Origin of the Western & Middle Eastern Minds
(Preview)
Origin of the Western & Middle Eastern Minds
…If Russia could take the Austrian Empire it would be situated
in such a position to prevent the Berlin-Baghdad railroad from
going through to Germany. It would also be in an ideal position
to move on the newly formed Balkan states and the remaining Ottoman
Empire. It seems entirely possible that the Russians felt the perfect
opportunity would not present itself again; therefore, it had to
be acted upon immediately. In 1917 the Russian revolution began
and prevented her from capitalizing on her expansion gains—for
the time being.
--Prior to WWI, groups opposed to
the repression of the sultan were growing. Among them was a group
of army officers called the Young Turks (Committee for Union
and Progress, CUP). By 1908 they were able to force the sultan
to restore the constitution and parliamentary government. “The
Young Turks continued the Ottoman reform process, opening schools
to women and overseeing legislative progress for women’s
rights. External threats plagued the CUP, however. The Italians
invaded Tripoli in 1911 and gained sovereignty there in 1912.
The two Balkan Wars from 1912 to 1913, the first a complete disaster,
and the second less so, cost the Ottomans most of their territory
in the Balkans.”
|
