the beginnings of ottoman-german partnership - Bilkent University

signals about the Kaiser's real intentions, Wangenheim succeeded in showing 'sincere'
German friendship to the Ottoman government. The political chaos in the Ottoman
Empire, however, made it very difficult for Mahmut Şevket Paşa to understand
Germany's real intentions. Turfan argues that “...the real cause of the Grand Vizier’s
wish to invite a prominent German general to reorganize the Ottoman Army, was his
prevailing aspiration establish explicit control over the officer corps.” 118 Whether this
statement is true or not, the vizier tried to use the new mission as a political tool,
especially against the Ottoman liberals who were being supported by the British. On
June 11, 1913, however, Mahmut Şevket Paşa was assassinated. Cemal Paşa’s
memoirs stated that it was the work of the Ottoman liberals led by Kamil Paşa, Damat
Salih Paşa and Fitzmaurice, and Tyrel from the British Embassy. 119 The assassination
might have been the work of the military circles, 120 because Mahmut Şevket Paşa had
been working to keep the military officers out of politics. In a telegram of 13 June,
two days after the assassination, the British ambassador wrote:
It is not clear whether murder was a result of an opposition plot or of an
act of revenge for assassination of General Nazım Paşa at the Porte on 23 rd
January. Despite denials there would seem to have been a participation of
section of military element. 121
On June 15, 1913, German general Otto Liman von Sanders received a
letter asking whether he would accept to lead the military reform mission that would
be sent to Turkey. He accepted, and before coming to Turkey, Wilhelm II ordered
him to draw politics out of the Ottoman army. 122 The Kaiser might well have known
more about Mahmut Şevket’s death that he told Von Sanders, since many Ottomans
118 Turfan, p. 308.
119 For the details of the assassination, see Cemal Paşa, pp. 31-53, Aydemir, pp. 396-398.
120 Yalçın claimed that though Cemal knew about the plans of assassination and could prevent it, but
he did not. Yalçın, p. 194.
121 Turfan, p. 328 Turfan covers almost ten pages for the events behind the scene of assassination. pp.
321-330.
122 Otto Liman Von Sanders, Türkiye’de Beş Yıl, (İstanbul: Burçak Yayınevi, 1968), pp. 13-14 Here
Kaiser stated that the biggest mistake of the Ottoman military officers was to meddle with politics.
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