This page may hopefully clear up a few questions you might have after reading the timeline, and make it seem slightly more plausible... Perhaps a slightly more intelligent Sultan came to rule, and saw what was happening. They helped instead of persecuted those in the Balkans, which led in part to an agricultural revolution. They felt they would gain nothing by joining in. Germany still wanted war, so they were able to start it by themselves. People still looked at the glory days of the empire, now romanticised and out of sight. In addition, the voting was probably skewed.