Secrets of the Bosphorus

Ambassador Henry Morgenthau requires no introduction to the British public, but the American diplomat who may with justice be termed The Searchlight of Truth at the Golden Horn, and whose Reminiscences will rank now and in years to come as historical documents of the first importance, modestly obscures in his graphic and fascinating narrative one fact which requires emphasising:

That by his shrewd grasp of enemy psychology, by his unswerving impartiality, by his tact and dignity, and unflinching courage, he frustrated again and again the evil designs and machinations of that trio of arch-schemers and villains, Wangenheim, Talaat, and Enver, against the Allies, and thus earned a debt of lasting gratitude from the British people.

PREFACE

By this time the American people have probably become convinced that the Germans deliberately planned the conquest of the world. Yet they hesitate to convict on circumstantial evidence, and for this reason all eye-witnesses to this, the greatest crime in modern history, should volunteer their testimony.

I have therefore laid aside any scruples I had as to the propriety of disclosing to my fellow-countrymen the facts which I learned while representing them in Turkey. I acquired this knowledge as the servant of the American people, and it is their property as much as it is mine.

I greatly regret that I have been obliged to omit an account of the splendid activities of the American Missionary and Educational Institutions in Turkey, but to do justice to this subject would require a book by itself. I have had to omit the story of the Jews in Turkey for the same reasons.

My thanks are due to my friend, Mr. Burton J. Hendrick, for the invaluable assistance he has rendered in the preparation of the book.

HENRY MORGENTHAU.

October, 1918.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. A GERMAN SUPERMAN AT CONSTANTINOPLE 1

II. THE “BOSS SYSTEM” IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND HOW IT PROVED USEFUL TO GERMANY 12

III. “THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KAISER”--WANGENHEIM OPPOSES THE SALE OF AMERICAN WARSHIPS IN GREECE 26

IV. GERMANY MOBILISES THE TURKISH ARMY 39

V. WANGENHEIM SMUGGLES THE “GOEBEN” AND THE “BRESLAU” THROUGH THE DARDANELLES 44

VI. WANGENHEIM TELLS THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR HOW THE KAISER STARTED THE WAR 53

VII. GERMANY’S PLANS FOR NEW TERRITORIES, COALING STATIONS, AND INDEMNITIES 58

VIII. A CLASSIC INSTANCE OF GERMAN PROPAGANDA 62

IX. GERMANY CLOSES THE DARDANELLES AND SO SEPARATES RUSSIA FROM HER ALLIES 68

X. TURKEY’S ABROGATION OF THE CAPITULATIONS--ENVER LIVING IN A PALACE, WITH PLENTY OF MONEY AND AN IMPERIAL BRIDE 73

XI. GERMANY COMPELS TURKEY TO ENTER THE WAR 80

XII. THE TURKS ATTEMPT TO TREAT ALIEN ENEMIES DECENTLY, BUT THE GERMANS INSIST ON PERSECUTING THEM 85

XIII. THE INVASION OF THE ZION SISTERS’ SCHOOL 96

XIV. WANGENHEIM AND THE BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY--A HOLY WAR THAT WAS MADE IN GERMANY 103

XV. DJEMAL, A TROUBLESOME MARK ANTONY--AN EARLY GERMAN ATTEMPT TO GET A GERMAN PEACE 112

XVI. THE TURKS PREPARE TO FLEE FROM CONSTANTINOPLE AND ESTABLISH A NEW CAPITAL IN ASIA MINOR--THE ALLIED FLEET BOMBARDING THE DARDANELLES 121

XVII. ENVER AS THE MAN WHO DEMONSTRATED “THE VULNERABILITY OF THE BRITISH FLEET”--OLD-FASHIONED DEFENCES OF THE DARDANELLES 133

XVIII. THE ALLIED ARMADA SAILS AWAY, THOUGH ON THE BRINK OF VICTORY 143

XIX. A FIGHT FOR THREE THOUSAND CIVILIANS 153