War by Revolution. Germany and Great Britain in the Middle East in the Era of World War I

140 WARBYREVOLUTION

GeneralStaffas well asofNadolnyandOttovonLossow(theReich's

newmilitaryattacheinConstantinople),EnverPashaappointedthe

legendaryandagingGermanfieldmarshalColmarvonder Goltz

supremecommanderofa newlyformedOttomanSixthArmy. It in-

cludedbothTurkishandGermantroopsandoperatedinMesopo-

tamiaandPersia. VonderGoltzvieweditas hisprincipalobjectiveto

applymilitarypressureonIndia,therebydivertingevermoreBritish

troopsfromthemaintheaterofwar inEuropetofarawayimperial

territory/3

The Fall Crises inTeheranand Kabul
OnOctober27,whenReussfinallyinformedthePersianminister-
president,Mustaufiul-Mamalik,ofGermany'sagreementtothePer-
siandemands,thePersianleaderdelayedconcludingthepact,rais-
ingtheamountofPersia'sfinancialrequests.He was also under
pressurefromtheBritishandRussianstostophisnegotiationswith
theReich orfacepunitiveaction.TostiffentheAllied threat,the
Russianson 7 NovembersentamilitarydetachmentfromKazvin
towardTeheranandlandedmoretroopsatEnzeli.
ThusthePersiangovernmentsuddenlyfounditselfin adelicate
situation.TheRussiansthreatenedTeheranmilitarily,nomoneyor
armamentshadarrivedforthePersiansfromGermany,andtheBrit-
ishhadadvancedintoMesopotamiatowithinthirtymilesofBaghdad,
threateningtocutPersiaofffromfutureGermansuppliessent
throughTurkey.Moreover,mattersworsenedwithvonderGoltz's
appointmentascommanderoftheSixth Army. Heacceptedtheclaims
oftheGermanmilitaryattache,Kanitz,thatmuchofPersiawas ready
forrebellionagainsttheAnglo-RussiansandignoredReuss'swarn-
ingsregardingsucharevolt.
Consequently,vonderGoltzfailedduringOctoberandNovem-
bertostopKanitz.Inmid-AugustthelatterhadreportedtotheGer-
manforeignministryfromBaghdad"thatthehourofdecisionfor
Persiaapproaches.">ButKanitz,whofearedtheRussianswouldsoon
attackKermanshah,theGermanstrongholdinwesternPersia,moved
prematurely.Hehadnotonlyneglectedtoexpandandpaythecenter-
pieceofGermanmilitaryplans,thePersiangendarmerie,thusfailing