Sait Pertev Pasha (Demirhan): His life, works, and observations on military history

The true path to guiding the Turkish people and youth towards goodness, beauty, and success can only be achieved through the spiritual acceptance of Islam's essence, which is rooted in moral values, Pertev Pasha, who repeatedly emphasised that this could only be achieved by applying this to life, was, as you will appreciate, an honest and trustworthy individual who had made certain moral principles his touchstone. Pertev Pasha was able to comprehend the depth behind material elements and convey this message to society through his works only by becoming part of the society he belonged to. As can be understood, he was a man of character who knew how to touch the hearts of society, and his works were inspired by his ideas, which prioritised the spirituality of the moral order brought by Islam and the future it would ensure through national unity. Pertev Pasha received a good military education and served as a military attaché. On this occasion, he participated in several exercises and was sent as an observer to the Russo-Japanese War at the request of Goltz Pasha and with the approval of Abdulhamid II. He served as Chief of Staff of the Mobile Army during the 31 March Uprising and as Chief of Staff at the Headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief during the Balkan War, drafting military orders and presenting them in the form of reports. At the same time, the information he reported in his capacity during the Russo-Japanese War is very important in terms of providing significant ideas for the reform movement of our state. It is interesting to note that Japan, which had just embarked on a process of military modernisation, was fighting Russia, an enemy of the Ottoman Empire. As can be understood, Pertev Pasha's observation of Japan, which began its reforms at the same time as the Ottoman Empire, while fighting against Russia, and his reporting on the contributions of modernisation and spiritual values to them, was important in terms of military education. Keywords: Military attaché, Pertev Pasha, Japan, 31 March