Reshaping the Middle East and the Fall of Ottomans

The Middle East is a colonial invention serving the Eurocentric western powers.

Colonial expansionism, control of the trade routes both land and seas, the discovery of oil, the rise of British and French empires, assumption of the superiority of the western civilization to lead the eastern societies all led to the reshaping of the Middle East

World War 1 (1914-1918) was the most cataclysmic man-made event in history that led to the realignment of the world order, death of empires, birth of nations, economic prosperity for some countries, and doom to many.

This War in which thirty nations were involved caused the downfall of the Austria-Hungary Empire, German Empire, Ottoman Empire, and the Russian empire.

It caused 20 million deaths, 9.7 million militaries, and about ten million civilian deaths. 21 million people were wounded. About 1.5 % population of the Ottoman Empire was killed during the war.

It changed the boundaries of the Middle East and reshaped it into the protectorate of the British and France. It alternated the map of Europe with the emergence of new countries like Czechoslovakia, Finland, Latvia, Estonia Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Austria

Ottomans ruled for nearly 600 years and their reign ended in 1922 with the formation of the Republic of Turkey. It ruled a large swath of land extending from Southeastern Europe, the Balkan region, Portions of the Middle East parts of Arabia, North Africa, and Algeria were all part of the Ottoman Empire.

Decades before the First World War the Ottoman Empire was in decline.

Economic difficulties for the Ottomans began in the late 16th century when the Dutch and British completely closed the international trade routes through the Middle East. Inflation weakened the traditional industries and trades which were unable to compete with European powers.  Between 1854 and 1881, the Ottoman Empire went through one of the most critical phases of the history of its relations with European powers. Beginning with the first foreign loan contracted in 1854 and then kept on taking loans from Western powers. The formal bankruptcy of the Empire in 1875 resulted in the collapse of the entire system in one of the most spectacular financial crashes of the period. However, a generous German offer of a gold loan and pledges for more along with political miscalculations led to the Ottoman declaration of war against the Entente Powers

The Siege of Vienna, (July 17–September 12, 1683), by the Ottomans in which they were defeated by John III Sobieski of Poland, marked the end of Ottoman domination in Eastern Europe and its military decline.  In the late 17th and 18th centuries, the Russo-Turkish wars and wars with Austria and Poland further weakened the empire, which in the 19th century came to be called the “sick man of Europe.”.

The French annexed Algeria in 1830, and Tunisia in 1878. Britain seized Egypt and Yemen in 1882.  Italy seized Libya in 1912.  Most of its remaining European territory was lost in the Balkan Wars (1912–13).

At the beginning of November 1914, the Ottomans rather than staying neutral sided with the Germans and the Sultan declaring military Jihad against the British, France, and Russia.  2^nd November 1914 Russia and Serbia declared war on Turkey and on 5^th November 1914 Britain and France declared war on Turkey

Thomas Edward Lawrence or Lawrence of Arabia is credited with playing a prominent role in the Arab revolt (1916-1918) against the Ottomans. He acted as a liaison officer between the British government and Bedouin tribes to organize the revolt against the Turks.

Sykes-Picot agreement 

In 1916 the British and the French reached an agreement called the Sykes-Picot agreement under which Palestine, Jordan, and Iraq were designated British whereas Syria and Lebanon were assigned to the French should the allies win the war.

This agreement was negotiated in secret. It negated the promise made by the British to Arabs that if they revolt against the Ottoman they will be given independence.

League of Nation Mandate

This mandate was given to the Victors of WW1 to govern the former German and Turkish territories.  Under the mandate system, Syria and Lebanon went to France, British took over Palestine and three Ottoman provinces of Mesopotamia to create Iraq

Balfour declaration  

Lord Balfour the Foreign Secretary of Britain was instrumental in establishing the state of Israel.  Baron Rothschild a leader in the Zionist movement compel Lord Balfour regarding the establishment of Israel on Palestinian lands.

Lord Balfour on 2nd November 2017 sent a letter to Baron Rothschild

Her Majesty government’s view favors the establishment in Palestine of national homes for Jewish people and will use their best endeavor to facilitate the achievement of this objective

What did the Ottomans lose as a result of WWI?

They lost the Ottoman Empire

Treaty of Sevres 1920

It was the agreement between the victorious allied forces and the representative of the Ottoman Empire (10 August 1920). It ended the Ottoman Empire and Turkey had to renounce all rights over Arab, Asia, and North Africa. It was replaced by the Treaty of Lausanne

Treaty of Lausanne 1923

This was the final Treaty concluding WW1.  It led to the recognition of the sovereignty of the new Republic of Turkey as a successor of the Ottoman Empire and the Ottoman public debt was distributed among Turkey and the countries emerging from the former Ottoman Empire.

What did Germany lose as a result of WW1?

They lost the German empire

Treaty of Versailles 1919

Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28th, 1919 between Germany and allied forces formally ending the war

As a result

Germany had to bear the blame for starting the war

The area’s own before was taken from it like Alsace Lorraine it conceded to France. Some areas of Germany were given to Poland and Denmark.

It was banned from having an army of more than 100000

Having any submarines or air force.

The country had to pay132 billion gold marks as reparation for war damages.

In Germany, the Socialist revolution broke out in 1918-1919 leading to the creation of the Weimar Republic which lasted until Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party seized power in early 1930.

Chilcot report 

The Chilcot report published on 6th July 2016 showed

There was no imminent threat to Britain or the Western interest in 2003 by Saddam Hussain

Events leading to the Iraq war were exaggerated

One sentence by Tony Blair ‘ I will be with you whatever ‘.  A memo with United States President shows that human life and suffering mean nothing regarding colonial powers’ interests.

Conclusion

It looks like the reshaping of the Middle East and the breakup of the Ottoman territory was an imperial and colonizing design by the rising imperial powers against the defeated ones.