The Attacks of the Allied States on Ottoman Coastal Settlements and the Measures Taken by the Ottoman State on Terms of Retaliation

Abstract

The Allied States had bombarded the harbors and the settlements on Ottoman coasts from the Red Sea to Hopa as against the La Hague Agreement of 1907 and the International Laws. Afterwards, their soldiers along with the Greek bands, having been landed, seized the possessions of local people, slew many of them and sent the ones to the islands after taking them as prisoners. Before the bombardments and attacks, some of the Greeks residing on the Anatolian coasts assisted the Allied States in determining the targets to be attacked as agents and guides. Upon these developments, which had led to the casualties and loss of possessions, Ottoman State not only confiscated the possessions and the interests of the economic institutions of the Allied States within the Ottoman State on terms of retaliation in order to compensate the losses of its citizens, but also deported the well-known and respected subjects of the Allied States, as equal to the number of wounded and taken captive Ottomans subjects during the above-mentioned operations, to the various places of the country. Also a part of the Greek minority inhabiting the coasts was sent off to the hinterland.