Ottoman Empire
In 1912, the Ottomans found themselves in a difficult position. They had a large population, 26 million, but only just over 6.1 million of them lived in the European part of the Empire, and of these only 2.3 million were Muslims, the rest being Christians, considered unfit for conscription. The very poor transport network, especially in the Asian part, dictated that the only reliable way for a mass transfer of troops to the European theater was by sea, but that was under question due to the presence of the Greek fleet in the Aegean Sea. They were also still engaging in a protracted war with the Italians in Libya (and by now in the Dodecanese islands of the Aegean), which had dominated the Ottoman military effort for over a year and would last until 15 October, a few days after the outbreak of hostilities in the Balkans. They were therefore unable to significantly reinforce their positions in the Balkans as the relations with the Balkan states deteriorated over the course of the year.
Read more about this topic: First Balkan War, Order of Battle and Plans
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