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Cairo to Damascus
This rare book by John Roy Carlson gives an unconventional and detailed account of the war for Israel's independence. Carlson daringly goes undercover on all sides, and therefore provides a unique and captivating account of events. This book is highly recommended for inclusion on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the subject.
518 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 1951
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About the author
John Roy Carlson
13 books6 followersone of the many pen names of journalist Avedis Boghos Derounian.
Derounian wrote for the Armenian Mirror-Spectator, Fortune Magazine, the Council Against Intolerance and the Friends of Democracy.
He was a witness against American Bund leader Fritz Kuhn in 1949
In the 1950s he founded and managed the Armenian Information Service, which made a number of publications. His exposé writing has been the subject of lawsuits.
Derounian is also notable for editing the controversial manifesto of Armenia's first prime minister, Hovhannes Katchaznouni.
Derounian wrote for the Armenian Mirror-Spectator, Fortune Magazine, the Council Against Intolerance and the Friends of Democracy.
He was a witness against American Bund leader Fritz Kuhn in 1949
In the 1950s he founded and managed the Armenian Information Service, which made a number of publications. His exposé writing has been the subject of lawsuits.
Derounian is also notable for editing the controversial manifesto of Armenia's first prime minister, Hovhannes Katchaznouni.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 30, 2018
The Intrepid Derounian
A thrilling insider account of of both sides of Israel's 1948 War of Independence . Carlson, an American-Armenian journalist who's real name was Avedos "Artour" Derounian, set out for Palestine in 1947 from New York by way of England. Posing as an American businessman he contacts a group of British Nazi sympathizers yielding which gives him credibility with agents of the Arab forces in London.
Following Derounian to Cairo, camera in hand, he joins the Green Shirts, a volunteer militia of the Young Egypt Party which had supported Germany during the War, headed by Ahmed Hussein whom he interviews He also interviews Hassan Al Banna, founder and spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood known as the "Moorshid", who tells him of his plan to establish a Caliphate designed "to smash modernism in government and society. In Palestine our first duty as Moslems is to crush Zionism, which is Jewish modernism. It is our patriotic duty. The Koran commands it." (pp92) . He feigns sympathy to the cause and his camera proves to be his entré gaining him membership in the Ikwan (Muslim Brotherhood), a correspondents card from the Arab League, written permission from Ahmed Hussein to take photographs of the Holy Warriors, accreditation from al Misri a leading Egyptian newspaper and a large button of the Mufti of Jerusalem against a vibrant background of red, black, and green Arab colours showing his allegiance to the cause. (pp137)
Attached to the Green Shirts he is befriended by Moustafa, a robust 28 year old who and former captain in the Egyptian army, now assigned to lead the Green Shirt guerrillas and an another group known as the "Followers of Truth" whose fanaticism against the Jews was even more religiously motivated. One of these is Ali who confides to Derounian:
"I must kill Jews, many Jews. I must kill till my arm is tired. I must not stop killing Jews till the bodies are this high. ..." The wild Arab brought one hand to his chin. "I must do one more thing. . . . For this I need your help, I want you to come with me the next time we fight the Yahood. When I catch a Jew alive I want you to be with me with your camera. I want you to take one picture of me holding the living Jew by the throat. I want you to take another picture while I stab the Jew in the neck. Then I want pictures as I stab him again and again in the neck, in the face, in the heart, in his belly . . . with this knife!" Ali whipped out a vicious blade. "After I have killed the Jew I want you to photograph me drinking his blood " (pp226)
Similarly in Gaza City he converses with a city councilman who when asked about his hopes for the war gestures to the Mediterranean and says: "See that water?" He pointed with his narghileh. "One month from now it will be black as far as the horizon with the nude bodies of floating Jews." (pp209) Much later on in Damascus he manages to have a brief meeting the infamous Hajj Amin al Husseyni whose presence permeates the narrative, however Husseyni declines to be interviewed extensively but allows Derounian to take his picture (pp408).
Derounian's perspectives on the Arab fighters and those who join the Arab cause often consisting of stateless former Nazis, Slavs and British deserters are a valuable window into the Arab side. Yet most memorable events of the book are during Derounian's time in Jerusalem.
Four episodes stand out. The first is Derounian`s arrival with Moustafa where he finds Arab fighters fresh from the Hadassah Convoy Massacre exchanging pictures of mutilated Jewish bodies, some stripped naked, as souvenirs.
The second is on May 13th, 1948 at the Armenian monastery (Vank). ,Haganah commandos enter the Armenian Quarter positioning themselves for an attack on the Old City. The Armenian Patriarch, fearing for the safety of his people, arranges a meeting with Mordecai Weingarten an old friend of his and mayor of the Jewish Quarter. Either out of concern over opening another front or respect for the community, the Haganah withdraws, no doubt leading to the loss of the Old City. Later Arab troops led by Armenian roughians overtake the Vank over the protests of Prelate Guregh Israelian, and use it as a base to fire on Jewish in the newer, western section of the city.
The third scene is after he crosses over to the Israeli side where the Jews, with food rationed to less than 800 calories per day, water and electricity completely cut off by the Arab siege, still manage to send the children to school and maintain both community and camaraderie.
Fouth, in Chapter 18, he returns to the Arab lines to report on the May 28th surrender of the the Old City. Standing on a rooftop he watches as the Jewish quarter burns, the homes and shops are looted by the mob, and the synagogues blown up with TNT by the army, and scrolls and books destroyed to ensure that the Jews, who had called the city their own for 3500 years, never return. Were it not for the trained discipline of Glub Pasha's Jordanian Legion supervising the exodus, Derounian writes, it would likely have ended in a massacre.
One of my earliest experiences in reading history was thru contemporary books such as the "Inside..." series by American journalist John Gunther. IMHO it is first hand accounts such as these that yield a more genuine and connected understanding of events than any layered reinterpretation produced long afterwards.
A favourite read, and repeated read. Highly recommended!!!
A thrilling insider account of of both sides of Israel's 1948 War of Independence . Carlson, an American-Armenian journalist who's real name was Avedos "Artour" Derounian, set out for Palestine in 1947 from New York by way of England. Posing as an American businessman he contacts a group of British Nazi sympathizers yielding which gives him credibility with agents of the Arab forces in London.
Following Derounian to Cairo, camera in hand, he joins the Green Shirts, a volunteer militia of the Young Egypt Party which had supported Germany during the War, headed by Ahmed Hussein whom he interviews He also interviews Hassan Al Banna, founder and spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood known as the "Moorshid", who tells him of his plan to establish a Caliphate designed "to smash modernism in government and society. In Palestine our first duty as Moslems is to crush Zionism, which is Jewish modernism. It is our patriotic duty. The Koran commands it." (pp92) . He feigns sympathy to the cause and his camera proves to be his entré gaining him membership in the Ikwan (Muslim Brotherhood), a correspondents card from the Arab League, written permission from Ahmed Hussein to take photographs of the Holy Warriors, accreditation from al Misri a leading Egyptian newspaper and a large button of the Mufti of Jerusalem against a vibrant background of red, black, and green Arab colours showing his allegiance to the cause. (pp137)
Attached to the Green Shirts he is befriended by Moustafa, a robust 28 year old who and former captain in the Egyptian army, now assigned to lead the Green Shirt guerrillas and an another group known as the "Followers of Truth" whose fanaticism against the Jews was even more religiously motivated. One of these is Ali who confides to Derounian:
"I must kill Jews, many Jews. I must kill till my arm is tired. I must not stop killing Jews till the bodies are this high. ..." The wild Arab brought one hand to his chin. "I must do one more thing. . . . For this I need your help, I want you to come with me the next time we fight the Yahood. When I catch a Jew alive I want you to be with me with your camera. I want you to take one picture of me holding the living Jew by the throat. I want you to take another picture while I stab the Jew in the neck. Then I want pictures as I stab him again and again in the neck, in the face, in the heart, in his belly . . . with this knife!" Ali whipped out a vicious blade. "After I have killed the Jew I want you to photograph me drinking his blood " (pp226)
Similarly in Gaza City he converses with a city councilman who when asked about his hopes for the war gestures to the Mediterranean and says: "See that water?" He pointed with his narghileh. "One month from now it will be black as far as the horizon with the nude bodies of floating Jews." (pp209) Much later on in Damascus he manages to have a brief meeting the infamous Hajj Amin al Husseyni whose presence permeates the narrative, however Husseyni declines to be interviewed extensively but allows Derounian to take his picture (pp408).
Derounian's perspectives on the Arab fighters and those who join the Arab cause often consisting of stateless former Nazis, Slavs and British deserters are a valuable window into the Arab side. Yet most memorable events of the book are during Derounian's time in Jerusalem.
Four episodes stand out. The first is Derounian`s arrival with Moustafa where he finds Arab fighters fresh from the Hadassah Convoy Massacre exchanging pictures of mutilated Jewish bodies, some stripped naked, as souvenirs.
The second is on May 13th, 1948 at the Armenian monastery (Vank). ,Haganah commandos enter the Armenian Quarter positioning themselves for an attack on the Old City. The Armenian Patriarch, fearing for the safety of his people, arranges a meeting with Mordecai Weingarten an old friend of his and mayor of the Jewish Quarter. Either out of concern over opening another front or respect for the community, the Haganah withdraws, no doubt leading to the loss of the Old City. Later Arab troops led by Armenian roughians overtake the Vank over the protests of Prelate Guregh Israelian, and use it as a base to fire on Jewish in the newer, western section of the city.
The third scene is after he crosses over to the Israeli side where the Jews, with food rationed to less than 800 calories per day, water and electricity completely cut off by the Arab siege, still manage to send the children to school and maintain both community and camaraderie.
Fouth, in Chapter 18, he returns to the Arab lines to report on the May 28th surrender of the the Old City. Standing on a rooftop he watches as the Jewish quarter burns, the homes and shops are looted by the mob, and the synagogues blown up with TNT by the army, and scrolls and books destroyed to ensure that the Jews, who had called the city their own for 3500 years, never return. Were it not for the trained discipline of Glub Pasha's Jordanian Legion supervising the exodus, Derounian writes, it would likely have ended in a massacre.
One of my earliest experiences in reading history was thru contemporary books such as the "Inside..." series by American journalist John Gunther. IMHO it is first hand accounts such as these that yield a more genuine and connected understanding of events than any layered reinterpretation produced long afterwards.
A favourite read, and repeated read. Highly recommended!!!
June 2, 2012
Brilliant, hilarious and amusing, a narrator with an eye for detail makes this such and easy read, but in fact this is a book everyone, and I mean everyone, should read. Because at the core, not much has changed in the Middle East... But much has been forgotten.
I would imagine it's hard to find a book like this nowadays,
I would imagine it's hard to find a book like this nowadays,
September 11, 2020
This book is a sort of investigative memoir of the author, John Carlson, written and published in 1951. He went undercover to England then to Cairo, Jerusalem, Jordan and as the title says, all the way to Damascus at a critical time just before, during and after the British pulled out of Israel. He arrays himself with the Jew hating Green Shirts and the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt and travels with them to Jerusalem. His vivid descriptions of the events along the way are riveting.
He experienced the battle for Jerusalem from both sides which is kind of crazy, but as a journalist and with lots of bluffing and lying as well as considerable danger, it worked.
Though Carlson is clearly religiously and philosophically more aligned with Israel, he is not unkind or biased in his portrayal of the different Arab peoples that he interacts with, and in one case in particular, considers as a true friend.
One such incident, towards the end of the book, relates how he shared in a meal with a stranger at a restaurant in a kind of beautiful, ritual way of Middle Eastern, Arab hospitality. The man noticed how hungry he was and offered to share his plate of food. After refusing once and being offered again, they indeed shared the dinner. When the author's dinner arrived, they shared that too. Here I quote, "After the dessert we sipped our coffee noisily (the noises are considered a sign of pleasure) and went together to the water tap to wash. My anonymous friend insisted I washed first while he held the towel. I waited till he had finished and turned over the community towel to him. We had broken bread in the best Arab tradition..."
He had some pretty rough experiences as well and does not hold back. What I love about this book is the excellent peek into history from angles I have never seen before. I am jealous of this guys innate curiosity that drove him into such dangerous waters. I highly recommend.
He experienced the battle for Jerusalem from both sides which is kind of crazy, but as a journalist and with lots of bluffing and lying as well as considerable danger, it worked.
Though Carlson is clearly religiously and philosophically more aligned with Israel, he is not unkind or biased in his portrayal of the different Arab peoples that he interacts with, and in one case in particular, considers as a true friend.
One such incident, towards the end of the book, relates how he shared in a meal with a stranger at a restaurant in a kind of beautiful, ritual way of Middle Eastern, Arab hospitality. The man noticed how hungry he was and offered to share his plate of food. After refusing once and being offered again, they indeed shared the dinner. When the author's dinner arrived, they shared that too. Here I quote, "After the dessert we sipped our coffee noisily (the noises are considered a sign of pleasure) and went together to the water tap to wash. My anonymous friend insisted I washed first while he held the towel. I waited till he had finished and turned over the community towel to him. We had broken bread in the best Arab tradition..."
He had some pretty rough experiences as well and does not hold back. What I love about this book is the excellent peek into history from angles I have never seen before. I am jealous of this guys innate curiosity that drove him into such dangerous waters. I highly recommend.
November 9, 2015
Entertaining read despite the obvious bias of the author. Like "Under Cover" he spends time with a diverse people who are involved with the conflict with many pretty much forgotten in history. Some people who he only briefly talks to turned out be pretty bigshots later like Pierre Gemayel.
November 3, 2025
This is one of the books I found in my father’s book shelf after he passed. My father grew up on the street with Carlson’s family and knew them well. The books were signed by Carlson with a note to my Mom and Dad. My brother is named after Carlson’s brother, so I know the validation of these books as true.
If you can find a copy it is a must read.
I have read Carlson’s book “Undercover “ about the Nazi facist infiltration of America supported by Hitler. I was good but terrifying.
This book “Cairo to Damascus “ was fantastic and should be a textbook of Middle East history. It gives a firsthand account of how this conflicted area became so troubled and barbarous.
It is extremely well written and passionate from an inside perspective. Well worth opening your mind to the truth and history you will never find in the history books.
If you can find a copy it is a must read.
I have read Carlson’s book “Undercover “ about the Nazi facist infiltration of America supported by Hitler. I was good but terrifying.
This book “Cairo to Damascus “ was fantastic and should be a textbook of Middle East history. It gives a firsthand account of how this conflicted area became so troubled and barbarous.
It is extremely well written and passionate from an inside perspective. Well worth opening your mind to the truth and history you will never find in the history books.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews