- dent Wilson made it plain that no peace was possible
which did not destroy German military power in the Near East. Addressing the American Federation of Labor, at Buffalo, N. Y., he said:[22]
"Look at the map of Europe now. Germany, in thrusting upon
us again and again the discussion of peace, talks about what?
Talks about Belgium—talks about Alsace-Lorraine. Well, these
are deeply interesting subjects to us and to them, but they are
not talking about the heart of the matter. Take the map and
look at it. Germany has absolute control of Austria-Hungary,
practical control of the Balkan States, control of Turkey, control
of Asia Minor. I saw a map the other day in which the whole
thing was printed in appropriate black, and the black stretched
all the way from Hamburg to Bagdad—the bulk of the German
power inserted into the heart of the world. If she can keep that,
she has kept all that her dreams contemplated when the war
began. If she can keep that, her power can disturb the world
as long as she keeps it, always provided . . . the present influences
that control the German Government continue to control it."
In the light of all the facts, this diagnosis of the situation
is incomplete, to say the least. Had President Wilson
been cognizant of the contemporaneous counter-activities
of the Allied Powers, he might not have been prepared
to offer so simple an explanation of a many-sided problem.
For it was not German imperialism alone which
menaced the peace of the Near East and of the world,
but all imperialism.
"Berlin to Bagdad" Becomes But a Memory
Germany may have been determined to dominate the Ottoman Empire by military force. But from the Turkish point of view domination by Germany was hardly more objectionable than the dismemberment which was certain to be the result of an Allied victory.
Indeed, confident that they would eventually win the war, the Entente Powers had proceeded far in their plans
