Neutral Ottoman Empire

What if the Ottoman Empire stayed Neutral in WWI? The Ottoman Empire is willing to trade or give loans to either side. While every one is distracted they conquer Saudi Arabia. During the Russian Civil War they seize the Caucacus from Russia.

ASB? Good way to advance to Great power status?
 
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[Nitpick]Saudi Arabia didn't exist at the time of World War I; the area was split between a couple tribal states and Ottoman territory.[/nitpick] That said, the Ottomans could certainly decide to take the opportunity to squish the Saud family and any other troublesome groups in the area.

The Ottomans would definately derive some benefits from holding to neutrality; they could throw out the Capitulations and other unfavorable agreements with Europe and would certainly benefit from being able to trade with all sides of the conflict. Britain's blockade of Germany will be somewhat less effective since the Ottomans would be able to trade overland with Germany and serve as middlemen for others wishing to do so.

One thing I'm curious about; what would the status of the Straits be for a neutral Ottoman Empire? Would they allow the Entente to send military aid, supplies and possibly reinforcements to Russia via the Black Sea, or would there be some restrictions?

Assuming a Russian revolution/civil war much like OTL, the Ottomans would be in a difficult position when if they wanted to sieze the Caucasus. While they could certainly take the area (and probably also cause all kinds of trouble stirring up pan-turkist sentiments in Central Asia) eventually the civil war would come to an end and whichever party ruled Russia would demand the return of their territory.

Assuming no calamity, the Ottomans would soon be in a position to make money hand over fist with oil, which if they manage it right would easily be enough to restore them to Great Power status.
 
Assuming a Russian revolution/civil war much like OTL, the Ottomans would be in a difficult position when if they wanted to sieze the Caucasus. While they could certainly take the area (and probably also cause all kinds of trouble stirring up pan-turkist sentiments in Central Asia) eventually the civil war would come to an end and whichever party ruled Russia would demand the return of their territory.

OTL there were nationalist movements seceding all over the place. If the Ottomans supported the Azeri as a client state, then the Russians (when sorted) can't demand the return of Azerbaijan from the Ottomans because they don't have it, and if they did attack Azerbaijan, then the Ottomans, and quite possibly the British (from Persia), may well be in a position to prevent them succeeding

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
I'm pretty sure that a neutral Ottomans with the Dardanelles open will lead to an early Entente victory and a surviving Imperial Russia - so there will be no Russian civil war to exploit.

I'm also doubtful about the ability of the Ottomans to dispute British clientisation of Arabia, even with the British busy (with the troops not used in the Middle East probably in the Balkans supporting a much more successfuly Serbia and allied Romania and possibly Bulgaria).
 
Actually the Saudis invaded Al-Hasa in the fall of 1913 so the Ottomans would be compelled to crush them if they weren't distracted by the Balkan Wars and WW1. As this time it's more than a simple rebellion the Ottomans could have chosen to erased them definitely rather than returning them to a vassal status that was broken each 10 or 20 years, and the Saud lands would have been given to the more loyal Rashidis.
 
What was it that the central powers actually offered the Ottomans in order to convince them to fight? All I can remember are the Goeben and Breslau, but I'm sure the price of their support wasn't simply two warships!
 
Not that much.

The Young Turks were a bit hotheaded about British repossession of a couple ships intended for the Ottoman Navy, and the German "gifts" sort of sealed the deal. Neutrality was largely decided against for fear that the winning side would immediately carve up the empire, and the Entente (thanks to Churchill, actually) had just offered insult, so they went for it.
 
Not that much.

The Young Turks were a bit hotheaded about British repossession of a couple ships intended for the Ottoman Navy, and the German "gifts" sort of sealed the deal. Neutrality was largely decided against for fear that the winning side would immediately carve up the empire, and the Entente (thanks to Churchill, actually) had just offered insult, so they went for it.

Oh Churchill did more than that! He actually let the Ottomans to finish paying for the ships before repossessing it. I think after the last installment was wired, hours later the ships were taken.

Perfidious Albion! :D
 
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