Rafael de Nogales Méndez

Rafael Inchauspe Méndez, known as Rafael de Nogales Méndez (San Cristóbal,Táchira, October 14, 1879 - Panama City, July 10, 1936) was a Venezuelan soldier, adventurer and writer who served for the Ottoman Empire during the Great War (1914-1918). He travelled extensively and fought in many of the wars of his age.

When a young man his father sent him to study in Europe and he attended Universities in Germany, Belgium and Spain, and spoke several languages fluently. Despite his education, Nogales felt more attracted to the military profession and he began to travel where the news of war took him. He took part in several conflicts in the last part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th: he fought for the Spanish against the Americans in the Spanish-American War; in 1902 in the Revolución Libertadora of Venezuela; in 1904 in the Russo-Japanese War. He returned to Venezuela in 1908, after the military coup of Juan Vicente Gómez that overthrew his enemy Cipriano Castro. However, he went into exile after making himself an enemy of the new president.

World War I
When World War I began, after unsuccessfully attempting to join a number of European armies, he enlisted in the Ottoman Army and was assigned to the Caucasus Front, where he reached the rank of major. He led gendarmerie troops during the siege of Van, but asked to be relieved, out of compassion for the Armenian freedom fighters. He later wrote a book describing his experiences with the Ottoman Army in World War I.

After being transferred from the Caucasus, he saw action in the Sinai and Palestine Front. He fought in the Turkish lines during the entire war, and was awarded the Iron Cross by Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Post war
After the war ended, he worked with the Nicaraguan revolutionary Augusto César Sandino. Additionally, he spent time in Alaska during the time of the gold rush there, and also worked as a cowboy in Arizona.

He wrote several books about his experiences: Memorias del general Rafael de Nogales Méndez, Cuatro años bajo la Media Luna, about his experiences as an officer of the Ottoman Empire, and El saqueo de Nicaragua. His commentaries about the atrocities committed against the Armenian people by the Turkish officials are in the book Cuatro años bajo la Media Luna.