Savaşın Gölgesinde Eğitim: Birinci Dünya Harbi Sürecinde Bahriye Mektebi
Mehmet Korkmazİnsanlık tarihinin gördüğü en büyük topyekûn ve küresel savaşlardan biri olan Birinci Dünya Harbi, İttifak Devletleri ve İtilaf Devletleri arasında 1914-1918 yılları arasında cereyan etti. Savaşın doğal olarak toplumlar üzerinde maddi ve manevi yıkıcı etkileri oldu. Karmaşa ve kaosun hâkim olduğu ortamda sosyal hayatın yanı sıra eğitim ve öğretim süreçleri de olumsuzluklara maruz kaldı. Osmanlı Devleti’nin de dâhil olduğu bu savaşta, seferberliğin ilanıyla okullardaki bazı eğitimcilerin cepheye sevk edilmesi ve yoksulluk gerekçesiyle çocukların okullara gönderilmemesi gibi faktörler eğitimi olumsuz anlamda etkileyen unsurlar arasında yer aldı. Mülki eğitimin yanı sıra askerî eğitim sahasına da harbin yansımaları oldu. Cephelerde daha fazla subaya ihtiyaç olduğundan askerî okullarda görev yapan subaylardan bazıları cephelere sevk edildi. Askerî okullarda eğitimi devam eden son sınıf öğrencilerinin erken mezun edilerek cepheye gönderilmeleri de söz konusu oldu. Bu makalede Osmanlı Devleti’nde askerî deniz eğitimi veren Heybeliada Bahriye Mektebi’nin (Deniz Harp Okulu) savaş sürecinden nasıl etkilendiği sorusunun cevabı aranmıştır. Osmanlı Devleti’nin Almanya ile yaptığı ittifakın Bahriye Mektebi’ndeki eğitim öğretim süreçlerine yansımaları araştırılmıştır. Savaş döneminde askerî bir eğitim kurumunda yaşanan gelişmelerin ele alındığı bu makalede, konu Türk askerî eğitim tarihi açısından analiz edilerek Bahriye Mektebi üzerindeki tesirleri ağırlıklı olarak arşiv vesikaları ışığında ele alınmıştır.
Education in the Shadow of War: Turkish Naval School during the First World War
Mehmet KorkmazThe First World War, one of the largest global conflicts, was fought between the Central Powers and the Allied Powers from 1914 to 1918. The war significantly disrupted education and training processes across various sectors. In schools, some educators were sent to the war front following the declaration of war, while economic hardship prevented many families from sending their children to school. These challenges extended beyond civilian education to military training institutions. In military schools, several officers were reassigned to active duty on the battlefield. Additionally, senior students nearing graduation were required to complete their studies early and were deployed to the front lines. This article examines the impact of the war on the Turkish Naval School (Bahriye Mektebi), which provided military naval training in the Ottoman Empire. It explores how the Ottoman Empire’s alliance with Germany influenced the education processes at the school. The study situates the Turkish Naval School within the broader context of Turkish military education history and evaluates the effects of the four-year conflict on its operations. The analysis draws primarily on archival documents to provide a detailed account of the challenges faced by the institution during this period.
It is well-documented that the military, economic, social, and political conditions of nations involved in war are often adversely impacted. Such circumstances frequently lead to domestic insecurity and chaos. The First World War, one of the most extensive and global conflicts in human history, inflicted significant and destructive effects on both states and societies.
For the Ottoman Empire, which was compelled to join this war, the consequences were materially and morally devastating for Turkish society. The empire mobilized all its resources, both material and spiritual, to sustain its war effort. However, alongside the deteriorating economy, there was also a noticeable decline in social cohesion and stability. Institutions across various sectors, including education and training, were profoundly affected by the challenges and disruptions brought about by the war.
With the declaration of mobilization at the onset of the First World War, a significant number of schoolteachers were conscripted for military service. Additionally, the widespread poverty and social chaos caused by the war prevented many students from attending school, further disrupting education processes. As with civilian educational institutions, schools providing military training were profoundly impacted by the war. One significant measure implemented was the early graduation of senior students in military schools, allowing them to be deployed to the battlefield as quickly as possible.
This article explores the impact of the First World War on the Turkish Naval School (Bahriye Mektebi), which provided military maritime education in the Ottoman Empire. Drawing primarily on archival documents, the study examines the effects of the four year conflict on the institution. Additionally, the article analyzes how the Ottoman Empire’s alliance with Germany influenced the education and training processes at the Turkish Naval School.
Based on our research, it was determined that education at the Turkish Naval School continued relatively uninterrupted during the First World War, despite some minor challenges. British experts, who had been appointed to reform the Turkish Naval School in the years preceding the war, returned to their country when the conflict began. In their place, officers from Germany, the Ottoman Empire’s wartime ally, were assigned to the school.
Prior to the war, English had been the mandatory foreign language taught at the Naval School; however, with the onset of the war, it was replaced by German. Additionally, naval officers graduating from the school, who had previously undertaken maritime internships and specialized training in England, France, and Germany, were sent exclusively to Germany during the war.
The study investigates the influence of the Ottoman Empire’s alliance with Germany on the educational processes at the Turkish Naval School, analyzing the institution’s experience during the war within the broader context of Turkish military education history. Drawing primarily on archival documents, the research examines the four-year impact of the war on the Naval School, highlighting the resilience of its institutional structure despite the psychological strain experienced by both teachers and students.
The Minister of Naval Affairs, Cemal Pasha, played a particularly influential role during this period, providing support and fostering the development of the Naval School. To provide a comprehensive framework, the study also includes a comparative analysis of the school’s situation before and after the war. In this context, the developments at the Naval School during the war are analyzed as part of the history of Turkish military education.
