The External Unrests. Ottomans in World War I: As the Ottomans entered the first global warin November 1914, they faced several threats of war on all their frontiers. With over 7,500 miles of borders and coastlines spanning the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, the Ottomans had to fight on several fronts. Already in July 1914, Tsar Xxxxxxxx XX ordered the full mobilization of the Russian Army. In fact, the most reasonableexplanation for Xxxxxxxx’ order was to preserve his empire’s dignity and position in front European powers. Xxxx Xxxxxxxx announced: “We have now to intercede not only for a related country, unjustly attacked,” he added, “but also to safeguard the honor, dignity, and integrity of Russia, and her position among the great powers.”Xxxxx Xxxxx, the Ottoman Minister for war, reacted by ordering the full mobilization of the Ottoman Army and signed a secret treaty with the German Ambassador. (qtd. in Xxxxx Xxx der) Meanwhile, the British and the French called on their Empire to assist in the war effort. In response to the French call, soldiers from Senegal, Madagascar and joined the western front the largest contingent, however, was that of the Arméed’Afrique (Army of Africa). The Army of Africa comprised the colonial regiments of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. In fact, Algeria has provided the French colonial power not only with substantial material support, but especially thousands of indigenous soldiers. “Zouaves” and “Tirailleur”, praised for their bravery. In this sense, Xxxxxx Xxxxx in his book The Fall of the Ottomans stated: The colorful Zouave light infantry, named for the Berber Zuwawa tribe, captured the world’s imagination with their dashing uniforms of baggy red trousers, blue tunics, and red chechias, or fezzes. In Europe and America in of the mid-nineteenth century, elite Zouave regiments of Western soldiers dressed in exotic kit were created on the Algerian model. Both the Union and Confederate armies in the American Civil War fielded such Zouave units.” (60) Germany entered war against France when its attacked the ports of Philippeville and Bône (Skikda and Annaba in independent Algeria). In August 1914, the Breslau, one its battleships, fired into the centre of Bône, hitting port facilities, the railway station, some of the main streets of the city, and a steamship in the harbor. Another battleship, theGoeben,shelledPhilippeville striking the railway station, the barracks, and killing sixteen people. Both ships then with...
