Enver Pasha’s fateful Sarikamis operation: Century of remembrance and resentment

During World War I, Enver Pasha, an ardent admirer of the Germans, orchestrated the ill-fated Sarikamis Operation, leading 90,000 Turkish soldiers to their deaths in a bid to liberate Ardahan and Kars from occupation. Despite their heroic efforts against the Russians, the soldiers, ill-equipped for the harsh winter conditions, succumbed to the cold, a direct consequence of Enver Pasha’s flawed decisions.

This tragedy, conducted 110 years ago, continues to evoke sorrow and anger, particularly in Kars, where the bitterness towards Enver Pasha, a key figure in the Committee of Union and Progress, endures.

No newborns are named ‘Enver’

The decision by Enver Pasha inflicted what many consider a self-inflicted genocide upon his own troops, unmatched by Armenian or Russian actions. The remains of the soldiers who perished in the Allahuekber Mountains are displayed at the Caucasus Front War History Museum in Kars, serving as a somber reminder of the tragedy.

A poignant letter from one of the fallen soldiers highlights the neglect they faced: “We go days without eating. We are cold because we wear thin clothes.” Enver Pasha’s actions have left a lasting scar on the region, where no newborns are named “Enver.”

Enver Pasha, who sent 90,000 soldiers to their deaths without adequate supplies or winter camouflage, is remembered as a commander who did not lead his army. His teacher, Hasan Izzet Pasha, had objected to the winter operation, cautioning, “The harsh winter has begun. Under these conditions, an army operation in this season will not yield good results.” Enver Pasha’s retort was harsh: “If you were not my teacher, I would have you executed.”

The grief of Anatolian mothers, who sent their sons to the ill-fated campaign, is captured in letters expressing both personal loss and empathy for enemy mothers.