History UsefulNotes / TurksWithTroops

* [[RealMenLoveJesus RealMenLoveAllah]]: Osman I and many, many Ottoman Sultans. The Ottoman Empire was, or at least thought it was, very zealous in matters of faith.

* [[RealMenLoveJesus RealMenLoveAllah]]: Osman I and many, many Ottoman Sultans.

* ''O Şimdi Asker'' (''He is a Soldier Now''): Chronicles the experiences of a group of soldiers scheduled for short-term conscrption but ended up getting stuck in the military when a crisis with Greece breaks out. Somewhat critical of the army but ultimately focusing on the {{Nakama}} that grows between the diverse range of characters.

Interestingly the Turkish army does not have a tradition of neutrality in internal politics. In fact the Turks often believe that an occasional temporary [[DirtyBusiness military takeover]] clears the air, and keeps their state stable and orderly. Sort of the ghost of Ataturk. It is probably [[{{Understatement}} not ideal]]. Thanks (among other things) to wanting to make nice with the EuropeanUnion (on the off-chance that Turkey would be let in), the recent discovery and thwarting of a coup plot, and a smart chief of staff, this trend seems to be on the downtick of late, however: the military clearly dislikes the way the current government does things, but thus far it hasn't really tried to do very much about it. Indeed, when a few junior officers were found planning a coup, the senior staff quickly put the kibosh on it, and once the civilian government got wind of the plot, the officers were brought to trial.

* HappinessInSlavery: As mentioned below, Janissaries were technically a slave caste, albeit one with great benefits and status. As such, [[{{Understatement}} did not react well]] to the efforts of later Sultans to abolish or modernise them. The struggle to get rid of Janissaries took decades and cost the lives of numerous Sultans, depriving the empire of leadership and military force during a critical period of European expansion. By the time they were replaced, it was too little too late.

* ''Ararat''

** WorldWarI was low on the atrocity scale compared to WorldWarII(admittedly being more chivalrous than WorldWarII isn't obvious praise) and neither of the two sides at Gallipoli thought the other was trying to exterminate their way of life. SoYeah.

* HappinessInSlavery: As mentioned below, Janissaries were technically a slave caste, albeit one with great benefits and status. As such, [[{{Understatement}} did not react well]] to the efforts of later Sultans to abolish or replace them. The struggle to get rid of Janissaries took decades and cost the lives of numerous Sultans, depriving the empire of leadership and military force during a critical period of European expansion. By the time they were replaced, it was too little too late.

* HappinessInSlavery: As mentioned below, Janissaries were technically a slave caste, but one with great benefits and status. When later Ottoman Sultans tried to modernise or abolish the organisation, the Janissaries [[{{Understatement}} were not happy]]. The struggle to get rid of them took decades and cost the lives of numerous Sultans, depriving the empire of leadership and military force during a critical period of European expansion. By the time they were replaced, it was Too Little Too Late.

* HappinessInSlavery: As mentioned below, Janissaries were technically a slave caste, but one with great benefits and status. When later Ottoman Sultans tried to modernise or abolish the organisation, the Janissaries [[{{Understatement were not happy]]. The struggle to get rid of them took decades and cost the lives of numerous Sultans, depriving the empire of leadership and military force during a critical period of European expansion. By the time they were replaced, it was TooLittleTooLate.

* PunchClockVillain: Many Turks, rightly or not, saw the Anzacs as victims who ended up fighting a war that was not theirs. This, combined with the WorthyOpponnent effect described below is probably the reason why Gallipolli is not seen as ItsPersonal, despite the sheer brutality of that particular conflict.

--> Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives¦ you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

--> Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
---> —Atatürk

Interestingly the Turkish army does not have a tradition of neutrality in internal politics. In fact the Turks often believe that an occasional temporary [[DirtyBusiness military takeover]] clears the air, and keeps their state stable and orderly. Sort of the ghost of Ataturk. It is probably [[YouShouldKnowThisAlready not ideal]]. Thanks (among other things) to wanting to make nice with the EuropeanUnion (on the off-chance that Turkey would be let in), the recent discovery and thwarting of a coup plot, and a smart chief of staff, this trend seems to be on the downtick of late, however: the military clearly dislikes the way the current government does things, but thus far it hasn't really tried to do very much about it. Indeed, when a few junior officers were found planning a coup, the senior staff quickly put the kibosh on it, and once the civilian government got wind of the plot, the officers were brought to trial.

* {{Ambadassador}} - Turkish sultans, grand viziers and other political officials often also took part in military battles. [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Authority most definitely equaled ass kicking]], especially in the early days of the empire when it was still expanding.
** A lot of the reasons that AuthorityEqualsAsskicking in the early Ottoman Empire was the curious law of fratricide which declared that ThereCanBeOnlyOne and all non-sultans must die. In other words AuthorityEqualsAsskicking because AsskickingEqualsAuthority
*** Later Sultans were more careful of their lives and / or , more respectful of the lives of their siblings. Probably the first; one is mildly skeptical about the court of the Sublime Porte being an empire of brotherly love.
* ArchEnemy - Greece, Russia for many centuries (though things have calmed down between them in recent decades), Armenia, the Kurds... it'd be simpler to just say pretty much all their neighbors except Azerbaijan.

* EvilArmy - Most descriptions of the Turkish army are from the point of view of it's enemies [[hottip:*:or victims,]] or their descendants.

* JustFollowingOrders - Particularly in World War I.

-->''Osman saw himself and his host reposing near each other. From the bosom of Edebali rose the full moon,''

-->''Osman saw himself and his host reposing near each other. From the bosom of Edebali rose the full moon,'' -->''and inclining towards the bosom of Osman it sank upon it, and was lost to sight.''

-->''four mountains, which he knew to be Caucasus, -->Atlas, Taurus, and Haemus.''

-->''Osman saw himself and his host reposing near each other. From the bosom of Edebali rose the full moon,'' -->''and inclining towards the bosom of Osman it sank upon it, and was lost to sight. After that a goodly''
-->''tree sprang forth, which grew in beauty and in strength, ever greater and greater. ''

-->''Osman saw himself and his host reposing near each other. From the bosom of Edebali rose the full moon,'' -->''andinclining towards the bosom of Osman it sank upon it, and was lost to sight. After that a goodly

* MoralEventHorizon - Again, in World War I, though today Turkey tries to make it DisContinuity.
** It is considering that people claim it was a governmentally sanctioned policy (like the Holocaust), when it was pretty obviously not the case. Though, few would care whether the higher ups actually wanted to erase em, or whether the soldiers were just dicks.
** If Djevdet Bey, governor of Van, issuing an order stating that any Turk caught hiding Armenian families will not only have the Armenians killed before their eyes but their own families too before being killed themselves doesn't count as government policy, then yeah.
* RapePillageAndBurn

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