams, 2019. Buy the book here.

Rating System

Must-Read: Definite read for history in general

Highly Recommend: Definite read within a certain subject

Recommend: Good for further information or into on a certain topic

Adequate: Useful if looking for further information certain topic

Pass: Awful, only useful for examining bad or ideologically-tainted history