the Assyrians greatly. Great Britain Asserts Control of Mosul Province, Northern Iraq

During World War I, Russia was supportive of the creation of an Assyrian homeland in northern Mesopotamia. Russia was present during the Sykes-Picot agreement (1916) that put the foundation for the partition of the Ottoman Empire and Middle East. Unfortunately for the Assyrians, Russia's role in the subsequent negotiations between the Allies and the Ottomans became reduced after the Bolshevik Revolution (October 1917) when Moscow's attitude toward earlier Tsarist secret treaties changed. The Bolsheviks repudiated Tsarist secret treaties to gain favor with the belligerent countries. With this shift, the major weight in the negotiations regarding the Near East tilted towards Great Britain. The latter favored keeping open and friendly channels and with the majority Arab groups in the Middle East at the expense of smaller ethnic groups. The British occupation of Mesopotamia began in 1914, moving from south to north slowly. On November 1, 1918 they planned to enter Mosul despite the fact that an armistice had become effective the day before (October 30). After much haggling about armistice terms, the British occupied Mosul on November 10 and the Turks withdrew. This occupation of Mosul was to be disputed by Turkey for decades to come. The British insisted on applying universal ideals to a society that had functioned on tribal bases and lacked the minimum requirement for a modern civil society. Despite the advice of Arnold T. Wilson, the Civi