ENVER PASHA

ENVER PASHA

Ismail Enver was born in Istanbul in Divanyolu in 1881. He is the son of Ahmet Bey, who became a Pasha and Surre Emin by influence of his son. Both his mother, Ayşe Hanim and his father Ahmet Pasha are from Istanbul. He received his education in Soğukçeşme Military Secondary School. After having graduated from Military College in 1899 as a infantryman lieutenant, he graduated from War Academy as a staff captain in 1903. Staff Captain Enver was appointed to the Third Army of the day. He fought against bandit gangs in various regions of Manastir, Salonika and Uskup. The İttihat ve Terakki Committee centered in Salonika had included him among the young officers of the army too.

Enver Bey became a Major in 1906 .He took part in the founders of İttihat ve Terakki Organization. He made himself loved in this organization. After his attendance to İttihat ve Terakki, he played one of the most important roles in the movement for forcing the palace with the army to proclaim constitutional monarchy. It was told that some officers took the hills in some places in the Thrace demanding freedom and constitutional monarchy to force Abdulhamit the 2nd to proclaim 1908 Constitutional Monarchy. One of these officers was Kolagasi Niyazi, and the other was Staff Major Enver. To intimidate the palace, both the names and lives of these officers were declared. Such condition meant that Enver and Niyazi had carried out great self-sacrifice for the sake of the country. After the revolution in 1908, the names of these two people became notorious for years as Heroes of Freedom.

Enver Bey took part in Movement Army in 31 March event. Enver Bey worked as the Macedonian General Inspector and Berlin Military Attaché in 1909. Enver Bey, like many young Turkish officers loving their country, went to Trablusgarb when Italians landed their soldiers in 1911. The people who already loved him as the hero of freedom liked his urgent movement to Trablus and loved him more. Enver Pasha, who resisted Italian assault as the İşkodra Mutasarrıf and front commander, became lieutenant colonel in 1912.

He took part in the Sublime Porte raid arranged by İttihat ve Terakki on 23 January 1913. He ensured resignation of Grand Vizier Kamil Pasha. Thus, he played an important role in saving Edirne pursuant to İttihat ve Terakki’s seizing the government. Enver Bey’s rapid ascension went on after this success. He was promoted as a colonel at the end of 1913 despite he was a lieutenant colonel at the beginning of the year. He was promoted as a brigadier general on 1 January 1914, only 19 days later. After his being Chief of the General Staff, he obtained the powers of Deputy Chief Commander.

After War Minister Mahmut Şevket Pasha’s being killed in an assassination, he became the War Minister in Sait Halim Pasha government in 1914. He passed some regulations in the army, and applied German style instead of French model. His marrying Naciye Sultan and being son-in-law of the sultan is in this period. The position of War minister Enver Pasha was once more reinforced by marrying the daughter of Prince Suleyman Effendi. Enver Pasha had laid down the steps taking him to the summit himself.

Enver Pasha was blamed for being the person who put Ottoman State in the 1st World War in 1914 and was held responsible for the defeat in Sarikamış. Enver Pasha’s name is written in the history as the person who put Ottoman State in the 1st World War. History books read that this decision by Enver Pasha, who was 33 years old and was the Minister of War in those days, was a fait accompli forcing the Minister of the Interior, Talat Pasha, the leader of İttihat ve Terakki party in power and Minister of Navy, Cemal Pasha to accept. As a matter of fact, Parliament of deputies, Senate, Grand Vizier Prince Said Halim Pasha, other members of the Board of Ministers, all, even Sultan Resat was informed of the situation only after proclamation of war by Ottoman State.

Sultan Reşat, who was 70 years old, became tongue-tied being informed of the situation in Dolmabahçe Palace because of surprise and sadness, Grand Vizier Said Halim Pasha, who heard the news in his residence in Vaniköy, attempted to resign immediately.
Enver Pasha, after being War Minister, added a fourth one to the existing three armies and put forward the first part of his plan he had been preparing for a long time. Enver Pasha, who strove to form his staff both in his years in Military College and during his days as an officer, entered a systematical working program with his men. He began to work for Great Caucasus Ideal. In a short time, he started to work as the chief commander of the army he established, initiated the Pan-Islamist campaign together with his friend Talat Pasha.

Of course, what he had in his mind was not exactly a pan-Islamist reform. The main objective of Enver Pasha was to establish a strong army by adding Arabic soldiers to his staff and turning Caucasus into a Turk territory.

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