Baghdad Dispatches: The City of Peace in World War One

Framing the U.S. consulate as a central point of analysis, Baghdad Dispatches highlights the experiences of refugees, prisoners of war, and foreign nationals stranded in Ottoman Baghdad.

Jameel Haque examines the history of Ottoman Baghdad during the First World War, drawing on U.S. archival sources to explore the economic, political, and social transformations that shaped the city. It details the humanitarian efforts of Charles Brissel, the U.S. consul who worked between 1914 and 1916 to distribute aid and manage the interests of seventeen different nations. Additionally, the book investigates the challenges faced by American businesses, including Standard Oil, Singer Sewing Company, MacAndrews & Forbes, and Hills Brothers of New York, all of which struggled with wartime requisitions, loss of influence, and financial setbacks. By examining this period, Baghdad Dispatches reevaluates the extent of U.S. imperial engagement in Baghdad before the war, arguing for a more substantial American presence than has previously been recognized.

Jameel Haque is Professor of History at Minnesota State University, Mankato.