massacre massacre arabic massacre committed armed forces campaign systematically targeting northern iraq august term describe massacre killing took place villages districts led deaths background mountains majority affected adherents dubbed originally inhabited mountainous regions covering parts modern provinces van turkey iraq population ranging genocide hands rest endured winter marches relocated refugee camps british later enlisted pro british helped quell revolts cluster villages northern iraq villages settled leased directly government belonged right time share relation neighbours historical feud culminated centuries old bitterness arabs reported british historians far worse british officers encouraged think class troops effect increasing natural pride coupled fact british succeeded suppressing revolts failed created complex iraqi corps british conclusion british mandate iraq caused considerable felt betrayed british treaty consideration desire autonomous position similar ottoman system hand felt demands alongside disturbances north conspiracy british divide iraq minorities iraqi independence crisis iraqi independence new spiritual temporal leader patriarch demanded given autonomy iraq seeking support united_kingdom pressing case followers planned resign military force command british served british interests group militia concentrate north creating facto spring officer engaged propaganda campaign behalf trying persuade apply iraqi accept settlement offered central government accompanied armed men seen act defiance iraqi authorities activities caused distress iraqi government started sending army region order dissuade joining cause june invited baghdad negotiations government detained refusing relinquish temporal authority eventually exiled cyprus clashes july led crossed border syria hope receiving asylum syria disarmed refused asylum subsequently given light arms sent iraq august decided surrender crossing village clash erupted iraqi army brigade despite advantage heavy artillery driven military base convinced army targeted deliberately attacked army barracks little success driven syria arrival iraqi iraqi army lost soldiers fighting took fewer casualties historians agree started clashes border lieutenant colonel wrote intention iraqi historian son prominent arab nationalist claims men provoked army supports propaganda rumours circulated iraqi nationalist newspapers bodies killed iraqi soldiers enraged iraqi public opinion beginning military activities ceased august stories atrocities committed rumours christians planning blow bridges poison drinking water major iraqi cities spread according historians encouraged arab nationalist government saw distraction continuous revolt southern country iraqi army led experienced brigadier general ethnicity moved north order crush started executing male found mountainous region starting august civilians transported military trucks places shot machine guns run heavy armoured cars sure survived looting villages killings taking place nearby arab tribes encouraged villages tribes encouraged mayor villages northeast raided villages women children villages took refuge august arab tribes started crossing east bank raiding villages plains south driven loss large livestock drought previous years villages looted women children left refuge neighbouring villages men rounded handed army duly shot villages completely burned later inhabited massacre town refuge fleeing looted villages mayor arrived military force august city time thousands refugees police post town told officials safe iraqi flag august saw arrival arab local police took away cut wheat night august arab inhabitants joined looting villagers watch arab neighbours drove flocks august villagers ordered leave police post return homes began reluctance heading iraqi soldiers armoured cars arrived iraqi flag flying police post pulled warning obvious troops began fire commanding officer ordered troops target women describes ensuing massacre follows cold massacre men village followed massacre black conceived carried foul crime blood stained annals middle_east fight left partly state mind events past week reduced largely disarmed armed certain fair fight having disarmed proceeded massacre according plan took time hurry troops day ahead opponents helpless chance interference quarter whatsoever machine gunners set guns outside windows houses taken refuge having trained terror stricken crowded rooms fired man left standing instance blood lust troops took slightly active form men dragged shot death bodies thrown pile dead depiction massacre mentions girls raped march naked iraqi commanders children run military cars pregnant women children air pierced points holy books burning official iraqi account casualties sustained short battle arab tribes historians claims mass killing responsibility lies shoulder junior officer army august moved troops planned inflict massacre found refuge targeted villages today villages inhabited main campaign lasted august violent raids reported end month campaign resulted population iraq fleeing syria aftermath august iraqi troops entered given enthusiastic reception muslim inhabitants triumphant arches erected decorated pierced heads murdered crown prince came city award victorious colours military tribal leaders participated looting anti christian feeling height christians city largely confined homes month fear action mob iraqi army later streets baghdad celebration victories promoted later led iraq military coup prime minister popular support compulsory conscription bill rose immediately massacre repression alleged uprising iraqi government demanded conscription bill iraqi offered serve iraqi army order counter late august government demanded central government stamp rebellion eliminate foreign influence iraqi affairs immediate steps enact law compulsory military service week tribal joined pro conscription telegram government expressing thanks insurgents stating nation proud power evidence power army requested compulsory military service presented bill parliament government fell government enacted conscription february nationalists point view british masters destroy new iraqi state independence british consistently opposed british allowed auxiliary troops retain arms granted special duty privileges guarding military air installations receiving higher pay iraqi arab recruits british protection iraqi citizens nationalists believed british hoping destroy iraq internal independent follow example looting deep psychological impact reported low morale arrival visited august 21st found like utterly panic stricken disturbed spirit completely broken difficult recognize proud known admired past dozen years massacre left plains immediately neighbouring syria later joined refugees following years concentrated region built number villages banks king recently returned iraq medical vacation stressed crisis health deteriorated hot summer days baghdad met bed denied massacre committed left iraq september seeking cooler climate london died days later detained june forced exile extended family despite initial british reluctance flown raf plane cyprus later united_states later forcing head relocate chicago remained newly consecrated returning seat north iraq met representatives iraq syria iran washington subsequently calling followers live loyal citizens resided middle_east role temporal leader role church left power vacuum politics filled responsibility official british sources estimate total number killed august sources figure historians disagree holds responsibility ordering mass killings blames arab nationalists prominently according officers despised particular vocal hate view shared british officials recommended king send north crisis hand blamed starting crisis ordering mass killing hinted king authority issued orders males leftist iraqi historian presents actions taken military manifestation nationalist anti paranoia ascent power 1960s historian puts author campaign ensuing events history iraq prior true nationalist revolution british role iraqi british relations faced short cooling period crisis previously encouraged british order tensions british wary iraqi military leaders recommended transfer senior ethnic general stationed region open animosity later intervene dissuade king personally leading tribal force punish general iraqi public opinion promoted newspapers british undermine newly established kingdom shared leading officials including prime minister british european protests following massacre confirmed rebellion work european king george england took personal interest affair british representatives home demanded tried punished seen europe small christian minority long term british backed iraq rejected international inquiry killings fearing provoke christians didn insist seen heroes official british stance defend iraqi government patience dealing crisis attribute rogue army units report battle blames defends actions good officer change british attitude gave rise notion british betrayal circles idea gained popularity concentrated receive british relief led massacre turks cultural impact legacy august officially known day national day mourning community memory massacre declared syrian government banned political organization commemorating event threatened arrests break ban music artist written song event number poems stories written incident including american titled seventy thousand written washed race learn read language writers news little news english encourage arabs massacre old story know massacre inspired create concept genocide presentation conference international criminal law madrid prepared essay crime international law concept crime evolved idea genocide based massacre later include jewish holocaust deep impact newly established kingdom iraq argues killing tribal religious ideological ethnic barriers arabs arabs nationalists conservatives united anti anti christian sentiments according genuine expression national independence arab province ottoman_empire killing christians seen national duty british standing firmly leaders colony crisis despite popular animosity general british military mission baghdad quoted saying government people good reasons colonel
Simele massacre