The outbreak of civil war in Transcaucasia leads Enver to send a Turkish army into the Southern Caucasus in the attempt to exploit the situation and take Baku. Georgia declares itself independent and emissaries arrive in Berlin to ask for Germany's assistance with the promise of a throne for a German princeling. Germany invokes the alliance with the Ukraine to allow the passage of a large German expeditionary force
Persia becomes increasingly restless with national feeling strong against Ottoman aggression. German diplomats at the Shah's court attempt to sooth feelings but Turkish assaults on Baku lead to a backlash. The German ambassador reports on the deteriorating situation to Berlin
Throughout 1933 relations between Germany and the Ottoman Empire get increasingly more strained. German support for Georgia defeats Islamic elements in the Northern Caucasus whilst moves to establish Georgia's Southern frontier lead to clashes with pro-Turkish and Turkish-backed auxilaries
Soviet Russia attempts to intervene in Dagestan but a mixed German-Ukrainian force drives them back to Astrakhan and Stalin wisely makes peace
Within Greece national feeling is running high. Only the alliance with Germany has held them together with the Turks but King Alexander does not have the close relations his father had
As Ottoman units get dragged into a border war with an increasingly bellicose Persia, Greece seizes the initiative and launches an attack across the Aegean. Bulgaria has signed a secret accord with Greece and joins in at the most opportune moment as Turkey deploys its most available forces against the Greeks. By November 1933 Bulgarian troops have laid siege to Constantinople and Greek forces are in possession of Smyrna. The smaller Greek navy defeats the more powerful but badly-led and poorly-maintained Turks
As Turkish central control manifestly weakens risings occur in Southern Mesopotamia and again in the Hejaz in response to a renewed offensive from the Sherrif
A Bavarian princeling (the Duke IN Bavaria) is crowned King of Georgia
Within Turkey the veteran Kemal is given control of the Persian Front, forming his forces there into the Army of the Euphrates and scoring a stunning success against the Shah's troops before turning to suppress the Marsh Arabs in Southern Mesopotamia
The nationalist-populist government in Italy which had been building up its forces and agitating for action against Abyssinian 'outrages' in the Horn of Africa , sees an opportunity to revive its dreams of a Mediteranean empire and sends a large force to their possessions in the Dodecanese, soon forcing a landing in South-Western Anatolia
Greek forces are allowed to cross Bulgarian territory and attack the Dardanelles from the landward side whilst the Greek navy, supreme in the Aegean, supports landings on the shores of the Hellespont. Bulgarian forces before Constantinople have a large number of German observers, especially from the armaments and aircraft manufacturers ; German enterprise is keen to see how its most modern creations will fare in combat and the Bulgarian armed forces sport some of the most advanced designs available. They press the assault on Constantinople using aircraft and artillery and ushering in a new phase of warfare.
With the Persians defeated and the Marsh Arabs once again subjugated Kemal leads his army West towards Ankara where the only effective central Turkish administration is functioning
Sarrail sends French warships to the Levant.
British forces in Egypt are strengthened and Hussein in the Hejaz begins to receive large quantities of British war materiele
Revolt spreads in Arabia and affects the Arab units in Syria who mutiny against Ottoman authority
Turkish commanders in Jerusalem put down an attempted revolt by the Palestinian Arab population. Britain makes a strong protest and sends troops to the border across from Gaza
German units in the Caucasus clear Georgia of opposition forces and secure the border against the Turkish-occupied area
Starved of supplies and reinforcements by the spontaneous outbreak of crises across the Ottoman Empire Turkish forces in the West begin to suffer a general collapse. Greek naval vessels are preceded into the Dardanelles by a large number of fishing craft converted to use as minelayers ; whilst this saves the majority of the fleet whch follows from damage the losses amongst the fishermen are not insignificant and lead to a post-war scandal in Greece. With the forts of the European side of the Dardanelles in Greek hands, and the defenders on the Asian side under constant bombardment both from Greek naval vessels and long-range artillery mounted opposite them, the Greek fleet forces itself an entrance into the Sea of Marmara ; its only significant losses are the cruiser Helle, run aground to prevent sinking after hitting a mine, and substantial damage to the bow of the armoured cruiser Averoff which does not prevent the warship from accompanying the rest of the fleet onwards.
In the wake of the military defeat to the Turks civil war breaks out across Persia
Serb nationalists from their Spanish exile land in Greek-occupied Albania (Northern Epirus) and strike North-East into Kosovo , hoping to inspire a Serb uprising in Macedonia (Bulgaria being fully occupied elsewhere) and in Belgrade a rising in favour of the exiled Karageorgevic dynasty.
Austrian forces with a strong 'Kingdom of Bosnia' element and attached Montenegrin units enter Serbia from the North and 'ally' with the loyalist Serb forces and defeat the Serb exiles at Pristina. Greek forces , originally ear-marked for a landing in the Asia Minor side of the Dardanelles, are sent to the front , retaking Northern Epirus and decimating what is left of the retreating Serbian force. The Serbian exiles in Spain are reduced to a small ageing population. They form an important ethnic community in the Malaga region , altering its social make-up considerably