51 – The Time for Decision (2)
Berlin, capital of the German Empire.
Since my return, I have been striving to paint a favorable picture of Germany and have succeeded in gaining an advantage over the Russo-British Alliance.
Now, pushing forward with the current momentum, it seemed likely that we would achieve victory without much difficulty.
Unless there were any special variables.
However, the recent actions of the British indicated that we had reached near their red line. Military support for our adversary, purchasing bonds, ensuring safe passage in the Mediterranean. London was indirectly waging war against us.
If we climbed just one more step, it was obvious that we could seize any excuse and declare war. If we didn’t want that, we had to compromise with Britain and conclude this war at the level of a “border skirmish.”
But were we really fighting this war just for such limited achievements?
Therefore, London’s mediation was unacceptable and we had no intention of accepting it.
Even if Britain stood against us, it wouldn’t be a problem.
We had stored a year’s worth of provisions and obtained an abundant amount of guano. Adding Harbor’s technology, there was no shortage of nitrate.
“Come to think of it, there’s no reason to wear the mask of peace.”
The Balkan front disappeared, and soon the Eastern front would become “non-existent.”
If we brought the Ottoman Empire into the war now, we could effectively block Russia’s lifeline through the Dardanelles and Bosporus. Wasn’t that why we had prepared the groundwork in the Ottoman Empire?
It was certain that if we mobilized the aging empire of the Middle East, we would gain the upper hand. No matter how many times I ran the calculations, it was the same.
Is this thinking too Prussian?
I was lost in thought for a long time.
Four months.
Come to think of it, I had successfully prevented Britain from joining the war by keeping an eye on their movements.
At this point, I felt that I had achieved my original goal. We had secured the Baltic Sea and had already created a position to defeat Russia three years ahead of schedule.
“After all, if we are to become the losers of this continent, we must break Britain’s arrogance.”
The dilemma continued for some time, but my determination did not waver.
Without Russia, we would dominate the ground war. Tanks are being prepared, and we have chemical weapons.
Even if Britain sends an expeditionary force, we would not be pushed back on the ground. The navy is a bit of a concern, but since we have neutralized the Russian navy, the burden is less.
If things don’t work out, we can try one more round.
I raised the walkie-talkie.
*
The capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul.
The military exchange between the German Empire and the Ottoman Empire had a long history. Even the architect of German unification, Helmuth von Moltke, had experience of serving in Egypt and the Ottoman Empire. Enver Pasha, a skilled Ottoman military figure, evaluated the German military power highly through such personal exchanges.
This perspective of the Ottoman regime was justified and deepened by the fact that there was no direct territorial understanding between Germany and the Ottoman Empire. As the pro-German faction gained power, the Ottoman Empire gradually began to rely on Germany in terms of security. The appointment of German officer Erich Serno to oversee the construction of the air force was also part of this security cooperation.
In the army, a military advisory group supported Otto von Sanders to acquire military knowledge and import weapon systems, and technicians like Heinrich Frank assisted in the maintenance of the navy’s artillery.
Military cooperation in all fields deepened to the point where it became difficult for the Ottoman Empire to consider cutting ties with Germany and remaining a neutral country, especially at the time of the outbreak of war. Enver Pasha, representing the military, took the lead in a secret offensive alliance with Germany, citing these points.
However, it didn’t take long for the fact that the alliance with Germany was a very dangerous gamble to be proven. Despite the Ottoman authorities’ refusal, the German Mediterranean squadron, which continued to advance to Constantinople, dropped anchor right in front of the capital, dealing a devastating blow to the empire’s diplomacy. The Ottoman Empire government barely resolved this situation by purchasing German warships, but it could not avoid being treated as a potential enemy from the Triple Entente negotiations.
The Ottoman Empire government was at a loss, but there was no sharp solution. Intelligence agent Halim Pasha and Grand Vizier Halem Pasha suggested delaying and observing, and Enver Pasha and the military were also in agreement for the time being.
However, in the past few weeks, as the Allied powers repeatedly achieved overwhelming victories, the thinking of the military changed considerably. Enver Pasha put forward the opinion that if the Allied powers could ultimately achieve victory, it would be appropriate to side with them and restore the lost territories in the empire’s national interest.
“If the German Empire wins, wouldn’t it be in the long-term interest of the empire to side with them?”
“If Germany becomes the loser in Europe, siding with them will also help future security.”
The Bulgarian government, which formed an alliance, also sent an envoy to encourage participation in the war, so the voice that it would be better to join the Allied powers gained strength.
From Noble mtl dot com
Furthermore, the incident where British Navy Minister Churchill sent a letter stating that he would handle the issue of the impounded battleships in a “forward-looking” manner and return the money invested in the construction of the battleships in one lump sum added fuel to the fire. In fact, this was an absurd proposal that made no sense even with a little thought.
If the proposal from Churchill were accepted, the Ottoman Empire would find it difficult to guarantee the safety of its own shores for the time being. This was because even Greece, which possessed outdated pre-dreadnought battleships, would not be easily dealt with until they acquired new battleships. This was a security issue before money.
The Ottoman Empire government was furious at Churchill’s arrogant proposal.
“That pig-like bastard! Where did he come up with such absurd conditions?”
“Let’s show that British pirate scum what we’re made of!”
Because of this one letter, the fate of Constantinople was sealed. Rather than being led by the British, the prevailing argument became to secure Germany as a reliable ally.
Of course, siding with Germany meant being pro-German and anti-British. However, there were not many who opposed this.
Apart from the military junta that held the real power of the empire, even the key figures in the secret service and the cabinet, and even the caliph himself, did not voice their opposition. Although not everyone agreed, it was practically an implicit consensus.
As the tide of the Ottoman Empire quickly shifted towards Germany, the German ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Richard von Kühlmann, swiftly took action. In order to narrow the position of the opposition, von Kühlmann spread rumors through the newspapers and prepared a plan to legitimize the Ottoman’s participation in the Mediterranean theater by sitting down with Admiral Wilhelm Souchon. There was no reason to hesitate as long as the Kaiser was in power.
The Ottoman plan for participation was originally intended to be pursued after creating a more favorable atmosphere, but there was no reason to stick to the original timetable in the rapidly changing situation. Admiral Souchon, who heard the outline of the conspiracy devised by von Kühlmann, was quite taken aback.
“Attacking the Crimean Peninsula without the approval of the Ottoman government? Isn’t that an act of piracy?”
Although Admiral Souchon was not the one to bring up the fact that he had brought the fleet to Constantinople against the will of the Ottoman government, this was a completely different matter. It was honestly no different from acting like a pirate, hoisting the flag of a country that was not even his own and firing cannons at Russia.
However, von Kühlmann was more than just a pirate. If necessary, he didn’t care about anything other than dropping an atomic bomb on someone.
“It may seem like piracy. But we have a duty to act in the interests of the German Empire, don’t we?”
Admiral Souchon couldn’t easily answer. When he had no relationship with the Ottoman Empire, he could close his eyes and accept it, but now the situation was different. The admiral was in the position of officially receiving command of the fleet from the Ottoman government.
Provoking acts of war from here would be nothing short of betraying the trust of the Ottoman authorities who believed in him.
Von Kühlmann urged for an answer once again.
“Your Excellency, you must remember the flag we swore loyalty to. Was the oath of loyalty that soldiers speak of just a mere slogan?”
“That… No, it wasn’t.”
After a long pause, the admiral gave a painful answer. It was a very agonizing task to choose between personal beliefs and the oath of loyalty to the nation. But he was a soldier and did not deny his duty.
“Prepare the operation within the range that the Turks won’t notice. You can disguise it as a training exercise. We will also grease the wheels at our embassy.”
“What is the target, Crimea?”
The admiral asked, swallowing his bitter emotions.
“Of course it’s Sebastopol, isn’t it? The Admiral knows there’s no better place to provoke Russia than the Black Sea.”
Sebastopol was both the main port of the Black Sea Fleet and the core city of the Crimean Peninsula. It was clear that if they touched it, Russia would respond with a declaration of war.
Once the decision was made, the Admiral showed no signs of hesitation. He asked firmly.
“How long do we have to prepare?”
“If you can have the operation ready by next week, that would be enough.”
“Do you plan to involve Turkey in the operation this month?”
“That would be the most reasonable timing for us. Once Romania joins and the Ottoman Empire participates, everyone will believe in the strength of the alliance. It will be the perfect opportunity to warn the countries with foolish thoughts.”
That was the situation.
Seeing Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, the two major powers of the Balkans, joining the allied side one after another, the other countries in the Balkans had no choice but to consider their options.
Von Coolman, who requested Admiral Jouton to execute the attack plan on Sebastopol, proposed to meet immediately with Enver Pasha, the head of the Joint Progressive Committee, and move the German warships stationed in Constantinople to a port on the Black Sea.
Enver Pasha was annoyed by this issue and also irritated by the subtle pressure exerted by the German warships stationed there, so he readily agreed.
“If Germany agrees to move the warships, I have no objections either. However, since there is a possibility that it might provoke Russia even more in the Black Sea, let’s carefully choose the port.”
“Of course.”
Von Coolman let the British and Russian forces exhaust themselves by using a large number of troops to withdraw, and reached an agreement with Enver Pasha.
But it was not the German embassy that proposed this suggestion, saying that the Ottoman Empire would be better off. Von Coolman pretended to have the influence to exercise in the Aegean Sea in front of the Istanbul Sea, but in fact, he intended to openly send the fleet to the Black Sea using this agreement.
The fleet commander, captains, and crew were all Germans, so there was no one left to stop the attack on Sebastopol.
The Germans who controlled the naval arsenal were also fully prepared to assist the fleet’s operation.
Von Coolman maintained a humble expression until he left in front of Enver Pasha, but inside, he was filled with satisfaction.
“With this, everything is accomplished.”
Phone Coolman looked down at the view of Constantinople, where darkness had descended. The shadow of war loomed over the Ottoman Empire.