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What Syria looked like in the 1940s through these Historic Photos

The 1940s was a defining decade for Syria, marking its turbulent journey from a territory under foreign control to a fully independent nation. The country navigated the complexities of World War II, the final departure of French forces, and the challenges of establishing a new government, all while its society and cities continued to evolve.

The End of the French Mandate

At the beginning of the decade, Syria was under the control of the French Mandate, which had been in place since the end of World War I. During World War II, after France fell to Germany in 1940, control of Syria fell to Vichy France, a collaborationist regime. In 1941, British and Free French forces launched the Syria-Lebanon campaign to oust the Vichy forces. Following the Allied victory, the Free French government officially proclaimed Syria’s independence, but French troops remained stationed in the country, maintaining a significant degree of control.

Syrian nationalists continued to push for true sovereignty. In the 1943 national elections, the National Bloc, a coalition of nationalist parties, won a decisive victory. Shukri al-Quwatli, a prominent leader of the independence movement, was elected as the first president of Syria. Despite these steps toward self-rule, France was reluctant to hand over full authority, especially control over the military and security forces.

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Achieving Full Independence

The tension between the Syrian government and the French authorities came to a head in May 1945. As France continued to delay the transfer of power, nationalist demonstrations erupted across the country. In response, French forces shelled Damascus for 36 hours, resulting in hundreds of Syrian casualties and the destruction of the Syrian parliament building. The international outcry, led by Britain’s Winston Churchill, forced France to cease hostilities. Following this crisis, prolonged negotiations led to an agreement for the complete withdrawal of all foreign troops. On April 17, 1946, the last French soldiers left Syria, a date that is still celebrated as Syria’s Independence Day.

Life in a New Nation

With independence secured, Syrian society in cities like Damascus and Aleppo continued to blend tradition with modernity. The urban landscape was a mix of ancient souks, mosques, and citadels alongside buildings constructed during the Mandate period. The economy was largely agrarian, with wheat, cotton, and olives being major products. Land ownership was concentrated in the hands of a small elite, while the majority of the rural population worked as tenant farmers.

In the cities, a merchant class and a growing body of educated professionals, including lawyers, doctors, and civil servants, shaped urban life. The political scene in the newly independent republic was energetic and filled with competing ideologies. Newspapers flourished, and coffeehouses in Damascus became centers for passionate political debate among citizens.

Instability and a New Conflict

The final years of the decade were marked by growing instability. In 1948, Syria joined other Arab nations in the Arab-Israeli War. The Syrian army’s performance in the conflict was poor, and the defeat had significant political consequences back home. It discredited the civilian government led by President al-Quwatli and fueled public anger and frustration.

The army blamed the politicians for the defeat, accusing them of corruption and incompetence. This widespread discontent created a fertile ground for military intervention. In March 1949, Colonel Husni al-Za’im, the army’s chief of staff, led a bloodless military coup, overthrowing the democratically elected government. This event marked the first military coup in Syria’s modern history and ushered in a long period of political instability that would see multiple changes in leadership before the decade’s end.

#2 Women carry water containers on their heads as they lead mules along a road in a desert village near Damascus, Syria, 1940.

#3 Members of the Bedouin “camel cavalry” near Damascus, Syria, 1940.

#5 View of the downtown area of Aleppo from atop the ramparts of the great citadel built in the 4th century B.C.

#7 Soldiers urge a mule up the steps of the citadel at Aleppo, Syria, 1940.

#9 Inside the garrison of the French expeditionary force in the great citadel at Aleppo, Syria, 1940.

#10 A Moroccan soldier of the French expeditionary force holds an officer’s Arabian horse inside the great citadel at Aleppo, 1940.

#11 Engineers relax on the grounds of the great citadel, Aleppo, 1940.

#12 French Foreign Legion soldiers at their outpost at Homs, Syria, 1940.

#13 French Foreign Legion soldiers gather around newly erected tents as they set up their outpost near Homs, Syria, 1940.

#14 South of Homs, men of the Tunisian infantry prepare to eat.

#15 Archaeological ruins with modern homes in background, Syria, 1940.

#16 A family walks past the walled town and beehive-shaped homes of Tell Bisse, Syria, 1940

#17 View of the walled town of Tell Bisse, Syria, 1940

#18 Syrian children outside the walled town of Tell Bisse, Syria, 1940.

#22 General Wavell personally directing operations in Syria, July, 1941.

#24 [Factually Corrected] Tweedie Roosevelt, wearing the national head-dress of Syria, waits to board the “Caronia” to sail for Long Island, New York, 1949.

#25 The Ommayad Mosque’s courtyard fount in Damascus, 1940s.

#27 The 6th Australian Field Regiment in Syria, 1941.

#29 The north colonnade and minaret of the Ommayad Mosque in Damascus, 1940s.

#31 North aisle interior view of the Ommayad Mosque in Damascus, 1940s.

#34 Mahmoud Bey Mahdi, Syrian Commander of the Arab Liberation Army, studies a map during an attack against Bab El Wad, 1948.

#37 Entrance from the courtyard of the Ommayad Mosque in Damascus, 1940s.

#38 Entrance from the courtyard of the Ommayad Mosque in Damascus, 1940s.

#41 View of the village of Salqine in northern Syria near the Turkish border, 1943.

#43 Women washing clothes in a river in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#45 European police in Maidan Akbis, near Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#47 Celebrating the festival of Eid at Bobline, Syria, 1943.

#48 Celebrating the festival of Eid at Bobline, Syria, 1943.

#49 Celebrating the festival of Eid at Bobline, Syria, 1943.

#50 Celebrating the festival of Eid at Bobline, Syria, 1943.

#55 Gravestones in a cemetery in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#56 Man and boy suffering from Trachoma, Syria, 1943.

#59 Children getting water from a well in Syria, 1843.

#61 Man making sweets confectioner in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#62 Village with traditional mud beehive houses in Kafer or Kafr Halab, Syria, 1943.

#63 Village with traditional mud beehive houses in Kafer or Kafr Halab, Syria, 1943.

#64 British army recruit with rations in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#65 Village with traditional mud beehive houses in Kafer or Kafr Halab, Syria, 1943.

#67 Supply convoy of aid inside Turkish territory near the Syria, Turkey border, 1943.

#68 British army recruits, mostly Kurdish, in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#69 British army recruits, mostly Kurdish, in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#70 Making salt from sea water by evaporation on the coast at Tartus, Syria, 1943.

#71 Women washing clothes in a river in Aleppo, Syria, 1943.

#72 Trans-Jordanian Frontier Force TJFF army regiment, Syria, 1943.

#73 Trans-Jordanian Frontier Force TJFF army regiment, Syria, 1943.

#74 Trans-Jordanian Frontier Force TJFF army regiment, Syria, 1943.

#75 Refugees from Europe on the Taurus Express train in Syria, 1943.

#76 Refugees from Europe on the Taurus Express train in Syria, 1943.

#77 Refugees from Europe on the Taurus Express train in Syria, 1943.

#78 Refugees from Europe on the Taurus Express train in Syria, 1943.

#79 British military office treats Kurdish people along the Syria-Turkey border, 1943.

#80 Soldier and horse both wearing a gas mask in the Trans-Jordanian Frontier Force TJFF army regiment, Syria, 1943.

#81 Reaping crops with a lend lease combine harvester in Kamechlie, Syria, 1943.

#84 Sappers of the Royal Engineers in Damascus, Syria, 1943.

Written by Kevin Clark

Kevin Clark is a historian and writer who is passionate about sharing the stories and significance behind historical photos. He loves to explore hidden histories and cultural contexts behind the images, providing a unique insight into the past.

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