_As soon as war was declared against Russia, England, and consequently
France, the Sultan issued the following proclamation to his troops:_
To my army! To my navy!
Immediately after the war between the Great powers began, I called you
to arms in order to be able in case of trouble to protect the
existence of empire and country from any assault on the part of our
enemies, who are only awaiting the chance to attack us suddenly and
unexpectedly as they have always done.
While we were thus in a state of armed neutrality, a part of the
Russian fleet, which was going to lay mines at the entrance of the
straits of the Black Sea, suddenly opened fire against a squadron of
our own fleet at the time engaged in manoeuvres.
While we were expecting reparation from Russia for this unjustified
attack, contrary to international law, the empire just named, as well
as its allies, recalled their Ambassadors and severed diplomatic
relations with our country.
The fleets of England and France have bombarded the straits of the
Dardanelles, and the British fleet has shelled the harbor of Akbah on
the Red Sea. In the face of such successive proofs of wanton hostility
we have been forced to abandon the peaceful attitude for which we
always strove, and now in common with our allies, Germany and Austria,
we turn to arms in order to safeguard our lawful interests.
The Russian Empire during the last three hundred years has caused our
country to suffer many losses in territory, and when we finally arose
to that sentiment of awakening and regeneration which would increase
our national welfare and our power, the Russian Empire made every
effort to destroy our attempts, either with war or with numerous
machinations and intrigues. Russia, England, and France never for a
moment ceased harboring ill-will against our Caliphate, to which
millions of Mussulmans, suffering under the tyranny of foreign
domination, are religiously and whole-heartedly devoted, and it was
always these powers that started every misfortune that came upon us.
Therefore, in this mighty struggle which now we are undertaking, we
once for all will put an end to the attacks made from one side against
the Caliphate, and from the other against the existence of our
country.
The wounds inflicted, with the help of the Almighty, by my fleet in
the Black Sea, and by my army in the Dardanelles, in Akbah, and on the
Caucasian frontiers against our enemies, have strengthened in us the
conviction that our sacred struggle for a right cause will triumph.
The fact, moreover, that today the countries and armies of our enemies
are being crushed under the heels of our allies is a good sign, making
our conviction as regards final success still stronger.
My heroes! My soldiers! In this sacred war and struggle, which we
began against the enemies who have undermined our religion and our
holy fatherland, never for a single moment cease from strenuous effort
and from self-abnegation.
Throw yourselves against the enemy as lions, bearing in mind that the
very existence of our empire, and of 300,000,000 Moslems whom I have
summoned by sacred Fetwa to a supreme struggle, depend on your
victory.
The hearty wishes and prayers of 300,000,000 innocent and tortured
faithful, whose faces are turned in ecstasy and devotion to the Lord
of the universe in the mosques and the shrine of the Kaabah, are with
you.
My children! My soldiers! No army in the history of the world was ever
honored with a duty as sacred and as great as is yours. By fulfilling
it, show that you are the worthy descendants of the Ottoman Armies
that in the past made the world tremble, and make it impossible for
any foe of our faith and country to tread on our ground, and disturb
the peace of the sacred soil of Yemen, where the inspiring tomb of our
prophet lies. Prove beyond doubt to the enemies of the country that
there exist an Ottoman Army and Navy which know how to defend their
faith, their country and their military honor, and how to defy death
for their sovereign!
Right and loyalty are on our side, and hatred and tyranny on the side
of our enemies, and therefore there is no doubt that the Divine help
and assistance of the just God and the moral support of our glorious
Prophet will be on our side to encourage us. I feel convinced that
from this struggle we shall emerge as an empire that has made good the
losses of the past and is once more glorious and powerful.
Do not forget that you are brothers in arms of the strongest and
bravest armies of the world, with whom we now are fighting shoulder to
shoulder. Let those of you who are to die a martyr's death be
messengers of victory to those who have gone before us, and let the
victory be sacred and the sword be sharp of those of you who are to
remain in life.