In this series, we are discussing the events of World War I that led to the partition of the Ottoman Empire.
This is episode 5-21: Russians and Ottomans.
Before we get into the episode, let’s do a brief recap of where we are so far:
- Outnumbered and fighting on two fronts, Germany is looking for a way to quickly end the war
- They decide to reinstate unlimited submarine warfare, angering US President Woodrow Wilson
- Germany secretly seeks an alliance with Mexico in the Zimmerman Telegram
- The secret gets out and the US declares war on Germany
- Estimating they have a year before American troops arrive, Germany plots to get Russia out of the war
And with that, let’s begin our discussion of the Russian Revolution.
Russia and the Ottoman Empire
Before World War I, the Ottoman Empire and Russia had fought several wars against each other. The Ottoman Empire lost most of these wars, contributing to its steady decline.
The primary reason for these wars, was Russia’s desire for a warm water port. The Black Sea was Russia’s only access to the Mediterranean region.