In late 1936 a coup d’état overthrew the most formidable, popular, and successful Arab politician of the interwar Middle East. A few months later, the former President, Yasin al-Hashimi of Iraq, died in exile at the age of 53. The coup that displaced him was the first of many in modern Arab history. For almost a century the coup has been named for Bakr Sidqi, the alleged mastermind on the Iraqi general staff. This paper shows that Yasin al-Hashimi was overthrown, and probably murdered, in linked British intelligence operations, and that the alleged Iraqi army leader was a mere instrument. Today most knowledgeable people the world over admit the injustice and damage British and French colonialism brought to the Middle East. This paper seeks to add specific evidence to the charge, but also to deepen understanding of the depths and consequences of colonial rule to the people of the region. If the first coup in the Arab World, and the murder of its most promising political leader, can be attributed to British and French diplomats, their responsibility for injustice and suffering, now and in the past, must be far greater than almost anyone recognizes.