The late Ottoman period

Week 3 – Part 2

The Balkan Wars (1912-13) • The outbreak of the Italo-

Turkish War encouraged the Balkan states to increase their territory at Turkish expense.

• Two short wars, fought for the possession of the European territories of the Ottoman Empire.

• Prepared the way for World War I by satisfying some of the aspirations of Serbia; by alarming Austria; and by giving causes of dissatisfaction to Bulgaria and Turkey.

Taha alyol elevda rumeli

The 1913 Ottoman coup d'état (January 23, 1913)

Using the Bulgarian demand for the cession of the former Ottoman capital city of Edirne (Adrianople) as a pretext, the CUP carried out the raid on the Sublime Porte. Coup leader Enver (later Pasha), soon to be Minister of War, withdrew the Ottoman Empire from the ongoing London Peace Conference and moved it closer to Germany ahead of World War I.

Causes of WWI

1) Colonialism/Imperialism: Need for raw materials and markets

2) Question of Germany’s Security: Tosted in-between two great power (Russia and France)

3) Europe out-of-balance: military advangements, the rise of Germany

4) Frence Revolution and its aftermath: The evil face of nationalism spread Europe.

5) Eastern Question: Race to get the lion share from ‘the sick man of Europe’

The Ottoman Empire and the WWI

-With their Pan-Turkist vision, Enver Pasha led CUP believed that no alternative to alligning with Germany. Neutrality is not an option.-Secret agreement with Germany on August,2,1914. -From balancing to taking side.

Armenian Question before & during the WWI

• As with the Eastern Question, it refers to the powers of Europe's involvement with the Armenian (loyal) subjects (millet-i sadıka) of the Ottoman Empire, beginning with the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 and their ambition to gain indepedence.

• Article 61 of the Berlin Congress (1878) mentioned the possibility of an "autonomous Armenia", transforming the Question" from an internal problem into an international one.

• Explains the 40 years of Armenian-Ottoman history in the context of English, German, and Russian politics between 1877–1914.

Bolshevik Revolution & Soviet withdrawal from the WWI

Two revolutions swept through Russia, ending centuries of imperial rule and setting in motion political and social changes that would lead to the formation of the Soviet Union.

In March, growing civil unrest, coupled with chronic food shortages, erupted into open revolt, forcing the abdication of Nicholas II (1868-1918), the last Russian czar.

Just months later, the newly installed provisional government was itself overthrown by the more radical Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924).

In December 1917, the Bolsheviks signed an armistice with the Central Powers, though by February 1918, fighting had resumed.

In March 1918, the Soviets ended involvement in the war for good and signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk; withdraw from the territory Russia took from the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), specifically Ardahan, Kars, and Batum.

American Enterance into WWI and 14 points

• President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the US, a position favored by the vast majority of Americans.

• Britain, however, was one of America's closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany .

• Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and, in February 1915, Germany announced unrestricted warfare against all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain.

• In February 1917, Germany, determined to win its war of attrition against the Allies, resumed its policy of unrestricted submarine warfare in war-zone waters.

• Wilson asked Congress for "a war to end all wars" that would "make the world safe for democracy", and Congress voted to declare war on Germany on April 6, 1917.

• Though the U.S. Army's contributions began slowly, they would eventually mark a major turning point in the war effort and help the Allies to victory.

The end of WWI : ‘Peace’ Treaties Following the signing of the armistices, the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 brought together the diplomats of 29 countries to draft a series of peace treaties. Further discussion and drafts ensued in the Conference of London and San Remo Conference of 1920.The important peace treaties drafted were:- Treaty of Versailles - between the Allied Powers and Germany on June 28,

1919. - Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye - Signed on September 10, 1919, the

Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye was a peace treaty between the Allied Powers and the Republic of Austria

- Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine - Signed by Bulgaria and the Allied Powers at the end of World War I.

- Treaty of Trianon - Signed on June 4, 1920, between Hungary and the Allied Powers

- The Treaty of Sèvres – Arguably most severe ‘peace’ treaty between the Ottoman Empire and Britain, France, and Italy.. The United States and Russia were not party to the treaty. It was signed on August 10, 1920