Germany -- Foreign relations -- Turkey; Turkey -- Foreign relations -- Germany; World War, 1914-1918 -- Turkey
In all parts of this incentive to murder and assassination there are
indications that a German hand has exercised an editorial supervision.
Only those infidels are to be slain “who rule over us”--that is, those
who have Mohammedan subjects. As Germany has no such subjects this
saving clause was expected to protect Germans from assault. The Germans,
with their usual interest in their own well-being and their usual
disregard of their ally, evidently overlooked the fact that Austria had
many Mohammedan subjects in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Moslems are
instructed that they should form armies, “even though it may be
necessary to introduce some foreign elements”--that is, bring in German
instructors and German officers. “You must remember”--this is evidently
intended as a blanket protection to Germans everywhere--“that it is
absolutely unlawful to oppose any of the peoples of other religions
between whom and the Moslems there is a covenant, or those who have not
manifested hostility to the seat of the Caliphate, or those who have
entered under the protection of the Moslems.”
Even though I had not had Wangenheim’s personal statement that the
Germans intended to arouse the Mohammedans everywhere against England,
France, and Russia, these interpolations would clearly enough have
indicated the real inspiration of this amazing document. At the time
Wangenheim discussed the matter with me his chief idea seemed to be that
a “Holy War” of this sort would be the quickest means of forcing England
to make peace. According to this point of view, it was really a great
peace offensive. At that time Wangenheim reflected the conviction, which
was prevalent in all official circles, that Germany had made a mistake
in bringing England into the conflict, and it was evidently his idea now
that if back-fires could be started against England in India, Egypt, the
Sudan, and other places, the British Empire would withdraw. Even if
British Mohammedans refused to rise, Wangenheim believed that the mere
threat of such an uprising would induce England to abandon Belgium and
France to their fate. The danger of spreading such incendiary literature
among a wildly fanatical people is apparent. I was not the only neutral
diplomat who feared the most serious consequences. M. Tocheff, the
Bulgarian Minister, one of the ablest members of the diplomatic corps,
was much disturbed. At that time Bulgaria was neutral, and M. Tocheff
used to tell me that his country hoped to maintain this neutrality. Each
side, he said, expected that Bulgaria would become its ally, and it was
Bulgaria’s policy to keep each side in this expectant frame of mind.
Should Germany succeed in starting a “Holy War,” and should massacres
result, Bulgaria, added M. Tocheff, would certainly join forces with the
Entente.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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