Historian Zachary J. Foster argues that the scale of the attack was far worse than anything Syria had witnessed in many decades. He suggested further that a huge percentage of the region's major foodstuffs and sources of livelihood, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, fodder and a small but not insignificant amount of the cereals, were devoured by the locusts. "The attack diminished the 1915 winter harvest (wheat and barley) by 10–15 per cent", he noted, "and completely wrecked the 1915 summer and autumn harvests (fruits and vegetables), in ranges varying from 60 to 100 per cent, depending on the crop".[2]
The crop destruction resulted in several increases to the price of food. On 25 April 1915, The New York Times described the price increases. "Flour costs $15 a sack. Potatoes are six times the ordinary price. Sugar and petroleum are unprocurable and money has ceased to circulate."[3] Among the consequences of the event was the Great Famine of Mount Lebanon, which led to the deaths of nearly one half of Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate inhabitants from hunger and disease between 1915 and 1918.
Djemal Pasha, who was the Supreme Commander of Syria and Arabia at the time of the locust infestation, launched a campaign to limit the devastation of the incident.[1] He appointed an official to fight the infestation.[4]
Many people believed that prayer and petition were required to end the plague, as they viewed the swarm of locusts as a punishment from God for their sins.[5][6] Rav A.M. Luntz, who observed the development of the infestation said that the "Badatz decreed that on the following day there should be a Taanit Tzibbur and the whole day should be one of selichot, prayer and petition. After a few days the locusts left the Land", as locusts do after they have finished feeding. However, in the amount of time they nested there, the locusts replenished themselves with new larvae.[6]
Regulationsedit
A portable flamethrower being prepared to destroy locusts in Palestine, 1915
Midhat Bey, who was the official appointed to fight the infestation, helped enact a law which required every male between ages 15 and 60 in cities to collect 20 kilograms of locust eggs or pay a fine of £4.40. The New York Times reported that this law was strictly enforced. They said that people who failed to follow the law risked having their businesses closed. 800 had paid the fine by 21 November 1915.[4]
The Great Famine of Mount Lebanon (1915–1918) was a period of mass starvation during World War I. The Allies' blockade was made worse by another introduced by Djemal Pasha, the commander of the Fourth Army of the Ottoman Empire in Syria region, where crops were barred from entering from the neighboring Syrian hinterland to Mount Lebanon,[7] and by the locusts infestation in 1915.[7][8] The famine was caused by a convergence of political and environmental factors that lead to the death of half of the population of Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, a semi-autonomous subdivision of the Ottoman Empire and the precursor of modern-day Lebanon.
^ ab"The Locust Plague of 1915 Photograph Album". Library of Congress. from the original on 7 January 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
^Foster, Zachary J. (2015), "The 1915 Locust Attack in Syria and Palestine and its Role in the Famine During the First World War", Middle Eastern Studies, 51 (3): 370–394, doi:10.1080/00263206.2014.976624
^"Distress in Jerusalem" (PDF). The New York Times. 23 April 1915.
^ ab"Remarkable Details From American Consul on Palestine Locust Plague" (PDF). The New York Times. 21 November 1915.
^Student, Gil (20 January 2002). "Did the prophet Yoel contradict the Torah?". aishdas.org.
^ ab. Lamed. 21 November 2004. Archived from the original on 7 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
^ abGhazal, Rym (14 April 2015). "Lebanon's dark days of hunger: The Great Famine of 1915–18". The National. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
^"Madagascar hit by plague of locusts". BBC News. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
May 10, 2024
1915, ottoman, syria, locust, plague, from, march, october, 1915, swarms, locusts, stripped, areas, around, palestine, mount, lebanon, syria, almost, vegetation, this, infestation, seriously, compromised, already, depleted, food, supply, region, sharpened, mis. From March to October 1915 swarms of locusts stripped areas in and around Palestine Mount Lebanon and Syria of almost all vegetation This infestation seriously compromised the already depleted food supply of the region and sharpened the misery of all Jerusalemites 1 1915 Ottoman Syria locust infestationLocust from the 1915 infestationDateMarch 1915 1915 03 October 1915 1915 10 LocationPalestine Mount Lebanon and Syria Ottoman Syria Ottoman EmpireCauseSwarms of locustsOutcomeHigher food prices starvation Historian Zachary J Foster argues that the scale of the attack was far worse than anything Syria had witnessed in many decades He suggested further that a huge percentage of the region s major foodstuffs and sources of livelihood including fruits vegetables legumes fodder and a small but not insignificant amount of the cereals were devoured by the locusts The attack diminished the 1915 winter harvest wheat and barley by 10 15 per cent he noted and completely wrecked the 1915 summer and autumn harvests fruits and vegetables in ranges varying from 60 to 100 per cent depending on the crop 2 The crop destruction resulted in several increases to the price of food On 25 April 1915 The New York Times described the price increases Flour costs 15 a sack Potatoes are six times the ordinary price Sugar and petroleum are unprocurable and money has ceased to circulate 3 Among the consequences of the event was the Great Famine of Mount Lebanon which led to the deaths of nearly one half of Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate inhabitants from hunger and disease between 1915 and 1918 Contents 1 Reaction 2 Regulations 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 ReferencesReaction editDjemal Pasha who was the Supreme Commander of Syria and Arabia at the time of the locust infestation launched a campaign to limit the devastation of the incident 1 He appointed an official to fight the infestation 4 Many people believed that prayer and petition were required to end the plague as they viewed the swarm of locusts as a punishment from God for their sins 5 6 Rav A M Luntz who observed the development of the infestation said that the Badatz decreed that on the following day there should be a Taanit Tzibbur and the whole day should be one of selichot prayer and petition After a few days the locusts left the Land as locusts do after they have finished feeding However in the amount of time they nested there the locusts replenished themselves with new larvae 6 Regulations edit nbsp A portable flamethrower being prepared to destroy locusts in Palestine 1915 Midhat Bey who was the official appointed to fight the infestation helped enact a law which required every male between ages 15 and 60 in cities to collect 20 kilograms of locust eggs or pay a fine of 4 40 The New York Times reported that this law was strictly enforced They said that people who failed to follow the law risked having their businesses closed 800 had paid the fine by 21 November 1915 4 Aftermath editMain article Great Famine of Mount Lebanon The Great Famine of Mount Lebanon 1915 1918 was a period of mass starvation during World War I The Allies blockade was made worse by another introduced by Djemal Pasha the commander of the Fourth Army of the Ottoman Empire in Syria region where crops were barred from entering from the neighboring Syrian hinterland to Mount Lebanon 7 and by the locusts infestation in 1915 7 8 The famine was caused by a convergence of political and environmental factors that lead to the death of half of the population of Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate a semi autonomous subdivision of the Ottoman Empire and the precursor of modern day Lebanon See also editList of locust swarmsReferences edit a b The Locust Plague of 1915 Photograph Album Library of Congress Archived from the original on 7 January 2011 Retrieved 7 January 2011 Foster Zachary J 2015 The 1915 Locust Attack in Syria and Palestine and its Role in the Famine During the First World War Middle Eastern Studies 51 3 370 394 doi 10 1080 00263206 2014 976624 Distress in Jerusalem PDF The New York Times 23 April 1915 a b Remarkable Details From American Consul on Palestine Locust Plague PDF The New York Times 21 November 1915 Student Gil 20 January 2002 Did the prophet Yoel contradict the Torah aishdas org a b The Plague Approacheth Lamed 21 November 2004 Archived from the original on 7 August 2010 Retrieved 5 August 2008 a b Ghazal Rym 14 April 2015 Lebanon s dark days of hunger The Great Famine of 1915 18 The National Retrieved 24 January 2016 Madagascar hit by plague of locusts BBC News 27 March 2013 Retrieved 19 June 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1915 Ottoman Syria locust plague amp oldid 1185842711, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
