A tale of two wars: The Russo-Japanese War and the Ottoman public opinion

Abstract

This thesis examines the repercussions of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 on the Ottoman public opinion. The Ottomans were glad to see Russia defeated, and even better, defeated by an “Eastern” nation that was ruled by feudal lords only four decades ago. Japanese victory set a precedent for the Ottomans to follow. Therefore, Islamists, nationalists, and especially the Young Turks urged the Ottomans to become Japan and not to become Russia. This is the story of two wars; an international war in the Far East and an internal intellectual war on how to save an empire in the Near East.