Were T.E Lawrence actions important during WWI?

D

Desert fox

Active member
My history book makes one reference to T.E Lawarence also know as Lawrence of Arabia. During the campagin in Eygpt and Arabia against the Ottoman Turks he brought Arab tribes to rebel against the Ottomans. He also led hit and runs against the Ottomans during the later half of the war. Do you think that he deserves more credibilitie.
 
I think what he did was pretty important.
Uniting the various Arab factions to fight against the Turks and help the Allies was a huge task.
It all fell apart due to British political machinations and the fact that the Arabs had differing ideas of what each ethnic tribe/group wanted.
Interesting period of history and he quite a remarkable man.
 
I think it's a fantastic story and an extremely interesting bit of history.

However, it's impact on the overall war was noteable, but not significant enough to really turn the war one way or the other.
 
I think T.E Lawerance actions were remarable in this regard:

He created so much trouble for the Ottoman Turks that they were forced
to stay at home and secure their own empire rather than send their troops to France and provide its German allies much needed reinforcements on the Western Front.
 
Oh indeed he was important. It was his leadership that allowed Faisal to unite the Arab tribes and become a nation.
 
Turkey was allied to Germany, so by tyeing up thousands of his troops and smashing his railways he did a good job.
 
He was in his personal life rather odd from the accounts I have read but his military contribution was indeed significant but his ability to be a "human chameleon" was key to his success in the political arena which directly led to his military success. Without his political abilities to persuade the Arab leaders he would have been a nobody.
 
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