AHC: Russo-Turkish War in 1900-1914 period, Russia loses

In a world with no Ruso-Japanese war, make the Russians fight the Ottomans instead and lose traumatically. (This should also not spread to the Balkans.) POD is the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-8.
 

BooNZ

Banned
In a world with no Ruso-Japanese war, make the Russians fight the Ottomans instead and lose traumatically. (This should also not spread to the Balkans.) POD is the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-8.

Russians attempt to force the straights - as repeatedly threatened - landings go as would be expected (very badly) - European powers step in "to save Russian dignity". This might require improved Ottoman defences/ infrastructure in the Caucasus area - or maybe worse Russian infrastructure. While this conflict goes on, Russia loses over a third (40%?) of its international trade.
 
An alternate WW1 where the Ottomans join the winning side, while the Russians join the losing side, with the war being quicker and more decisive than OTL?
 
Speaking as a definite non-expert... Could the Turks manage a competent defense in the Caucasus? If they can do that, can we work out a PoD where the Ottomans go all in on a jeune ecole navy a few years before the war? If the Russians hit a wall in the mountains and try to force the straights... Bless them with a chauvinistic (but otherwise internationally well regarded) admiral who doesn't respect torpedoes and the prestige loss alone could be devastating... If the Japanese do have an axe to grind with Russia in this TL, would they dogpile on at this point?
 
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