davebender
1st Lieutenant
…..Background detail. November 1913.
Germany sent a modest army assistance team to Constantinople. Approximately similar in size to British naval assistance team already at Constantinople. Normally a routine event but it unsettled Russia that the Ottoman Army might become more proficient just as Russia was considering invasion to seize Constantinople and the Dardanelles.
6 January 1914. Memo. Russian Foreign Minister Sazonov to Tsar Nicholas II.
"If our War Minister and our Navy Minister believe it possible to risk complications, in the case, of course, in which France should decide to support us with all her forces and England lent us adequate assistance, we can now today engage on a confidential exchange of views on this question (the occupation and possible partition of the Ottoman Empire) with these two powers."
One week later. Russian Council of Ministers meeting.
Foreign Minister Sazonov.
War Minister Sukhomlinov.
Naval Minister Grigorevich.
Army Chief of Staff Zhilinskii.
Chairman Kokovtev.
These ministers openly discuss the possibility of provoking a European conflagration. Only Minister Kokovtsev spoke against war and he was ousted during February 1914.
Foreign Minister Sazonov informed the council that France's foreign minister, Theophile Delcasse, had assured him that "France will go as far as Russia wishes".
Foreign Minister Sazonov considered British intervention a certainty "in the case of any setbacks in the military operations of Russia and France".
Meeting Resolution.
Resort to war only if "the active participation of both France and England in joint measures were assured."
Special conference to be held in St. Petersburg 8 to 21 February 1914 to further discuss developments.
Germany sent a modest army assistance team to Constantinople. Approximately similar in size to British naval assistance team already at Constantinople. Normally a routine event but it unsettled Russia that the Ottoman Army might become more proficient just as Russia was considering invasion to seize Constantinople and the Dardanelles.
6 January 1914. Memo. Russian Foreign Minister Sazonov to Tsar Nicholas II.
"If our War Minister and our Navy Minister believe it possible to risk complications, in the case, of course, in which France should decide to support us with all her forces and England lent us adequate assistance, we can now today engage on a confidential exchange of views on this question (the occupation and possible partition of the Ottoman Empire) with these two powers."
One week later. Russian Council of Ministers meeting.
Foreign Minister Sazonov.
War Minister Sukhomlinov.
Naval Minister Grigorevich.
Army Chief of Staff Zhilinskii.
Chairman Kokovtev.
These ministers openly discuss the possibility of provoking a European conflagration. Only Minister Kokovtsev spoke against war and he was ousted during February 1914.
Foreign Minister Sazonov informed the council that France's foreign minister, Theophile Delcasse, had assured him that "France will go as far as Russia wishes".
Foreign Minister Sazonov considered British intervention a certainty "in the case of any setbacks in the military operations of Russia and France".
Meeting Resolution.
Resort to war only if "the active participation of both France and England in joint measures were assured."
Special conference to be held in St. Petersburg 8 to 21 February 1914 to further discuss developments.