|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seven Pillars of
Wisdom
A vital spark of martial ardour and integrity of purpose pervades the book as Lawrence narrates the stirring realities of the day. Deftly, he moulds and welds time and circumstances, strategies and tactics, operations and manoeuvres to give an intensely impressive survey of the Arab revolt against Turkish supremacy. Woven into the narration is an extraordinary picture of life in the great Sahara Desert. Notes of travel are combined with description of the people and the places—all handled with literary genius. At the outbreak of World War I, Lawrence served in the British military intelligence in Cairo. Sent to Arabia, he whole-heartedly submitted to the exigencies of the job and adopted and adapted himself so well to the Arab way of life that he literally became an Arab himself. He journeyed all over Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia, instigating the Arabs to revolt against the Turks. With his own network of agents, fomenters and provocateurs among the natives, he inspired and incited the Arabs with a conception of national unity and national pride. He forged small imamates, emirates, sultanates, principalities etc. into Arab strength against the Turks. The Arab Revolt began in June 1916. The Arabs rallied behind the British, while Turkey sided with the Central Powers in World War I. Col. T. E. Lawrence was the undisputed leader of the Arab forces. He had both imagination and iron determination—imagination to define the intentions and policies of the enemy and determination to change the course of the battle. Under his leadership, a series of battles were fought against the Turks—supply trains were blown up, railroad junctions were demolished, bridges were destroyed, mines were laid and manoeuvres of irregular warfare were conducted to dislodge the Turks from their strongholds. The railway tracks that were the lifeline of the Turkish garrisons stationed in various bastions were wrecked and this broke the back of the Turkish offensive. In September 1917, the battle of Meggido was fought in Palestine and a decisive victory over the 4th Turkish Army was won, followed by the capture of Damascus. Col T. E. Lawrence entered Damascus in advance of the British forces. Seven Pillars of Wisdom is a lucid and vivid description of the Arabian arena of war. The book is amply illustrated with maps, sketches and photographs, all of which help the imagination to track the harrowing and perilous adventures of the heroic T. E. Lawrence. |
A
book on military history cannot
be expected to give a balanced and true picture of the events—it is,
too often coloured with national prejudices, political hatred and
patriotic ambitions and goals. However, Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E.
Lawrence, also known as the Lawrence of Arabia, can be accepted as the
most authoritative and authentic account of military operations in the
Middle East during World War I.