Jordan ended British command of its armed forces in 1956, asserting political independence and renaming the Arab Legion the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Key Facts
- Date of dismissal
- 1 March 1956
- British commander dismissed
- Glubb Pasha
- First Arab commander appointed
- Major General Radi Annab
- Force renamed to
- Jordanian Armed Forces
- Annual commemoration
- 1 March, observed yearly in Jordan
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
King Hussein sought to assert Jordan's political independence from Britain, replace British officers with Jordanian ones, and improve relations with neighboring Arab states that viewed the continued British command of Jordan's military with deep suspicion.
On 1 March 1956, King Hussein dismissed Glubb Pasha and other senior British officers from command of the Arab Legion, appointing Major General Radi Annab as the first Arab commander. The Legion was simultaneously renamed the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Britain reacted furiously but took no further action after concluding the decision did not sever the alliance. Jordanian streets saw large public celebrations, inter-Arab relations improved, and Jordan now marks 1 March as an annual national commemoration.