File:The Literary digest history of the world war, compiled from original and contemporary sources- American, British, French, German, and others (1919) (14760442556).jpg

Identifier: literarydigesthi01hals (find matches)
Title: The Literary digest history of the world war, compiled from original and contemporary sources: American, British, French, German, and others
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Halsey, Francis W. (Francis Whiting), 1851-1919, comp
Subjects: World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: New York, London, Funk & Wagnalls Company
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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isfleet was said to excel Russias Black Sea fleet in weightand power. The entrance of Turkey into the conflict was receivedwith popular jubilation in Petrograd. This was not hardto understand, because since the time of Peter the Great,Russia had striven to acquire Constantinople. Before thattime, Austria-Hungary was persistent in her desire tobecome Turkeys heir. Up to 1699 the Turkish Empirehad extended in Europe almost as far west as Vienna, andincluded Budapest. When the Turks threatened to over-whelm Europe still further by besieging Vienna in 1529and again in 1863, it was to Austria that they owed theirdefeat. Hence it became Austrias aim to defend Europeancivilization and gradually to conquer the Turkish Empire.While expanding eastward at Turkeys expense, Austriaseemed at one time in a fair way of reaching the Bosporus,but the development of Russias power under Peter theGreat, and Peters victorious wars with the Turks, suddenlyraised another claimant to the Turkish heritage. 202
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203 OUTBREAK AND CAUSES Russias desire to possess Constantinople sprang not onlyfrom historical, but from weighty strategical and economicreasons. The Dardanelles are the door to Russias house.The Crimean War showed that any hostile Power controllingthe Dardanelles and Bosporus could attack Russia in avulnerable part. The most fruitful and most densely popu-lated provinces ot Russia are those in the south, whichdepend on the Dardanelles for an outlet. In other words,two-thirds of Russias water-borne foreign trade depends onthe free use of the Black Sea, so that the closing of theDardanelles would prove ruinous to her. Whether or notRussia had an aggressive ambition to possess Constantinople,it was clear that for political and economical reasons shecould not allow the Turkish capital to fall into the handsof any other strong European Power. The Turkish Empire was an unwieldy aggregate and noteasily capable of defense. It was a thinly inhabited region,broken up by deserts, and extending

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