up of the Ottoman Empire into the many states we know today. General Ludendorff stated in his memoirs that he believed the entry of the Turks into the war allowed the outnumbered Central Powers to fight on for two years longer than they would have been able on their own, a view shared by historian Ian F.W. Beckett. The war was extended to the Middle East with main fronts of Gallipoli, the Sinai and Palestine, Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus. The course of the war in the Balkans was also influenced by the entry of the Ottoman Empire on the side of the Central Powers. Had the war ended in 1916, some of the bloodiest engagements, such as the Battle of the Somme, would have been avoided. The United States might not have been drawn from its policy of isolation to intervene in a foreign war. In allying with the Central Powers, Turkey shared their fate in ultimate defeat. This gave the allies the opportunity to carve up the collapsed Ottoman Empire to suit their political whims. Many new nations were created including Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Notes Bibliography External links Superior Force: The Conspiracy Behind the Escape of Goeben and Breslau Mediterranean naval operations of World War I Naval battles of World War I involving France Naval battles of World War I involving Germany Naval battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom Naval battles of World War I involving Russia Naval battles of World War I involving the Ottoman Empire Conflicts in 1914 1914 in the Ottoman Empire July 1914 events August 1914 events