The Politicization of the Army and Navy in the Balkan War

By Piri · 2026-05-10

During the Balkan War, the Ottoman army and navy became politicized due to political divisions between İttihat ve Terakki and opposition groups, with loyalty prioritized over merit in promotions. This weakened the chain of command, and combined with logistical inadequacies, led to the loss of the Aegean islands and Western Thrace.

Chapters

1. Ottoman Decline and the Balkan War
2. The Politicization of the Army
3. The Politicization of the Navy
4. Loss of Naval Dominance
5. The Loss of Crete
6. The Land Front and Collapse
7. Conclusion and Historical Lessons

Adapted from Cem Gürdeniz.

Other languages

• tr
• en
• fr
• de
• es-ES
• ru
• it

More on Piri