"ملاحظات ميدانية: بلاد الرافدين. هيئة الأركان العامة في الهند. فبراير ١٩١٧". [و‎‎٤‎٧] (٣٥٠/١٠٠)

i
85
>he Sultan
Mllectivelj
sed, under
the inter,
cular lav,
istered by
bj two
;er of tie
new sol-
ttomans,
'etainers,
y formed
the cap-
children,
the ages
s in the
rated as
associa-
s of the
lissaries
engage
..
er, less
iembers
|oin the
levy of
s Janis-
merely
y their
d popu-
ud, in
of the
Eorm of
I and a
ion was
iced in
1886 on the recommendations of Colonel Von der Goltz, a German*
general staff officer, specially lent as adviser to the Ottoman
War Office.
This system, under which the Empire was divided into seven
ordus or militarv districts, held good with certain modifica
tions up to the year 1911, when, following upon the further
advice of Colonel (now Marshal) Von der Goltz, who, with a staff
of German officers, was engaged after the constitutional crisis of
1908 for a fresh term, the organization described in the present
hand-book was adopted. Prior to the adoption of the new organ
ization, the liability to compulsory service had been extended
to the whole Empire, thereby drawing in the Christian portion of
the population and also Moslems from Constantinople, Albania,
Arabia, and certain other localities who had been hitherto
exempt.
The introduction of the law applying conscription to the
Christians was at first the occasion of much controversy and
recrimination, and the Christians themselves_ showed little
enthusiasm to serve in the army. But that the intention of the-
government was to give the measure a fair trial and to treat ttie
non-Moslem soldiers well may be inferred from the fact that,
when they were first enrolled, stringent orders were issued to
officers, and special precautions were taken to ensure a good
reception from their Moslem comrades.
In the Balkan War the Armenians fought well; the Slavs and
Greeks were naturally unreliable.
In 1914 and 1915 the great majority of Christians and Jews
enrolled were drafted into unarmed labour battalions, used foi
road making, etc.
In general, the last years certainly contained some progress
for the Turkish Army on modern lines. A good system of train
ing and instruction has been instituted, which has given satis
factory results, and though the Balkan W 7 ar inflicted grave
losses of recruiting grounds, men, and material, upon the lurkis
Army, the reoccupation of Adrianople somewhat improvec
the shaken morale of the Officers’ Corps.
Since 1913 the Turkish Army has been subjected to intensive-
German training under the auspices of a German military mis
sion under General Eiman von Sanders Pasha, composed of some
seventy German officers. This number was increased six oi
sevenfold between August 1 and December 1, 1914.