The Ottoman Endgame by Sean McMeekin

Review by Nate Merz

The short:

When it comes to education about the First World War, the Ottoman Empire is only briefly mentioned as a player. In The Ottoman Endgame Sean McMeekin explores the political and cultural drivers of why the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers and the ramifications of their decisions on the surrounding region. McMeekin offers new perspectives on events, such as the emergence of modern Turkey, and the ethno-religious conflict after the Empire’s fall.

The long:

McMeekin opens the book with the phrase “The Sick Man of Europe,” which was the label first given to the Ottoman Empire prior to the First World War. He explores the reasoning behind this label through the recent history and decline of the Ottoman Empire, and how this affected the Ottoman governments’ major political decisions, and held consequences for internal political movements. 

The novel gives a deep military history of the Ottoman Empire at the time of the First World War, and delves into how political and cultural issues impacted military effectiveness. McMeekin devotes entire chapters to how political movements can lead to violent actions and atrocities, including genocide. He also gives accounts of the Ottomans’ long time rival, the Russian Empire, and how they compared to and even somewhat mirrored the Ottoman Empire.

McMeekin concludes with the Turkish War of Independence, the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, and the subsequent Sykes-Picot agreement.

The read or not to read:

This is absolutely a must read for anyone with an interest in the consequences of the First World War or anyone interested in how the MENA region came to be today. McMeekin provides excellent primary resources and explanations of the nationalist and religious movements within the Empire and their ramifications for today’s regional politics. For an inside look into a major player in history that is so often under-studied, this book cannot be recommended enough.