Rafael de Nogales certainly led an interesting life. This book, however, details only a portion of what would likely make a series of interesting volumes on his worldwide travels and experiences.
Nogales begins this book at the beginning of WWI, where he travels to Europe to join the Belgian military in its defense against the German advance. However, this only begins his shuffle from one European capital to another where he rebuffed (albeit politely) because he is not a citizen of any of the countries currently fighting. Yet not giving up, he finally lands a commission with the Ottoman military, and is immediately detailed to a position in Eastern Anatolia.
Herein begins the paradox of this book. De Nogales details in quite harrowing detail, the atrocities committed against the Armenian civilian population in the East. He is shocked by what he is seeing and reporting, yet he in turn is leading some of the units actually conducting the atrocities.
Not to be outdone, his friends in the Ottoman High Command apparently become concerned about Nogales being a Christian, and likely to tell the tale of his experiences to others outside of Turkey. This begins the almost comical (if not so tragic) attempts to quietly despose of Nogales through various means over the course of the next few years.
AFter serving in Eastern Anatolia, Nogales gets detailed to serve under Von der Goltz, who was pushing the British south of Baghdad, ultimatley forcing the capitulation of the Sixth Division under Townshend at Kut-el-Amara. Nogales's impression of the fight is extremely interesting, particularly from an historical perspective. Nogales suggests that if Townshend had made a committed push out of his besieged garrison en masse, he may have broke through the Turkish lines, since the TUrks were out of supplies, malnourished and disease-ridden, and would have unlikely (according to Nogales) withstood the attack. This, however, is subject to debate.
After the fall of Kut, Nogales ultimately lands a position serving in the Palestine Campaign, where he led an unsuccessful attempt to sabotage (a la Lawrence) the rail and pipelines in the British rear. His accounting of the battles at Gaza are noteworthy however.
Most interesting in this account are his perceptions of the rank and file Turkish official, and the rampant corruption that festered within, and ultimately led to its demise.
Well written, and despite the second-guessing of British military strategy (with full knowledge of his own positions), the story is remarkable for what Nogales achieved, documented, and withstood during his four years in the Ottoman military. ( )