In the meantime feverish efforts were being made to complete Turkey’s military preparations. In March, 1914, at the request of the Minister of War, a conference was held of representatives of all railways in Asiatic Turkey to discuss the utilization of Ottoman rail communications for mobilization in the event of war. Under the guidance of German and Turkish staff officers a plan was adopted by which the respective railways agreed to merge their services into a unified national system for the transportation of troops. Throughout the spring of 1914 the defences of the Dardanelles were being strengthened, schools were being conducted for junior officers and non-commissioned officers, the General Staff was reorganized, new plans for mobilization were in process of completion. On July 23, 1914, the handiwork of Field Marshal Liman von Sanders Pasha was exhibited in a great national military review. On that occasion Baron von Wangenheim said to the Ottoman Minister of Marine: “Djemal Pasha, just look at the amazing results achieved by German officers in a short time. You have now a Turkish army which can be compared with the best organized armies in the world! All German officers are at one in praising the moral strength of the Turkish soldier, and indeed it has proved itself beyond all expectation. We could claim we have won a great victory if we could call ourselves the ally of a Government which has such an army at its disposal!”[39] A few days later the Ottoman Empire was admitted to the Triple Alliance—with the consent of Austria, but without even the knowledge of Italy. The die was cast for Turkey’s participation in the War of the Nations![40] BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES [1] Statement of Chancellor von Bethmann Hollweg to the Reichstag, December 10, 1910, in _Stenographische Berichte, XII Legislaturperiode, 2 Session_, Volume 262, pp. 3561b _et seq._ _Cf._, also, _The Annual Register_, 1910, pp. 314–315, 335–336; Shuster, _op. cit._, pp. 225 _et seq._ The informal agreement reached at Potsdam was confirmed by a treaty of August 19, 1911. _The Annual Register_, 1911, pp. 357–358. For the diplomatic correspondence arising out of the Potsdam Agreement _cf._ de Siebert, _op. cit._, Chapter IX. [2] Korff, _op. cit._, pp. 163–164. Baron Korff believes, also, that the Potsdam Agreement was forced upon the weak and vacillating Nicholas II by the unscrupulous and bullying William II. [3] _Supra_, pp. 65–66, 147–153. For German estimates of the importance of the Potsdam Agreement see a reasoned and temperate speech by Dr. Spahn, of the Catholic Centre, and an impassioned and boisterous speech by Herr Bassermann, of the National Liberals. _Stenographische Berichte, XII Legislaturperiode, 2 Session_, Volume 266 (1911), PP. 5973 _et seq._, 5984 _et seq._ [4] _The Times_, January 18, 1911. [5] Quoted by W. M. Fullerton, _Problems of Power_ (new and revised edition, New York, 1915), p. 171.