The coastline of Turkey, why is it being pressured by Greece, which is much weaker in terms of military strength?

On the map, it is clear to see that Turkey today faces an awkward situation, with many of its islands near its doorstep almost entirely occupied by Greece.

Despite having over 7,200 kilometers of coastline, Turkey has not been able to enjoy corresponding maritime rights.

Although Greece is merely a second-rate European country, its territory is less than one-sixth the size of Turkey's.

This situation inevitably raises the question: What has happened to Turkey? Why is it being so aggressively pressured by Greece, which is much weaker?

The Ottoman Empire reached its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries, but it was followed by increasing internal and external problems.

Firstly, the Sultan's power gradually fell into the hands of aristocratic ministers.

The Sultan, who had previously risen to power through competition, became a position inherited by elders, leading to difficulty in ensuring effective rule and allowing the actual power to be controlled by the nobility for an extended period.

Secondly, the vast administrative division of the Ottoman Empire made effective governance challenging.

In the early 17th century, the Ottoman Empire had over 30 provinces, most of which were acquired through military conquests.

Coupled with the lack of an effective local autonomy system, this led to ongoing internal conflicts.

The centrifugal forces of the lower social classes and power struggles among senior officials meant that each provincial governor had immense power,

and when the authority of the Sultan was not respected, these governors often openly rebelled, weakening the motivation to remain loyal to the state.

As the Ottoman Empire developed, internal corruption issues became increasingly serious.

For example, an inexperienced person appointed as naval commander due to wealth and flattery was even promoted to the position of governor of Egypt later on, and such cases were not uncommon.

This severe bureaucratic corruption exacerbated the empire's decline.

Economically, the Ottoman Empire, due to its geographical location, heavily relied on trade between East and West.

However, with the advent of the Age of Discovery, European countries no longer relied on overland trade routes to reach the East, causing the Ottomans to lose many trading profits and suffer economic devastation.

Without commercial support, agricultural production also faced serious difficulties.

The Ottoman Empire was founded on military conquests and was almost continuously at war for over 600 years.

However, as the strength of its adversaries grew, the Ottoman expansion slowed down.

In particular, the war with Russia for over 200 years resulted in the Ottoman Empire losing vast territories in Ukraine, the Caucasus, and the Balkans.

Frequent wars intensified the empire's economic and social problems, leading to continuous weakening of its national strength.

The Greek Peninsula was occupied by the Ottoman Empire after the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire and remained under its rule for over 300 years.

As the strength of the Ottoman Empire declined, Greece managed to achieve independence with the support of countries like Britain and Russia in the early 19th century.

In the Balkan Peninsula, Greece formed the Balkan League with Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and other countries to collectively expel Ottoman forces.

After the First Balkan War, Greece gained several islands in the Aegean Sea, significantly enhancing its territorial and population size.

Italy, with a deep historical connection to the Mediterranean, sought greater influence in the region.

Before and after World War I, Italy occupied multiple islands in southern Aegean Sea, creating a triangular power dynamic among Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

Leveraging its background from the Balkan Wars, Greece occupied most of the islands in the Aegean Sea and became the main beneficiary among the three countries.

For the maintenance of European equality, the British government supported German rapid rebuilding, hoping to prevent France from having an excessive influence on the European continent.

However, Germany's ambitions are not just to counterbalance France but also to establish a dominant position in Europe.

After World War I, Germany attempted to pull Italy, Greece, and Turkey into its camp to counteract the joint threat from Britain and France.

After experiencing the lessons of World War I, Turkey was not interested in alliance, preferring to maintain neutrality for self-protection.

Italy, due to its interests in Africa, formed an alliance with Germany.

Under the threat of Italian aggression, Greece ultimately turned to the British camp.

Although Italy performed well in the war, it ultimately failed under the counterattack of the British-Greek coalition.

After the war, Greece gained large territories, including parts of Turkey.

In the post-war peace treaty, Greece further expanded its territories in the Aegean Sea, becoming an economically balanced advantage and a cultural exchange between East and West.

Faced with the enormous losses of war and national destruction, Turkey emerged from a country in ruins to modernization and prosperity.

In the hope for the future, Greece will become a post-war European economic area and an important military state.