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Middle East and the Superpowers (Part 1 - WW1 and the Collapse of Ottoman Empire)
To talk about the Middle East and the Super Powers we have to start from the WW1.
The Ottoman Empire had been established by Osman (The First), and survived for about 600 years.
The golden era of the Ottoman Empire was in the 16 and 17 century. The empire acquired
territories in Europe, Asia and Africa.
The Ottoman Empire included 29 states, each represent a country follows the Ottoman governing.
" O'Muslims of the Empire, the Empire is now at war against its enemies."
"The governments of Moscow, Britain and France are fighting us."
"The emperor calls for Jehad (mobilization for war)"
The beginning was in the WW1, and the participation of the Ottoman Empire in the war by 1914.
During the war, there have been movements of national independence from the Ottoman
governance on the Arab countries due to political and economic conditions as well as the defeats
of the Ottoman armies.
Ottomans dealt with Arab nationalist movements cruelty by executions and arrests, which led
to the increase of these movements.
One of the very rare winnings of the Ottoman Empire's army against the Allies was the Istanbul
Strait battles, which was under the commands of Army Officer: Mostafa Kamal Ataturk.
The British intelligence interfered and made undisclosed deals with a few leaders of Arab
independence movements to fight against the Ottoman Empire.
Because of fighting in a parallel fields against the Allies armies and the Arab movements army,
the Allies took control over the Arab territories.
With the defeat of the Ottoman forces, and the Declaration of Sykes - Picot which divided
the formal Ottoman territories among the Allies.
"The Balfour Declaration to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine to ensure the end of
the Ottoman tide."
Ataturk - the now strongman of the army - was against the concept of central governance
of the Ottoman Empire on other non-Turkish countries.
Gradually, Ataturk had canceled the Ottoman Empire's governance over the non-Turkish territories
and deposed the emperor.
By 1923, Ataturk had declared the Republic of Turkey and became the first president of
the new republic.
At that point, the presence of the Ottoman Empire was permanently over in the Arab countries,
and a new era had began in the Middle East
Which will be discussed in Part II of this series (ME & Superpowers)