The Forgotten Revolution: The Young Turks and the Fall of the Ottoman Empire
Published: December 19, 2025
Duration: 25:58
In 1908, the Ottoman Empire was on the brink of collapse. The despotism of Sultan Abdul Hamid II had stifled political life for decades, but a military uprising in Macedonia would soon change everything.
In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores one of the great forgotten revolutions of the 20th century: the Young Turk Revolution. Drawing on Eugene Rogan's masterful book The Fall of the Ottomans, we delve into how the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) forced the Sultan to restore the constitution, sparking scenes of jubilation across the empire where Turks, Arabs, and Armenians briefly un...