The collapse of Syria into civil war over the past several years has spawned a regional crisis whose reverberations grow louder with each passing month. In this timely account, John McHugo seeks to contextualize the headlines by providing broad historical perspective and a richly layered analysis of a country few in the United States know or understand. The result is a rigorous narrative that explains both the creation and the unraveling of the current regime and the roots of the broader Middle East conflict.

The land that once was known as Shaam -- French rule, 1920-1946 -- From independence to Hafez al-Assad, 1946-1970 -- Hafez al-Assad, 1970-2000: foreign policy challenges -- Inside the Syria of Hafez al-Assad, 1970-2000 -- Bashar al-Assad, 2000-: from succession to civil war -- Drawing the threads together.