Chapter 41: The Turkish Revolution

People under Abdul Hamid II in Ottoman Turkey, at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, in 1908. There was also growing dissatisfaction with the Sultan's mediocre intellect and inability to lead Ottoman Turkey out of its predicament, and this sentiment supported the growth of a group called the Young Turks party.

The Young Turks Party was founded in Istanbul in 1894. The original leader was Ahmad Lisa. In May 1889, four students from the medical school in the capital founded an anti-authoritarian group, named the Ottoman League, later renamed the League Progressive Committee, which Europeans called the "Young Turks". Soon, many young students, officers, intellectuals and exiles abroad joined the party. It represented the interests of the bourgeoisie and liberal landowners, advocated the preservation of the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire, opposed the autocracy, and demanded the restoration of the 1876 constitution.

On the night of July 2, 1908, Major Niazibey, the head of the Young Turks in ResnΓ©, was agitating his soldiers to revolt.

"Soldiers, we defend the territory of our homeland in Macedonia, but the Sultan does not cherish our land at all. Now Bulgaria is under Russian protection, Cyprus is also occupied by the British, and Bosnia and Herzegovina is administered by Austria-Hungary. In the country, the Sultan relies on the secret police to maintain his rule, and the people are becoming more and more miserable, which requires a group of knowledgeable people to awaken our people. And we're going to be like that, would you like that? ”

In the face of his chief's impassioned speech standing in front of the stage, most of his subordinates, who were members of the Young Turks Party, also agreed in a rally.

"Let's revolt."

"Overthrow the reign of Abdul Hamid II."

"Let's do it."

Seeing that most of the soldiers and officers were calling for an uprising, Major Nyazibei was satisfied. At that moment, a discordant voice came out.

"We have an uprising, what if other troops come to suppress it." A skinny soldier in the crowd voiced his concerns, followed by a scolding in his face.

"You coward."

"Coward."

"What are you afraid of, the people are on our side."

Seeing his own backbone loudly retort to the soldier's words, Major Nyazibei stepped forward and motioned for them to listen to him. Looking at the soldier who was quietly looking at him, Major Nyazibei explained his reasons for doing so. "We are just the beginning, Enver in the Macedonian army, also our people, and this uprising is supported by the entire Macedonian army."

The soldiers who were watching heard that this was a lot more relieved after receiving the support of the entire legion, and they had no resistance to the uprising.

Seeing this, Major Nyazibei continued. "We will start acting tomorrow, and we will not allow people to accept such a miserable life anymore."

Nyazibei, who was the first to launch it, knew that the uprising was entirely premature. It was because Britain, Russia, Austria-Hungary and other countries had already negotiated and conspired to carve up Turkey's European territory. In early June, the Russian Tsar and the British King met in Revel and reached an agreement on further reform of the Macedonian region and, if necessary, the creation of a gendarmerie unit.

The Young Turks, who got the news, were forced to start the planned uprising more than a year ahead of schedule. Now Major Nyazibei is not sure whether the uprising will succeed. The only way to save our motherland, Turkey, from this misery is to give it a go.

The next day, Major Nyazibei came to the city of Leshna with the soldiers, and the policemen in the city did not know what the soldiers were going to do.

Seeing the gloomy faces of these soldiers, they did not dare to intercept these heavily armed soldiers. He could only report to the police chief of NVC that soldiers had entered the city, and the police chief was also confused and called the barracks, and the other side also said that he did not know about the situation. This made the police chief's heart sink and he ordered all the police officers to return to the police station to get their equipment.

The police chief, who rushed to the city hall with armed police, was relieved that he had not seen the group of soldiers. "I saw a group of armed policemen running over from afar, and the mayor asked the police chief." What's going on. "The police chief told the mayor about today,

"Really?" The mayor looked at the police chief and said in question, and the police chief nodded to the mayor, indicating that it was what he thought.

While the two city officials were playing dumb riddles, Major Nyazibei came to the telegraph company address. The message in the hand was transmitted to all parts of the country by radio waves. Opposed to the government and the Revere Agreement, demanding "freedom, equality, fraternity." ”

After the telegram was sent, Major Nyazibei and his subordinates were retreating while handing out leaflets with the same words written on them as in the telegram. It is also against the government and the Revere Agreement, which calls for "liberty, equality, fraternity."

The officials at the town hall soon got the news that by this time Major Nyazibei had already left the city with the soldiers, "What should we do now?" The police chief asked the mayor. Wait for news from Skopje, we are just city officials, not the army. "The shrewd mayor also refuses to fall into the driver's seat, there is a tradition of rebellion in the Turkish army, and every official will know how to protect himself.

After Major Nyazibey left the city with his soldiers, "Brothers, we have no way to retreat now, I will take you up the mountains to fight guerrillas." The rights of the Sudan must be handed over to the people. At the end of the conversation, Major Niazibeyi shouted. The Motherland is with us. Everyone shouted in response to this sentence. The Motherland is with us. ”

After Nyazibeyi sent the message to the whole country, Enver was also informed. Matt Ismail Enver was born on November 22, 1881 into a wealthy merchant family in Istanbul. His father, Sulei Emini Ahmed, was a civil engineer. Abdul Hamid II was close to the advisor. In 1903, Enver graduated with honors from the Istanbul Military Academy with the rank of cavalry captain and was sent to work in the Macedonian Third Army.

Now Enver is a member of the Central Committee of the Young Turks, responsible for the creation of guerrilla units in the countryside to promote the spread of revolutionary ideas among the people and, if necessary, to serve as a refuge for members of the association to escape from the Sudanese authorities.

"How long do we have to prepare now?" Enver asked his henchman.

"One more week to prepare....."

"No, it's too long, our brothers are waiting for support, and they will start moving in three days." Enver interrupted his henchman's words. Enver had ideas about the uprising of the Young Turks, and the first uprising was no longer available, but the second was acceptable.

Three days later, following the example of Major Nyazibey, Enver led his troops up the hill to fight guerrillas, determined to overthrow the tyranny at all costs, and telegraphed the monarch demanding a constitution. The uprising quickly swept through many units of the 3rd and 2nd Army Corps stationed in Macedonia, and soon the Young Turks became the real masters of the entire Macedonian region.

On July 20, the inhabitants of Monastia (present-day Bitoli, Yugoslavia) staged an uprising; On the 23rd, the rebel army marched into Thessaloniki, announced the restoration of the 1876 constitution, and telegraphed the Sultan to restore the constitution within a time limit, otherwise it would march on Istanbul. Abdulhamid II felt that the tide had turned, and was forced to announce the restoration of the constitution and the reconvening of parliament on the 24th.