Osmanlı Ordusunda Yaşanan Salgınlar ve Balkan Savaşlarına Tarihsel Arka Planda Etkileri

SALGINLAR VE BALKAN SAVAŞLARINA TARİHSEL ARKA PLANDA ETKİLERİ

Abstract

In a time when diseases weren't fully defined in medicine, hygiene conditions were among the factors that affected not only daily social life but also the warfare of armies that constituted their military strength. Among the places where epidemics, which have been prevalent throughout history, were the regions ruled by the Ottoman Empire. The disadvantage of its vast geography led to the spread of diseases such as plague, malaria, smallpox, cholera, and syphilis in many regions of the empire. The impact of epidemics was clearly evident in many wars in the 17th and 18th centuries. The coincidence of epidemics with many war periods in the 18th and 19th centuries caused some problems in recruiting soldiers from the provinces. One of the most pressing needs of the state, especially during wartime, was the thorough preparation of soldiers before campaigns. However, the presence of epidemics made it difficult to recruit soldiers. Indeed, during epidemic periods, mass deaths, the rapid spread of disease, and the displacement of people from their home regions were among the primary reasons that made joining the army difficult. During the Balkan Wars at the beginning of the century, cholera outbreaks among soldiers within the army negatively impacted the course of the war. We will evaluate the effects of the cholera outbreak, which occurred outside the control of the army and was among the factors that led to the "Balkan Defeat," which marked the greatest rupture in our history.

Keywords: Cholera, Soldier, Balkan Wars, Ottoman, Quarantine