The history of modern Iraq is made up of many elements, from the British occupation to its monarch, the non-Iraqi Faisal, and his desire for a pan-Arab state. This document will present different events and topics that will allow the reader to understand the history of Iraq from 1920 to 1958 and the events that occurred during this period. Before we can begin to study the modern history of Iraq, we need to briefly know the events that led to the creation of the state, formerly known as Mesopotamia. Britain's occupation of Mesopotamia occurred less by intention than by accident. Modern Iraq was an invention of British military and administrative convenience in the aftermath of the First World War. During World War I, the British wanted to defeat the Ottoman Empire at all costs, and in late 1914, when it became clear that Turkey, Britain's traditional ally, would enter the country. war on the side of the Central Powers and mobilizing in the Gulf, Britain occupied Basra and al-Faw to "protect its strategic interests, communications and oil fields at the head of the Gulf". Desperate to defeat the Ottomans, the government's Arab office in Cairo issued letters and proclamations promising the independence of Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia, under British protection, in exchange for help in defeating the Ottomans. Ottoman Empire. British officials in India, who directed foreign policy east of the Suez Canal, feared the impact of Britain's involvement in Islamic affairs. At the end of the First World War, the British were faced with a number of dilemmas. Firstly, the Arab Revolt had contributed to the demise of the Ottoman Empire and, although Britain was occupied outside Turkey, so too were the Arab allies who fought alongside British officer TE Lawrence. Thanks to the effort...... middle of paper ......national monarchy with a democratic parliament, slightly resembling the British model. However, it was supposed to prepare Iraq for self-government, British advisers were placed in key ministries and British and Indian army officers held important positions within the police forces. Britain continued to direct its foreign policy as well as its internal security policy. More importantly, much of the old Ottoman bureaucracy was maintained and Indian Muslims in Bengal took on lower-level jobs, which should have been reserved for Iraqis. The British mandate produced for Iraq numerous irrigation projects, as well as public health services, which were now prioritized over education. As a result, between 1920 and 1932, the country experienced a population boom that nearly doubled Iraq's population. Iraq's modernization continued as the British built dams and restored canals..