Great Britain Declares War on Turkey

In Egypt there was some show of hatred for England among the Nomads of the desert, but no attempt was made to instigate a general uprising.

Arabia, a Turkish province, allied herself with England and France. Great Britain retaliated by declaring war upon Turkey, November 5, 1914, by seizing all Turkish vessels in British ports and annexing the Island of Cyprus.

Italy had been allied with the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires since 1882 as part of the Triple Alliance. However, the nation had its own designs on Austrian territory in Trentino, Istria and Dalmatia. Rome had a secret 1902 pact with France, effectively nullifying its alliance. At the start of hostilities, Italy refused to commit troops, arguing that the Triple Alliance was defensive in nature, and that Austria–Hungary was an aggressor. The Austro-Hungarian government began negotiations to secure Italian neutrality, offering the French colony of Tunisia in return. The Allies made a counter-offer in which Italy would receive the Alpine province of South Tyrol and territory on the Dalmatian coast after the defeat of Austria–Hungary. This was fomalised by the Treaty of London. Further encouraged by the Allied invasion of Turkey in April 1915, Italy joined the Entente and declared war on Austria–Hungary on May 23. Fifteen months later Italy declared war on Germany.