Constantinople and the Straits. The Struggle of the Russian Empire for the Capital of Turkey, Control of the Bosporus and Dardanelles in World War I. Volume 2

Since the time of Catherine II, the most characteristic feature of Russia's foreign policy has been the desire to gain passage through the Straits and complete dominance over the Black Sea. Throughout the 19th century, Russian sovereigns repeatedly attempted to... revive the 'Greek project', but the issue of the Straits became most acute in 1914-1915, when the decision to initiate the Dardanelles operation was made. This publication presents, in two volumes, secret documents from the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the agreement between the countries of the anti-German coalition regarding the future administration of Constantinople and negotiations for a truce with Germany and Turkey. The second volume includes correspondence with the Venizelos government regarding the involvement of Greece on the side of the Allies and communications with the authorities of Bulgaria regarding the use of Burgas as a base for the Russian fleet. In the preface, Professor E.D. Grimm provides a comprehensive historical overview of the political situation in Europe during World War I and traces the course of the military operation for the capture of the Dardanelles and access to the Mediterranean Sea.