Balance of Power - Second Great-Turkish War (1902)

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OOC: I still need to think of my possible military moves, so please excuse me posting some diplomacy first.

To: The United States of America
From: The Ottoman Empire

First of all, I was deeply saddened with the cowardly assassination of Vice President Theodore Roosevelt. May his brave soul rest in peace and justice be served upon the criminals.

In spirit of our friendship, I appeal for help in pressuring the British, French and Russian to cease their aggression against my country. I do believe it's in the United States' best interest to see the Ottoman Empire remaining intact, and gaining the crucial foothold in the Mediterranean, instead of seeing the British monopolize that important region.

To: The German Empire, The Austria-Hungary Empire
From: The Ottoman Empire

The balance of power is threatened by the British-led invasion on my country. Your Empires are facing encirclement. Also, your strategic standing would be worsened by possible takeover of the crucial Berlin-Baghdad Railroad.

In our mutual interest, I am humbly asking for a quick assistance in preserving the Ottoman Empire and convincing the British, and their allies, to withdraw.

I also ask you to bring your ally of Italy on-board. We're ready to discuss with them cessions in Libya.

To: The Austria-Hungary Empire
From: The Ottoman Empire

We're requesting an immediate military assistance in the Balkans. We're also requesting your fleet to help protecting our shores, Bosporus in particular.

To: The Kingdom of Italy
From: The Ottoman Empire

In interest of keeping the European balance of power, we are asking for your support in putting stop to the British aggression on our country.

We are prepeared to discuss the Libya status.

To: The Persian Empire
From: The Ottoman Empire

If the British succeeds in defeating my country, you are facing an encirclement by their colonies. In our mutual interest, we're asking for any political and military assistance you may give.


Internal diplomacy:

Given the British support for the Wahhabi's, his enemy, I shall approach the Sharif of Mecca and his clan to help me rally the Arabs against the invasion and attempts to make the Empire just another European colony. I am prepeared to offer a very generous rewards.


Propaganda:

--- Portray Murad (closely guarded by my most loyal men) and his supporters as puppets of the western colonial powers
--- Emphasize my started reforms among the people

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The Ottoman Empire

--- General mobilization.

--- Freezing of all private British, French and Russian assets.

--- Seizure of all state British, French and Russian assets.


Orders to the Troops


Armenia-Georgia: A tactical withdrawal beyond mountain passes. Dug and do not let the enemy cross the passes. Send spare troops to Southern Turkey-Mersin.

Albania: Endem Pasha's elite forces, along with remaining troops, must take a defensive position to prevent possible enemy landing. Dug and do-or-die!

Libya: Prepare for a long, defensive battle. Infantry must dug trenches. Whenever possible, destroy or damage roads the enemy will be advancing through. Calvary is to remain on the move, ready to conduct swift raids and disrupt the enemy's lines.

Dardanelles: The fleet must lay mines and take defensive positions, shielded by the natural surroundings. Bring available artillery equipment to protect the coast.

Palestine: Go defensive, Dug trenches, make cities into fortresses, remember about encirclements. Do or die.

Mecca: A discreet, tactical withdrawal, although you must maintain appearances of not abandoning the city (maybe some phony small reinforcement). Spare forces to Palestine and Southern Turkey-Mersin.

Southern Turkey-Mersin: Direct as much of the spare forces as possible to empower those already in place. Dug, bring as much equipment as available, and be ready to repell any landing. DO OR DIE.

Kuwait-Baghdad: A defensive action, prevent the British from advancing. Make an extensive use of terrain to wage an unconventional warfare. Stand the ground.

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Bulgaria:

With Bulgaria being already de facto independent, we do not view their declaration as a hostile act. We are prepeared to recognize them as a sovereign and friendly state, renouncing any futher intervention in their affairs, as long as they won't assist our enemies.

We are looking forward to fruitful relations once peace is restored.


War Orders:

--- Utilize German military advisers

--- Use Berlin-Baghdad Railroad to effectively move troops and equipment

--- Newly accuired warships to await instructions

Libya: Maintain your orders.

Palestine: Maintain your orders.

Armenia-Georgia: Maintain your orders.

Dardanelles: Constantinopole must not fall! Scuttle appropriate number of boats, and spendable warships, to block the way for the enemy to land.

Reinforce the fortifications with some of newly mobilized forces as well as newly acquired artillery.

Mersin: The bridgehead must remain contained. Reinforce the positions with some of newly mobilized forces as well as newly acquired artillery.

Mecca: Direct withdrawn troops to reinforce Palestine.

Kuwait-Baghdad: Maintain your orders. The British march must be stopped. Remember about the terrain advantage.

Use calvary units the same way as in Libya.

Albania: Keep the enemy contained at all costs. Reinforcements are on the way.

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--- Balkan troops to withdraw tactically to defend the Constantinopole area against attacks from the North and the West

Other war orders being typed

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Propaganda:

--- Keep exploiting the Opium Scandal ("Merchants of death")

--- Emphasize that the Sultan just started serious domestic reforms, when the invaders brought us chaos of war and death

--- Emphasize our unexpectedly strong standing in face of the overwhelming odds

--- Emphasize the colonial nature of the enemy. They are on the quest to subjecate the Faithful, just like they did in Africa and Southern Arabia (see: partiation plans)

Orders to Police:

There are internal unrests. You know the drill, just try to not be ostentatious.

War Orders:

--- All reserves to the existing defense lines. Commence a long war of positioning.

--- Launch a full military manufacturing potential. Exploit this as a golden opportunity for our working class.

--- Utylize accquired foreign funds to buy needed equipment.

--- The fleet is to launch a swift and surprise attack at the invaders at Dardanelles, when they are most vulnerable. Scuttle the ships if unsuccessfull to make the straits unnavigable and approach impossible. Shell the enemy fleet using arrived artilery. DO OR DIE.

--- Attack the Russian fleet when they are distracted by landings. Avaviable forces to contain the landings, using the mountain terrain advantage.

--- Forces in Iraq are to launch a limited counterattack to disrupt the weakened enemy (who can't attack in Phase 3), utylizing terrain (raids, raids, raids). Then return to defense.

--- Contain the enemy in South Turkey at all costs.

--- Libya: maintain your orders.

--- Mecca: maintain your orders. Withdrawn forces must reinforce the Palestinian fortress.

--- Armenia-Georgia: if possible try to retake the passes when Russian are vulnerable in transit. If not contain them.

--- Palestine: Maintain your orders. Calvary units are to be utylized in desert raids.

--- Balkans: Tactical withdrawal to defend the Constantinopole against the Russian.

--- East Arabia: Remaining forces are to march North and commence a guerilla warfare to disrupt the Kuwaiti rear. Demolish roads.

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OOC: Spamage, you have already posted orders for this phase and now I see you have modified them, adding stuff, after I posted mine. What The Hell man.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

OOC: Spamage, you have already posted orders for this phase and now I see you have modified them, adding stuff, after I posted mine. What The Hell man.

I added a propogande piece, that's it. Calm down.

Just as you added stuff about permanent bases and Mecca brigade?

/rant/

Well, in light of Lumine's post, I will leave this.

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To: The Russian Empire
From: The Ottoman Empire

We would like to respectfully remind that your free passage privileges, established by the Treaty of Jerusalem, are of no practical use as long as the straits are more or less blocked by wracks. We believe it is in everybody's best interest, Russia including, to begin a join efforts to make Bosporus fully navigable.

x Abdul Hamid II