Syria–Lebanon campaign

Syria–Lebanon campaign
Part of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II
Indian forces near Damascus
Date 8 June – 14 July 1941 Location Syria and Lebanon Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Free France British Empire United Kingdom Australia India (and others)	Vichy France Syria Lebanon Supported by Germany

The Syria–Lebanon campaign was a World War II Allied invasion by the British Empire and the Free French Forces against the Vichy French mandates of Syria and Lebanon.

In May of 1941, Syria and Lebanon were under the control of the French State, a puppet state of Nazi Germany. In May, the Allied Powers (mostly the British Commonwealth) invaded the Axis–Allied Kingdom of Iraq. Vichy France allowed the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) to use air bases in Syria to attack the Allied ground forces in Iraq. To prevent more attacks from the Axis, the Allied forces attacked Syria and Lebanon. The Australian, Indian, and Free French troops advanced from Mandatory Palestine while British and Indian troops advanced from Iraq. One month later, the Vichy French forces surrendered and Syria and Lebanon were under Allied control.