hat way 120 years later, but Turkey had helped repel Russia during the Crimean War; the British really believed the Turks, if they did enter the war, would side with the British. Though Britain's ententes included the division of the Ottoman empire, the Ottomans probably did not know that, and Britain obviously counted on their ignorance. Britain thought so little of the two German warships Goeben and Breslau that she spent so little chasing them across the Mediterranean. This indicates Britain thought Turkey would not help them. When Turkey accepted the two German warships and crew into their navy and entered World War I on the German side, Britain felt more than a little betrayed. However, she probably expected to easily defeat them if it came to that.
Ironically, the Peace of Paris of March 30, 1856 guaranteed the Ottoman Empire's territorial integrity in return for reforms and better treatment of Christians. Whether the Ottomans reneged on their part of the agreement can be debated, but certainly Britain violated her part of the treaty by discussing who would dominate what part of the Ottoman empire she had previously promised to keep intact with Russia and France. Britain's reasoning was that Russia was the key to their victory by both giving Germany a two-front war and keeping the Ottomans busy. Britain's initial aims in the war were obviously peace through victory. Therefore, Russia had to be offered an incentive to stay in a war against a foe that outmatched her, and the only one available was the Ottoman lands directly south. Russia would have been content with free passage through the Boshporus and Dardanelles. When offered yet more, they were overjoyed. These were however an offer only, since France did not wish to concede so much and the best solution considering all parties was to internationalize them. The Dardanelles campaign brought French and British forces there, so Russia sought firmer assurances. These she go...