Part 7/14:
Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, Baathist influence expanded across the Arab world, with branches established in Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Yemen. In Syria, it became the second-largest party by mid-decade, reflecting growing political strength. A major turning point occurred in 1958 when Syria and Egypt merged into the United Arab Republic—a bold experiment in Arab unity. Yet, this union unraveled swiftly, collapsing in 1961 due to centralized control in Cairo, with Syrian leaders feeling betrayed and marginalized.