The chapter delves into the political instability in Syria during the late 1940s, detailing a series of coups and power struggles between the military and civilian government, particularly focusing on a coup led by Shishakli against the civilian government. It explores the tensions over military representation in the Ministry of Defense, crackdowns on political parties like the Ba'ath Party and the Arab Socialist Party, and the conditions that led to political factionalization within the military.
Featuring Abdel Razzaq Takriti, this is the FIFTH episode of Thawra (Revolution), our rolling mini-series on Arab radicalism in the 20th century. Today’s installment lays out the early years of a struggle for Syria that would decisively shape the Arab world: the fight for independence from France, the first (CIA-backed) coup of 1949, and the rise of the Ba’ath and Communist movements.
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