Germany -- Foreign relations -- Turkey; Turkey -- Foreign relations -- Germany; World War, 1914-1918 -- Turkey
But there was one active man in Turkey then who had no nice scruples
about using such agencies as were most available for accomplishing his
purpose. Wangenheim clearly saw what his colleagues had only faintly
perceived: that these men were steadily fastening their hold on Turkey,
and that they were looking for some strong Power that would recognise
their position and abet them in maintaining it. In order that we may
clearly understand the situation, let us transport ourselves, for a
moment, to a country that is nearer to us than Turkey. In 1913
Victoriano Huerta and his fellow-conspirators gained control of Mexico
by means not unlike those that had given Talaat and his Committee the
supreme power in Turkey. Just as Huerta murdered Madero, so the Young
Turks had murdered Nazim, and in both cases assassination became a
regular political weapon. Huerta controlled the Mexican Congress and the
offices just as Talaat controlled the Turkish Parliament and the chief
posts of the State. Mexico under Huerta was a poverty-stricken country,
with depleted finances, exhausted industries and agriculture, just as
was Turkey under Talaat. How did Huerta seek to secure his own position
and rehabilitate his distracted country? There was only one way, of
course: that was by enlisting the support of some strong foreign Power.
He sought repeatedly to gain recognition from the United States for this
reason. When we refused to deal with a murderer, Huerta looked to
Germany. Let us suppose that the Kaiser had responded; he could have
reorganised Mexican finances, rebuilt her railroads, re-established her
industries, modernised her army, and in this way obtained a grip on the
country that would have amounted to virtual possession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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