Syria`s descent into civil war has already claimed an estimated 200, 000 lives while more than nine million people have fled their homes. This is now the greatest humanitarian & political crisis of the twenty-first century. In this timely account, John Mc Hugo charts the history of Syria from the First World War to the present & considers why Syria`s foundations as a nation have proved so fragile. He examines the country`s thwarted attempts at independence under French rule before turning to more recent events: religious & sectarian tensions that have riven Syria, the pressures of international conflicts, two generations of rule by the Assads & the rise of ISIS. As the conflict in Syria rages on, Mc Hugo provides a rare & authoritative guide to a complex nation that demands our attention.