Trouble

The Ottoman Empire's core territories were concentrated mainly on the Asia Minor Peninsula, and the Sultan Government's control over other regions was clearly much weaker.

Especially after the Anti-Ottoman Alliance severed the connection between the Sultan Government and the localities, that control had all but vanished.

Loyal subjects were only a minority. Before cruel reality, the weaknesses of human nature were laid bare.

Seeing that the Ottoman Government's fate was sealed, those unwilling to remain and be buried with the empire began seeking a way out.

Baghdad was merely the beginning. After Austria marched into Mesopotamia, cases of people abandoning their cities and fleeing sprang up one after another.

People followed the crowd blindly. Seeing the noble lords all making a run for it, ordinary folk naturally rushed to follow suit. Before long, the Persian border was packed with people.

Baghdad, Temporary Headquarters of the Middle East Theater

General Morkes asked with concern, "Dennis, how many people have left in total?"

The middle-aged officer Dennis replied, "Around 120,000 people have left the Baghdad region. Across all of Mesopotamia, more than 500,000 have left."

General Morkes frowned deeply. "Not enough. Far too few people have left. The fighting in Mesopotamia is basically over; only scattered resistance remains.

"The local population was over three million. Even accounting for the war, there should still be at least 2.2 or 2.3 million people. Subtract the 500,000-odd who have left, and there are still 1.7 or 1.8 million remaining.

"Relocating so many people in the future will inevitably cost an enormous sum. The best solution is to make them leave of their own accord.

"Spread the word. Say that we are going to implement the Land Fallowing Act, and that for the next twenty years, grain cultivation and livestock raising will be prohibited throughout