Turkish "victories"

Submitted by Ianus (Poland), Jun 27, 2012 at 06:57

Mozere wrote:

>To break the monotony of defeats here are some of the Turkish victories post 1700;

1711 Pruth river defeat of Russia<

It was a strange "victory" provided that 120 000 strong Turkish army reinforced by 70 000 Crimean Tatars' cavallary didn't manage to beat the encircled Russian army of 38 000 and suffering itself terrible losses among the janissary corps and finally letting the Russians out !

The hostilities with Turkey were secondary compared to what was happening on the main theatre of operations in the north. We are dealing with the Great Northern War against Sweden after all where Russia's very existence was at stake.

Note also that next year after this "victory" Turkey had to declare again war on Russia. Any other example of a victorious war that had to be re-declared next year?

>1718 Reconquest of Morea ,defeat of Venice<

It's amazing how with 70 000 troops at their disposal the Turk facing just 8000 Venetian mercenaries achieved so little, isn't it?You will have to explain to me also the Turkish defeat at Corfu as well us the circumstances under which 40 000 "invincible" Turks were defeated by a small Venetian force at Sinij in Dalmatia in 1715? And don't forget to include other stipulations of the ensuing Treaty of Passarowitz of 1718 with all the Turkish losses. The traditionally big Turkish mouth as always gains the greatest "victories" for Turkey everywhere, doesn't it ?

>1739 Belgrade retaken Austria defeated<

It was not retaken but ceded by Austria that was waging a more important war at that time. The Turks never managed to re-conquer Belgrade.

>1739 Russians forced to hand back Azov<

This is another Turkish victory no history books except those published in Turkey tell about. Azov was reconquered by the Russians in 1736 and exactly in 1739 in the Peace Treaty of Belgrade its final loss was officially recognized by Turkey. The Turks were crushed on several occasions during the war that preceded the said peace treaty, their greatest defeat being at Stavuchan where 90 000 Turks were virtually decimated by Prince Minikh. The Crimean Khanate was temporarily occupied too with thousands of slaves freed from Moslem slavery.

>1812 Russians forced to withdraw.<

You should better check the course of the Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812 before inventing more Turkish victories.The Russian navy defeated the Turkish Fleet in the Dardanelles and near Mount Athos in 1807. Turkey's armies were crushed in the battle of Arpachai in Armenia and later at Rushchuk in Moldavia. By virtue of the Treaty of Bucharest that was signed a month before Napoleon's invasion of Russia, Russia gained Bessarabia and the Serbian autonomy was guaranteed. So again who forced whom to withdraw and capitulate,Turk?

>1853 Crimean war,Russian defeat<

And maybe "Turkish victory"?;) It would be very interesting to learn from you what contribution Turkey made in this war effort? The naval battle of Sinope where all Turkish navy was annihilated or the capitulation of Kars e.g.?

>1897 Victory over Greece<

And what was Freiherr von der Goltz -the later victor of Kut- with the German military mission doing at that time in the Turkish army ?

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