Jerusalem 1917: Allenby's Christmas Conquest and the End of Ottoman Rule

In December 1917, General Edmund Allenby marched into Jerusalem on foot through the Jaffa Gate, a moment frozen in wartime propaganda. But behind that iconic image lies a far messier story: weeks of brutal fighting up from Beersheba through the Judean hills, a desperate Ottoman retreat that left the city in chaos, and the quiet collaboration of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim leaders who negotiated the city's surrender. This episode follows Allenby's Egyptian Expeditionary Force from the third battle of Gaza to the final assault, examines the aerial bombing of the Old City, and uncovers the role of the Arab Revolt's irregular forces under Faisal and T.E. Lawrence in cutting the Hejaz Railway. We also explore the moment Jerusalem's new military governor, the British officer Ronald Storrs, had to manage everything from bread shortages to the delicate balance of holy sites. It's a story of imperial ambition, local resilience, and the beginning of a new era that would shape the city for the next century.

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