From Official Correspondence to Battlefield Narratives: Fluctuations of Panturanism in Ottoman War Policy (1917–1918)
Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/19448953.2026.2731328
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Historical Abstracts, Humanities Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Political Science Complete, Political Science Abstract (IPSA), Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Caucasus, Committee of Union and Progress, First World War, Ottoman War Aims, Panturanism
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This article examines the impact of Panturanism on Ottoman military strategy during the First World War, with a particular focus on the Caucasus Campaign between 1917 and 1918. Challenging the binary view of Panturanism as either a decisive grand strategy or a myth, this study argues that it functioned as a fluctuating ‘strategic horizon’. As this study illustrates, while not decisive at the outset of the war, Panturanist thinking partially influenced planning within Enver-centred networks and among field commanders, especially amid the collapse of the Russian Empire and the uncertainties of 1918. Archival documents, diplomatic correspondence and memoirs reveal that ‘buffer state’ designs, tutelage over Azerbaijan, and limited or covert expansionist goals could coexist. Ultimately, this research re-evaluates Panturanism not merely as a fixed ideology, but as an operative dynamic that partially influenced Ottoman war policy during the conflict’s final year.