The 1905-1907 London Secret Conference and Campbell-Bannerman Report
Separating myth from documented history in the alleged Western conspiracy to divide the Arab East.
The 1905-1907 London Secret Conference and Campbell-Bannerman Report
A critical examination of the alleged London Secret Conference and the Campbell-Bannerman Report concerning the division of the Arab East—separating myth from documented history.
The Investigation
There have been mentions of a certain report given around the year 1907 to Great Britain Prime Minister Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman as a result of a two-year-long (between 1905 and 1907) secret conference made in London via the attendance of Great Western Powers focused on the Middle East.
The content of the conference and the report is adding to itself every day and growing as a legend. New texts come up now and then claiming to be the report itself, but there are no valid references given as proof. Generally, no sources are cited. When sources are provided, they are either incorrect or practically inaccessible.
The Approach
This research does not deny the existence of such conferences, reports, or Western powers' research committees concerning the region. However, instead of weaving legends and creating myths, it conducts a comprehensive study on the subject.
Leaving no need for building myths which are not properly depending on valid sources, there are actually no shortage of facts to base upon to understand and explain the Western interest and plans, especially Great Britain's international politics after 1908, focused on the Middle East.
Key Findings
Three different texts related to the Division of the Arab East and the London Secret Conference share a common characteristic: they were created and disseminated by Arabs. This limits the perspective to Arabs and the Israeli-Arab conflict axis.
However, examining outcomes alone reveals that there's no need for legends to explain Western powers'—particularly Britain's—new policies toward Arabs and the East starting in 1908. The research proposes the Reval Agreement as a more concrete and better-documented alternative. These facts are mostly based on, decided, and can be categorized under the umbrella of the Reval Agreement.
Publication Details
Journal: Sosyologca Academic Journal
Publisher: Doğu Kitabevi (Eastern Publishing House)
Publication Date: June 2012
Issue: 3 (2012)
Keywords: Campbell-Bannerman Report, Arab East, 1905-1907 Secret Conference, London, Reval Agreement, Reval Meeting, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Contribution
This work demonstrates the importance of rigorous historical methodology over politically convenient narratives. It shows how legends can obscure actual power dynamics and how documented agreements (like Reval) provide better explanations than mythologized secret conferences.