the beginnings of ottoman-german partnership - Bilkent University

included in the negotiations. On the Ottoman side, however, something different was
going on. Said Halim, Enver, and Talat were trying to act on their own in this matter,
without consulting or getting the opinions of other members of the Cabinet. Whereas
the German ambassador was fully authorized about the negotiations, the Ottomans
did not even inform their ambassador in Berlin, Mahmud Muhtar Paşa about what
was going on. Said Halim, Enver, Talat and Halil were thus fully responsible for the
signing of the treaty that would drag Turkey into the war a few months later.
After a few days of negotiations between the two governments, on July 31,
1914 German chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg fully authorized Wangenheim to sign
the treaty. 185 The next day, Wangenheim advised German Foreign Office that: “in
case the Goeben (German battleship) should not be absolutely needed in
Mediterranean, then she would well be in position, strengthened by Turkish fleet, to
keep Russian Black Sea Fleet in check, assure cable connections with Rumania, and
prevent a Russian landing on Bulgarian coast.” 186 Once the alliance was concluded,
therefore, it was almost certain that the Ottoman Empire would be involved in the
World War on the side of Germany.
Wangenheim reported to von Jagow on August 2, 1914 that Grand Vizier
Said Halim Paşa and Wangenheim signed the Treaty of Alliance between Germany
and Turkey at four p.m. on that day:
Constantinople, August 2, 1914
1. Both contracting parties pledge to preserve strict neutrality in regard to
the present conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.
185 Jackh, p. 18. However, Hollweg reminded Wangenheim that: “It should be established beforehand,
whether Turkey can and will undertake worth-while action against Russia. In case of negative answer,
alliance would, of course, be worthless and should not be signed.” Hasan Babacan, ‘Enver Paşa’,
Türkler (Cilt: 13), (Ankara: Yeni Türkiye Yayınları, 2002), p. 269.
186 Jackh, p. 19.
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