Sharif Husayn, Ja’far al-‘Askari and the cipher of the Arab revolt

In June 1916, Sharif Husayn of Mecca opened the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Turks. A year later, Ja’far al-‘Askari, an Iraqi officer and a future prime minister of Iraq, was appointed commander-in-chief of the Northern Army of the Arab revolt. In August 1918, on the eve of General Allenby’s final offensive against the Turks, Husayn publicly insulted ‘Askari, following which ‘Askari resigned from his post. Most of the officers of the Northern Army followed their commander, which brought the Northern Army to the brink of disintegration. The British, who deciphered and regularly read all the communications of their Arab allies, decided to intervene, secretly reworded one of Husayn’s telegrams to his officers in the Northern Army and thus tricked both parties into peace.