During World War I, Egypt played a crucial role, primarily as a strategic location for the Allied forces and a source of manpower and resources. The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), a multinational force including British, Australian, and New Zealand troops, fought in the Sinai Peninsula and Palestine against the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, Egyptian laborers and volunteers contributed significantly to the war effort through construction projects like the railway and pipeline to support the EEF.
This effectively a single campaign moving gradually from Egypt northwards – casts a very long shadow today. More than any other it was responsible for the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, and this led to some of the most controversial post-war settlements of the period; the division of former Ottoman lands into new nations and mandates, including the creation of a new Jewish homeland.
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