Seven Pillars of Wisdom · Chapter
The Ruin of High Hope explained
Lawrence describes the failed grand strategy to coordinate with Allenby across Jordan, capture Maan, and cut off Medina.
What happens
Lawrence describes the failed grand strategy to coordinate with Allenby across Jordan, capture Maan, and cut off Medina. The plan collapses due to overreach and the German offensive in Flanders, forcing the Arabs into a defensive stalemate. They pivot to a scheme of harassing the railway near Deraa to draw off Turkish divisions, but this too is abandoned for a better opportunity.
Themes in this chapter
War and Guerrilla Tactics
The shift from a grand conventional plan to railway cutting and diversionary raids illustrates the necessity of guerrilla methods when facing superior forces.
Futility and Meaning
The triple plan's failure and the stalemate of 1918 highlight the futility of overambitious strategy, yet the search for a new plan shows a persistent search for meaning in the struggle.
Characters to notice
- T.E. Lawrence
Narrator and strategist; reflects on the failure of the triple plan and the shift to railway warfare.
- General Allenby
British commander; co-architect of the triple plan, forced to withdraw British units due to German advance in Flanders.
Key passages
“In conjunction with Allenby we laid a triple plan to join hands across Jordan, to capture Maan, and to cut off Medina, in one operation.”
Lawrence and Allenby devised a three-part strategy: link forces across the Jordan River, seize the town of Maan, and isolate Medina from the Hejaz Railway.
Opening statement of the chapter's strategic context.
“This was too proud and neither of us fulfilled his part.”
The plan was overly ambitious, and both commanders failed to achieve their objectives.
Lawrence's candid admission of overreach.
“So the Arabs exchanged the care of the placid Medina railway for the greater burden of investing, in Maan, a Turk force as big as their available regular army.”
The Arabs gave up guarding the quiet Medina line to instead besiege a Turkish garrison at Maan that matched their own regular army in size.
Describes the shift in Arab military focus.
“Clearly no decision lay in such tactics: but the German advance in Flanders at this moment took from Allenby his British units; and consequently his advantage over the Turks.”
These tactics could not produce a decisive outcome, but the German offensive in Flanders forced Allenby to send away his British troops, losing his edge against the Turks.
Explains the strategic deadlock caused by events in Europe.
“We schemed to strengthen the Arab army for autumn operations near Deraa and in the Beni Sakhr country.”
Lawrence and his allies planned to reinforce the Arab forces for autumn campaigns around Deraa and among the Beni Sakhr tribe.
Outlines the revised plan to relieve pressure on Palestine.