De Bunsen Committee facts for kids

The De Bunsen Committee was a special group set up by the British government during World War I. It was created on 8 April 1915 by the British Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith. The committee was led by Maurice de Bunsen. Its main job was to figure out what Britain's plans should be for the Ottoman Empire (a large empire that included much of the Middle East) during and after the war.

The committee's report, which was finished on 30 June 1915, helped guide talks with other countries like France, Italy, and Russia. These discussions were about how the Ottoman Empire might be divided up after the war.

Who Was on the Committee?

The De Bunsen Committee had several important members, each representing a different part of the British government:

• Sir Maurice de Bunsen, 1st Baronet, who was the leader (Chairman).
• Georges R. Clerk, from the Foreign Office (which handles international relations).
• Thomas Holderness, from the India Office (which managed British India).
• Henry Jackson, from the Admiralty (the navy's headquarters).
• Charles E. Callwell, from the War Office (which managed the army).
• Hubert Llewellyn Smith, from the Board of Trade (which dealt with business and trade).
• Mark Sykes, who represented Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War.

Mark Sykes was a very important member. He later helped create the famous Sykes-Picot Agreement. He didn't sign the final report because he was sent on a special trip to discuss the committee's ideas and learn more about the situation in the Middle East.

What Did the Committee Suggest?

The De Bunsen Committee looked at four main ideas for the future of the Ottoman Empire:

• 1. Dividing it up: This would leave only a small Ottoman state in a region called Anatolia (modern-day Turkey).
• 2. Keeping it together with outside control: The major world powers would control certain areas for political or business reasons.
• 3. Keeping it independent: The Ottoman Empire would remain a free country in Asia.
• 4. Creating a decentralized state: This meant a federal Ottoman state in Asia, where different regions would have more local control.

The committee's report, which came out on 30 June 1915, suggested the fourth option. They believed creating a decentralized, federal Ottoman state was the best way to protect the British Empire's needs.

Palestine's Future

The committee also talked about Palestine, a region with important religious sites. They said it would be "pointless" for Britain to claim Palestine as its own. Instead, they felt Palestine's future should be decided through special talks involving all countries that had an interest, including those fighting in the war and those who were neutral.

However, if the empire was divided or had "zones of influence," the committee thought Palestine would be part of Britain's area. They still recognized that France, Russia, and Islamic groups had important interests in Jerusalem and other holy places there.

See also

• British Mandate for Palestine
• British Mandate of Jordan
• British Mandate of Iraq