The Arab Bureau

A fascinating study of the British Empires Middle Eastern intelligence section during the First World War, drawing on government files and secret publications. In the midst of the First World War, an extra- ordinary intelligence unit operated from Cairos Savoy Hotel, combining the skills of archaeologists, academics and soldiers to revolutionise how Britain gathered information and shaped events in the Middle East. Overshadowed by Lawrence of Arabia, the Arab Bureaus true significance has remained hidden in plain sight ever since. This fascinating study uncovers the Bureaus remarkable story through newly discovered Arabic documents and previously overlooked archives. At its heart lies an astonishing find: Thawrat al-Arab, an ambitious Arabic-language book and the longest piece of British propaganda produced during the war. From the Arab Bulletins secret intelligence reports to sophisticated propaganda campaigns, the Bureau was decades ahead of its time. The teamincluding archaeologists fresh from desert digs and scholars fluent in local dialects developed new methods of cultural intelligence that would influence future generations. Eamonn Gearons compelling narrative reveals how this unique organisation navigated the complexities of Arab politics, tribal rivalries and Ottoman intelligence, while developing techniques that resonate with todays challenges in intelligence-gathering. Essential reading for anyone interested in intelligence history, the Middle East or how innovation occurs in wartime, this book transforms our understanding of a crucial moment in world history.