From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
1954 Syrian coup d'etat
took place in February of that year to overthrow the government of
Adib Shishakli
. Leading the anti-Shishakli movement were former President
Atassi
and the veteran Druze leader
Sultan al-Atrash
.
Background
[
edit
]
Colonel
Adib Shishakli
came to power by a coup in December 1951, forming a military autocracy.
[1]
As the leader of Syria,
Adib Shishakli
recognized the desires of Syria's
Arab
majority, and accordingly adopted a policy of
pan-Arabism
. He clashed frequently with the independent-minded
Druze
minority on the
Jabal Druze
mountain, accusing them of wanting to topple his government using funds from Jordan, and in 1954 resorted to shelling Druze strongholds to put down resistance to his rule.
Overthrow of Shishakli
[
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]
Growing discontent eventually led to a coup, in which Shishakli was overthrown in February 1954. The plotters included members of the
Syrian Communist Party
, Druze officers,
Ba'ath Party
members, and possibly had Iraqi backing. He had also arrested many active officers in the Syrian Army, including the rising young
Adnan al-Malki
, also a prominent Baathist. Leading the anti-Shishakli movement were former President
Atassi
and the veteran Druze leader
Sultan al-Atrash
. The largest anti-Shishakli conference had been held in Atassi's home in
Homs
. Shishakli had responded by arresting Atassi and
Atrash
's sons, Adnan and
Mansur
(both of whom were ranking politicians in Syria).
When the insurgency reached its peak, Shishakli backed down, refusing to drag Syria into civil war. He fled to
Lebanon
, but when the Druze leader
Kamal Jumblat
threatened to have him killed, he fled to
Brazil
.
Aftermath
[
edit
]
After the overthrow of President Shishakli in 1954 coup, he continued political maneuvering supported by competing factions in the military eventually brought Arab nationalist and socialist elements to power. The early years of independence were marked by political instability. Prior to the
union
between Syria and Egypt in 1958,
Shishakli
toyed with the idea of returning to Syria to launch a coup d'etat, using funds provided by Iraq. The coup was foiled by Syrian intelligence and Shishakli was sentenced to death
in absentia
.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
The Middle East and North Africa
. Europa Publications Limited, Volume 50: p.1018.
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