On the eve of the First World War, the Ottoman Empire was in ruinous shape. As a result of successive wars fought in this period, territories were lost, the economy was in shambles and people were demoralized and tired. The Empire needed a respite to recover and to reform itself. But this was increasingly becoming impossible since war was on the horizon in Europe and Ottoman neutrality was unlikely to be preserved in the war.
With neutrality being impossible, the Empire decided to throw to join one of the two camps. This was not by choice, since after the Italo-Turkish War and Balkan Wars, their resources were completely drained. There were not adequate quantities of weaponry and machinery left; and neither did the Empire have the financial means to purchase new ones. The only option for the Sublime Porte was to establish an alliance with a European power. The Empire didn't care who their ally was, as long as they were able to organize their own domestic administration, strength and maintain their commerce and industry and expand their railroads. The Ottoman military was also in desperate need of modernization.
While the Empire needed allies, those prospective allies did not want the Ottoman Empire. The Russians tried to give it terms which would've essentially made it a protectorate, so the Empire backed out. The French were not likely to accept a alliance with the Ottomans since their main ally was Russia.
The British always kept the Ottomans at arm's length. During the 19th Century, Lord Palmerston considered the Ottoman Empire an essential component in the balance of power and was the most favourable toward Constantinople. William Gladstone in the 1870s sought to build a Concert of Europe that would support the survival of the empire. However, the British government, as a whole, did not take a liking to the Young Turks' ideology, which included pan-Islamism and pan-Turkism, thanks to a report by Sir Gerard Lowther, the British ambassador to Constantinople. His replacement, Sir Louis Mallet, was more open to the idea of a British-Turkish alliance upon becoming Ambassador in 1913.
All the while this was happening, the Turks had offered an agreement with Britain three times in 1908, 1911 and 1913. In the latter year, Turkey offered britain a dfensive alliance, but Turkey was seen as too weak and the proposal too challenging to the European powers.
However, the German Empire was not so willing to let a potential ally go to waste. The German interest in a alliance with the Ottoman Empire was purely strategic. The Orient Express had run directly to Constantinople since 1889, and prior to the First World War, the Sultan had consented to a plan to extend it through Anatolia to Baghdad under German auspices. This would strengthen the Ottoman Empire's link with industrialized Europe, while also giving Germany easier access to its African colonies and to trade markets in India.
A secret treaty was concluded between the Ottoman Empire and the German Empire on August 2, 1914. The Ottoman Empire was to enter the war on the side of the Central Powers one day after the German Empire declared war on Russia. The alliance was ratified on 2 August by many high-ranking Ottoman officials, including Grand Vizier Said Halim Pasha, the Minister of War Enver Pasha, the Interior Minister Talat Pasha, and Head of Parliament Halil Bey.
However, due to the signature of the Sultan not being present on the document (as was required as per the Ottoman Constitution), due to the Sultan wanting the Ottoman Empire remaining neutral, Ottoman involvement in the war was delayed until Ottoman Minister of War, Enver Pasha, with German backing, launched a unprovoked attack on Russian ports in the Black Sea, forcing the Russians to declare war on the Ottoman Empire.
So, what if the British were willing to take a risk with the Ottoman Empire and make an agreement which would've brought the Ottoman Empire into World War I on the side of the Allies?
With neutrality being impossible, the Empire decided to throw to join one of the two camps. This was not by choice, since after the Italo-Turkish War and Balkan Wars, their resources were completely drained. There were not adequate quantities of weaponry and machinery left; and neither did the Empire have the financial means to purchase new ones. The only option for the Sublime Porte was to establish an alliance with a European power. The Empire didn't care who their ally was, as long as they were able to organize their own domestic administration, strength and maintain their commerce and industry and expand their railroads. The Ottoman military was also in desperate need of modernization.
While the Empire needed allies, those prospective allies did not want the Ottoman Empire. The Russians tried to give it terms which would've essentially made it a protectorate, so the Empire backed out. The French were not likely to accept a alliance with the Ottomans since their main ally was Russia.
The British always kept the Ottomans at arm's length. During the 19th Century, Lord Palmerston considered the Ottoman Empire an essential component in the balance of power and was the most favourable toward Constantinople. William Gladstone in the 1870s sought to build a Concert of Europe that would support the survival of the empire. However, the British government, as a whole, did not take a liking to the Young Turks' ideology, which included pan-Islamism and pan-Turkism, thanks to a report by Sir Gerard Lowther, the British ambassador to Constantinople. His replacement, Sir Louis Mallet, was more open to the idea of a British-Turkish alliance upon becoming Ambassador in 1913.
All the while this was happening, the Turks had offered an agreement with Britain three times in 1908, 1911 and 1913. In the latter year, Turkey offered britain a dfensive alliance, but Turkey was seen as too weak and the proposal too challenging to the European powers.
However, the German Empire was not so willing to let a potential ally go to waste. The German interest in a alliance with the Ottoman Empire was purely strategic. The Orient Express had run directly to Constantinople since 1889, and prior to the First World War, the Sultan had consented to a plan to extend it through Anatolia to Baghdad under German auspices. This would strengthen the Ottoman Empire's link with industrialized Europe, while also giving Germany easier access to its African colonies and to trade markets in India.
A secret treaty was concluded between the Ottoman Empire and the German Empire on August 2, 1914. The Ottoman Empire was to enter the war on the side of the Central Powers one day after the German Empire declared war on Russia. The alliance was ratified on 2 August by many high-ranking Ottoman officials, including Grand Vizier Said Halim Pasha, the Minister of War Enver Pasha, the Interior Minister Talat Pasha, and Head of Parliament Halil Bey.
However, due to the signature of the Sultan not being present on the document (as was required as per the Ottoman Constitution), due to the Sultan wanting the Ottoman Empire remaining neutral, Ottoman involvement in the war was delayed until Ottoman Minister of War, Enver Pasha, with German backing, launched a unprovoked attack on Russian ports in the Black Sea, forcing the Russians to declare war on the Ottoman Empire.
So, what if the British were willing to take a risk with the Ottoman Empire and make an agreement which would've brought the Ottoman Empire into World War I on the side of the Allies?