Why were western powers against taking Constantinople from OttomanTurks?

[TheForeigner]

During the 19th century and early 20th century the capital of the Ottoman Empire was still a multi-ethnic city and at least half of the population was Christian, with much of it Greek, Armenian and "Levantine" Catholics( Ottoman subjects or residents of West European descent).
During this same period it became possible for Russia and to a lesser extent for Greece to take Constantinople from the Turk, but when an opportunity arose like before the Crimean War(1853-1856) or during the Russo-Romanian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, Britain and France opposed it. Most opposed to Russia or even Greece taking Constantinople and the straits was Britain and later Germany too. At the beginning of ww1 Britain and France signed a secret treaty with Russia, giving her Constantinople and the straits. Well, as we know, the Russian revolution made the implementation of this secret treaty impossible and after the war Greece claimed the city, but Britain and France again opposed it and it didn't happen.
Why didn't they want Greece to have the city? I mean with Russia it was supposedly that Russians would become strong and dangerous in the Mediterranean and this threatened Britain and France's possessions and interests there, but they accepted even Russian claims in the end. Why not accept Greek claims since Greece could never threaten the western powers even as much as Turkey could?

[TheForeigner]

It would have been great to evict the Ottoman Turks from Europe completely and restore Eastern Thrace and Constantinople to the Greeks or even Russia, i.e. to real Europeans.

[whitecuban]

It would have been great to evict the Ottoman Turks from Europe completely and restore Eastern Thrace and Constantinople to the Greeks or even Russia, i.e. to real Europeans.

about 300 years too late

[TheForeigner]

about 300 years too late

I don't think it was too late even in 1918 really.

[Activateur]

Gaikokujin never really cared about eastern europa, aka little central asia. They had powerful oversea empires, much better than fighting a land war in Asia. You can't never win a land war in Asia, Alexander proved it. And hard to maintain. SO this is why WesternEuropeans have a sweeter life today.

[Incal]

Why didn't they want Greece to have the city? I mean with Russia it was supposedly that Russians would become strong and dangerous in the Mediterranean and this threatened Britain and France's possessions and interests there, but they accepted even Russian claims in the end. Why not accept Greek claims since Greece could never threaten the western powers even as much as Turkey could?

It was not on their interests probably. Why exactly? We'll never know for sure. Did they consider Greece a threat? Wanted to keep that region in perpetual turmoil?

[TheForeigner]

Gaikokujin never really cared about eastern europa, aka little central asia. They had powerful oversea empires, much better than fighting a land war in Asia. You can't never win a land war in Asia, Alexander proved it. And hard to maintain. SO this is why WesternEuropeans have a sweeter life today.

Um, Alexander the Great conquered a large part of Asia and died undefeated. Just saying...

[TheForeigner]

It was not on their interests probably. Why exactly? We'll never know for sure. Did they consider Greece a threat? Wanted to keep that region in perpetual turmoil?

Hm, I think they thought Turkey is or was stronger and could keep it against possible aggression from Soviet Russia maybe. This one possibility I thought of, though it might also be that they were still hoping the "Whites" will win in Russian civil war and they can give it to Russia as promised in Constantinople agreement of 1915. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople_Agreement After all Western allies(Britain, France and Italy) occupied the city until the end of Greek-Turkish war in 1922.

[Incal]

Hm, I think they thought Turkey is or was stronger and could keep it against possible aggression from Soviet Russia maybe. This one possibility I thought of, though it might also be that they were still hoping the "Whites" will win in Russian civil war and they can give it to Russia as promised in Constantinople agreement of 1915. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople_Agreement After all Western allies(Britain, France and Italy) occupied the city until the end of Greek-Turkish war in 1922.

Mmmm... true, they probably wanted to counteract Soviet Russia.

[Activateur]

Um, Alexander the Great conquered a large part of Asia and died undefeated. Just saying...

And this is why there's a term named THe Graveyard of Empires.
Even if he did, he couldn't continue anymore, hard to manage an empire in asia, eventually couldn't force much into india.

Something not even Napoleon and Hitler couldn't do in eastern europe to Russia. So this is why. Western Powers didn't really care about east. they already had large empires overseas to profit.