the beginnings of ottoman-german partnership - Bilkent University

CONCLUSION:
The Ottoman Empire chose to become involved in the First World War on the side of
the Central Powers. On both sides, it was not a carefully planned, clearly defined,
and wholeheartedly believed decision. Although Germany and the Ottoman Empire
had close ties for more than forty years, the history of the relations between the two
countries did not influence their decision much to conclude an alliance in the final
stage. Instead it was the diplomatic improvisation of Germany led by Kaiser Wilhelm
II in July 1914 and the individual decisions of Enver, Talat and later Cemal, which
made the German-Ottoman alliance possible. “Faced with the likelihood of a general
European war, Germany’s leaders in late July 1914 abruptly set aside their
misgivings about a close association with the decrepit Ottoman state and accepted
the proffered military help of the Turks.” 260 The Turks, whose fate was in the hands
of Enver Paşa and his close colleagues, thought that the Central Powers would be
victorious in a general European war. The Ottoman leaders thought that it was
impossible to stay out of war, and that joining the Central Powers would help them
reconstruct the Empire.
I have tried to analyze the course of the Ottoman-German military and
diplomatic relations before the First World War and to see whether the Ottoman-
German alliance was the inevitable outcome of the close economic, military and
diplomatic relations which had been developed during the previous quarter century.
It is difficult to conclude that the alliance was as inevitable as has been depicted
since the Ottomans made several attempts to secure alliances with France, Great
260 Trumpener, Germany and the Ottoman Empire: 1914-1918, p. 366.
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