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Title: The Fall of the Ottomans

Subtitle: The Great War in the Middle East

Author: Eugene Rogan

Narrator: Derek Perkins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-12-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 955 votes

Genres: History, World

Publisher's Summary:

In The Fall of the Ottomans, award-winning historian Eugene Rogan brings the First World War and its immediate aftermath in the Middle East to vivid life, uncovering the often ignored story of the region's crucial role in the conflict.

Bolstered by German money, arms, and military advisors, the Ottomans took on the Russian, British, and French forces and tried to provoke jihad against the Allies in their Muslim colonies. Unlike the static killing fields of the Western Front, the war in the Middle East was fast moving and unpredictable, with the Turks inflicting decisive defeats before the tide of battle turned in the Allies' favor. The great cities of Baghdad, Jerusalem, and finally Damascus fell to invading armies before the Ottomans agreed to an armistice in 1918. The postwar settlement led to the partition of Ottoman lands between the victorious powers and laid the groundwork for the ongoing conflicts that continue to plague the modern Arab world.

A sweeping narrative of battles and political intrigue from Gallipoli to Arabia, The Fall of the Ottomans is essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the Great War and the making of the modern Middle East.

Critic Reviews:

"An illuminating work that offers new understanding to the troubled history of this key geopolitical region." (Kirkus)

Members Reviews:

Great Book About A Little Known Part of WWI

I am an avid student of history and in particular the period involving World War I. In my many years of studying the war, I have never listened to an audio book that covered the war in the Middle East in full. Sure a number of good books have been written about the Gallipoli campaign (see the audio book by Peter Hart on the subject offered by Audible) and the Arab Revolt (TE Lawrence a/k/a Lawrence of Arabia- see Hero by Michael Korda also offered by Audible), but nothing has really put all of it into perspective in light of the Ottoman Empire's participation in the war. This book changed my perception and is well worth the listen.

The book begins in approximately 1876 as the Ottoman Sultanate enters its last phase of absolute power vested in the Sultan and follows through to the war with the Italians (over Libya), the First and Second Balkan Wars (1912 & 1913) and then the empire's entry into World War I and its demise. Along with way the listener is introduced to key historical persons such as the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) or Young Turks consisting of the triumvirate of Enver, Talaat, and Djemal who drove the Empire into destruction as well as Mustapha Kemal who led what was left of the empire out of its ashes to form modern Turkey. What made the book stand out was the way in which it put the Gallipoli invasion and the Arab Revolt (along with TE Lawrence) into context in terms of how all of this related to the war against the Ottomans. It also brought to light several things I never understood about the war in Middle East theatre. The Ottoman Empire was considered to be the weakest of the Central Powers and the Allied Powers thought that they could defeat the Ottomans more easily especially given the Ottoman army's performance in the first winter of the war. This led to the failed British invasion of Gallipoli (poorly managed by the British) and the invasion of Mesopotamia (i.e. Iraq) which led to the British humiliating surrender at Kut.