Following World War I, British forces occupied Lebanon’s coastal areas after the collapse of Ottoman rule, but were soon replaced by French troops in 1919. The French expanded Lebanon’s territory to include Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and surrounding regions, forming Greater Lebanon in 1920. Under the French Mandate, a new currency tied to the French was introduced, and French became the official language. Initially, Turkish, revenue stamps were overprinted with “O.M.F.” (Occupation Militaire Française) or handstamped “T.E.O. OUEST” (Territoires Ennemis Occupés-West) for use in the newly occupied territories. The “O.M.F.” overprints were used across all areas occupied by the French, including Lebanon.