Unionist Failure to Stay out of the War in October-November 1914

Abstract

The Committee of Union and Progress hoped for a short war and had no intention of becoming a belligerent. But Britain’s decision to confiscate two battle ships being built for İstanbul and the arrival of two German war ships in the Marmara on 10 August, weakened their position. Still, the Unionists were determined to stay out of the war even though they had handed over the army and the navy to Berlin. The crucial problem was that the Ottomans were bankrupt. The Unionists were divided between the war faction and peaceniks. The war faction, led by Enver and Cemal Pashas, agreed to permit the Ottoman navy, commanded by Admiral Souchon, to sail into the Black Sea and attack only Russian ships. Souchon, however, who took his orders from Berlin, attacked Russian ports. The Entente Powers then declared war on İstanbul and she could no longer stay out of the World War