The Ottoman Empire in the first world war: A rational disaster

<p>The Ottoman Empire's entry into the First World War in October 1914 represents a break in over a century of diplomacy in the Middle East. Previous study of late Ottoman politics has focused more upon the European states with imperial interests in the Middle East and has not adequately explained why the weak Ottoman state decided to enter the war. This study utilizes both British and German diplomatic documents, along with published secondary works, to reframe the Ottoman entry into the war in a way that highlights Ottoman agency and illuminates the internal and external constraints faced by Ottoman statesmen. The study concludes that the Ottoman Empire entered the war on terms dictated by Istanbul and did so only because Britain, France, and Russia pursued a policy of active hostility to Ottoman interests.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History and Philosophy

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Penix, Matthew David

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jesse Kauffman, Ph.D., Chair
• John Knight, Ph.D.
• George Cassar, Ph.D.

• Britain
• Enver
• Germany
• Imperialism
• Ottoman
• WWI
• History

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/465

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1836