ME-WWI

Promises, promises everywhere, and not a one to keep....
France, and especially Britain, had been slowly increasing their presence in the Middle East through the 19th century, slowly knocking back the Ottoman Empire. With the Ottoman Empire joining World War One on the side of the Central Powers, it blocked Russia's access to the Mediterranean Sea (through the Dardanelles Strait (i.e. Gallipoli) from the Black Sea); it brought the war uncomfortably close to key supply areas of the British Empire, Persia and India; and it spread the front across a vast area, committing troops to a number of theatres. To increase participation on the Allied side, Britain entered into a number of agreements with different countries as to how the Ottoman Empire would be divided up once the war was won.

Promises to Russia Russia was an important ally to the Britain and France, as it forced the Germans to fight on two significant fronts. Indeed, Germany had considered Russia to be the tougher opponent, and in case of war, had anticipated defeating France in six weeks and then moving east to conduct the 'real' war against Russia. Due to a range of internal factors (culminating in the Russian Revolution, and withdrawal from the war in 1917), Britain and France entered into the [|Agreement of Constantinople] with Russia.