WW1 Map Activity

WWI Student Journals Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Empire, Period 8, 1913:

We’ve made some strategic moves for the future this year. We need to take back Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania. We’ve made this easier by signing an alliance with Bulgaria. You know what they say: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. The Central Powers have a plan in place and will put it to the test in 1914. May God help us all.

Ottoman Empire, Period 8, 1914:

We’ve brought Bulgaria into our circle, and it’s proved to be a good decision so far. Germany and our great Empire went up against Russia and the outcome wasn’t what we had hoped. We’ll leave them alone for now, though. There’ve been whispers from Italy planning to take our country. We’ve made strategic moves to avoid this treasonous move though. Bulgaria has let us move troops into its country. We’re going to help Austria-Hungary take down Serbia. Long live the Ottomans.

Ottoman Empire, Period 8, 1915:

The Allied Powers claimed Italy as one of their own like an eagle swooping to claim fish from a river. We really would’ve liked an alliance with them, but we’re fine without it and know what they plan to do. We attacked Greece for the first time today, but Italy came to its aid and we suffered a gross defeat there, but our plans still hold and we will come to the aid of those who helped us. Romania has joined our team and she is proving to be a useful and resourceful ally. 

Ottoman Empire, Period 8, 1916

We were fools to believe that Romania would ever truly leave the allies to join us. She left us cold and in the dust. All of the top secret intel she received, she fed back to the Allies. We lost a lot today, but We’ll come back stronger, like a phoenix from the ashes. We heard that Russia planned to take O2 and begin its tirade to the Dardanelles Strait, which we know from undercover moles, is something they desperately need. To counteract this, we moved as many troops as we could spare from our capital, to protect our border with Russia.

Ottoman Empire, Period 8, 1917

We really showed them who’s boss. We recaptured G2, we took back Austria-Hungary’s territories, and we took Romania. Russia has collapsed into Civil war, and just in time, for we also took their western front, regaining the Crimea. An incredibly successful year, but we won’t take it lightly, because we still suffered heavy losses. We will be smart moving forward, but for now, we celebrate our magnificent wins.

Ottoman Empire, Period 8, 1918

We came into this year with high hopes, but we weren’t so lucky. Despite the allies endless attempts, we were able to protect Germany and the Austria-Hungarians from the Allied Powers. We gave our last attempt to take Greece, but it was for nothing and we were still defeated. If not for Italy’s incredibly disciplined army, we would have won, but unfortunately, they made a strategic decision that we didn’t account for. We thought that they would move to help in Austria-Hungary, but in the upset of the century, they moved all their troops to Greece and the impact was less than in our favor. Though not completely successful in the end, we regained most of our lost territories for the Ottomans, and for that, we’re forever grateful.