World War I and the End of the Ottoman Empire
Interview with Mustafa Aksakal about his book The War That Made the Middle East: World War I and the End of the Ottoman Empire. Argues that the Middle East and its many ethno-national identities were products of the First World War, not its inherent causes. Contends that the Ottoman Empire’s collapse was not inevitable, instead highlighting how the war – including the disastrous Sarıkamış campaign and widespread famine – intensified internal conflicts and facilitated catastrophic decisions, such as the Armenian Genocide. Explores a lost potential for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious future, emphasising the external pressures and internal dynamics that tragically reshaped the region.
