“The Paris peace treaties created more conflict than peace in the Middle East.” Discuss.

Candidates will offer a considered review of the statement that the Paris peace treaties created more conflict than peace in the Middle East. Candidates may refer to specific decisions made at the Paris conferences and how these may have, individually or collectively, incited resistance and conflict amongst the people in the region rather than promoted peace. Candidates may refer to the failure of powers to acknowledge the growth of Arab nationalism in the region, ignoring the Wilsonian ideal of self-determination. The creation of new states and the establishment of mandates such as Iraq, Syria, Transjordan and Palestine all led to increasing tensions in the region, as well as resentment towards the continued influence and control of France and Britain. Some reference may be made the contradictory wartime promises such as the Balfour Declaration and the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence.