Here is a timeline of key dates and events related to this chapter.

2–31 May 1941: Anglo–Iraqi War
25 August 1941: Anglo–Soviet invasion of Iran
22 November 1943: Lebanese independence
17 April 1946: Syrian independence
25 May 1946: Jordanian independence
22 July 1946: King David Hotel bombing
29 November 1947: UNGA Resolution 181
14 May 1948: Israeli independence
24 December 1951: Libyan independence
23 July 1952: Free Officers’ Coup in Egypt
19 August 1953: US-backed overthrow of Mossadeq government in Iran
1 November 1954–19 March 1962: Algerian War of Independence
17 November 1954: Nasser becomes President of Egypt
1 January 1956: Sudanese independence
20 March 1956: Tunisian independence
7 April 1956: Moroccan independence
26 July 1956: Nasser nationalises the Suez Canal
29 October–6 November 1956: Suez Crisis
14 July 1958: Overthrow of Iraqi monarchy
27 May 1960: Military coup in Turkey
19 June 1961: Kuwaiti independence
3 July 1962: Algerian independence
1962–1970: Yemen Civil War
8 February 1963: Ba`ath Party coup in Iraq
30 November 1967: South Yemeni independence
1 September 1969: Muammar Gaddhafi comes to power in Libya
15 September 1970–5 April 1971: Black September clashes in Jordan
12 March 1971: Military coup in Turkey
5 April 1971: PLO moves to Lebanon
15 August 1971: Bahraini independence
3 September 1971: Qatari independence
2 December 1971: UAE independence
1975–1990: Lebanese Civil War
10 June 1976: Syrian invasion of Lebanon
14 March 1978: First Israeli invasion of Lebanon
16 July 1979: Saddam Hussein becomes President of Iraq
24 December 1979: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
12 September 1980: Military coup in Turkey
22 September 1980–20 August 1988: Iran–Iraq War
7 June 1981: Israeli attacks on Osiraq Facility
6 June 1982: Second Israeli invasion of Lebanon
14 September 1982: President Gemayel assassinated
16–18 September 1982: Sabraand Shatila massacre
18 April 1983: US Embassy bombing in Beirut
23 October 1983: Beirut Marine Barracks bombings
22 May 1990: Yemeni Unification