Gallipoli 1915–1916

Unsuccessful Allied attempt to eliminate the ANZAC forces in the Ottoman Empire from the war Dardanelles GALLIPOLI 1915–1916 Geopolitical Situation At the end of 1914, the Western Front had The Western powers were unable to supply any real military support from Russia by land. This was taken the shape of trench warfare. The possible only by sea, but the Germans blocked the Russian offensive in the east had collapsed. Baltic routes, and their Turkish allies had closed The Russian Tsarist army had suffered seri- the Black Sea straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles). For Russia, this road was of great economic impor- ous defeats in the conflit with Germany. tance – almost all Russian exports and imports took This was not compensated for by Russian place through the Black Sea Straits. victories over Austria-Hungary. The opening of the front in the area of the straits was mainly to unblock this route and open Russia to Western supplies and open the way for the Allies to capture the capital of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, Constantinople, and eliminate this country Great from the war. Britan Rosja Germany The Allied countries hoped that after the Turkish defeat, Germany would be forced to have to engage Austria-Hungary France significant numbers of their forces to Eastern Romania Europe, weakening their forces significantly on Serbia Bulgaria Italy the Western Front. Ottoman Empire Greece The First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, was an avid supporter and chief architect of the plan to create a second front. He believed that the operation in Gulf of Saros the Dardanelles would quickly tip the tide of war in favor of the Allied countries. Dardanelles Gallipoli Sulva Bay Peninsula ANZAC Bay Turkey Canakkale The price to be paid in taking Gallipoli would no doubt be Cape Helles heavy,” he wrote, “but there would be no more war with Turkey. A good army of 50,000 and sea-power—that is the end of the Turkish menace. – Winston Churchill ALLIES/ENTENTE THE CENTRAL POWERS Great Britain Germany France Austria-Hungary Russia Italy Bulgaria Turkey The price to be paid in taking Gallipoli Russian propaganda would no doubt be heavy,” he wrote, “but poster “Accord” shows there would be no more war with Turkey. allegorical women A good army of 50,000 and sea-power—that figures as Russia, France, and Great is the end of the Turkish menace Britain Before the Battle ‒ Balance of Forces = 10,000 ALLIES CENTRAL POWERS 489,000 315,500 45,000 United Kingdom (incl. 700 Germans – mainly 79,000 France German commanders Gen. William R. Birdwood 50,000 Australia and military advisers) Marshall Otto (1865–1951) – Commander of 15,000 New Zealand Liman von Sanders ANZAC, the joint Australian-New (1855–1929) – head of the Zealand Corps German military mission supporting the Turks The Battle of Gallipoli was the largest landing operation of WWI. Gen.Ian Hamilton Gen. Charles Monro Lieutenant Colonel/Colonel (1853–1947) – Commander of the (1860–1929) – succeeded Gen. Mustafa Kemal Mediterranean Expeditionary Ian Hamilton as commander in (1881–1938) – the hero of the Forces, the section of the British chief Battle of Gallipoli, whose tactics army set aside to open the new turned out to be decisive in its Turkish front course. The Battle — Course of Events, Turning Points Already at the beginning of November February 19th, February 25th, 1915 March 18th, 1915 1914, four British and French ships had 1915 An attack by the allied fleet British-French shelled the Turkish coastal fortifica- Another shelling neutralizes some of the external naval operations by the Anglo- fortifications of the Dardanelles, fail. Of the 18 ships tions. Fort Sedd el Bahr had been hit, French fleet of the but at the cost of serious damage involved in the with its defensive guns destroyed and 86 Turkish fortifica- to three battleships. operation, 7 were th Turkish soldiers killed. On December 13 , tions blocking the sunk or seriously 1914, a British submarine entered the Dardanelles ends damaged. th th straits and torpedoed the Turkish ship without success. February 26 – March 17 , 1915 Mesûdiye. These attacks sensitized the Unsuccessful attempts by Turks to the weakness of their fortifica- the Allies to force their way tions. The uncoordinated actions of the through the minefields in the Allied fleet gave the Turks enough time Dardanelles Strait. to regroup their forces and establish new minefields. The French battle- ship Bouvet sank within minutes. 600 sailors went down with the ship. April 25th, 1915 The Landings The British land on beaches Error that saved lives codenamed S, V, W, X, and Y. The ANZAC forces were to land on the wide Gaba Tepe Beach, but a strong sea current pushed the landing boats onto a small beach known today as ANZAC Cove. This mistake turned out to be beneficial – the ANZAC ANZAC War Hero: Cove section was initially Colonel John Monash manned by only 200 Turkish soldiers. The beach ended with As a commander, Monash a 70-meter wall and the Turks became famous for his efficient thought it would be madness to command, bold decisions and attack in this area. organizational skills. One British historian called him "the only general of creative originality produced by the First World War." The valley where the 4th Brigade led by Monash fought was called Monash Valley ANZAC FORCES (Australian and New Zealand Military Corps) The Deadly Toll ANZAC forces land at Ari Burnu, on the The 16th ANZAC battalion beach codenamed Z, more than 20 km landed in a force of over north of the rest of the sectors. ANZAC's 1,000 soldiers. After 9 days attack inland is slowed down by ravines, of fighting, just 309 soldiers hills and densely growing shrubs. The remained. Turkish forces in this area are commanded by lieutenant colonel Mustafa Kemal. He utters these memorable words: I don't order you to attack, I order you to die. In the time it takes us to die, other troops and commanders can come and take our places. – Mustafa Kemal On the first day of the ANZAC landing, 16,000 soldiers land on the beach. About Recruitment ANZAC posters 2,000 are killed or injured. The landing site has since been known as ANZAC Cove. FRENCH FORCES At Kumkale on the Asian side of the Dardanelles, French forces launch a mock attack to distract the Turks. April 28th, 1915 The First Battle for Krithia 14,000 British-French forces attack deep May 2nd – 3rd, 1915 into the peninsula. Relatively quickly, Battle for Baby 700 Hill some sections of the Allied attack are stalled, while others manage to press on. ANZAC forces launch an attack on the strategic Baba 700 hill. They are supported As a result, some of the attacking forces by four battalions of a Royal Navy division are outflanked. On the left flank, the from Helles. British break into the Gully Ravine, but their attack is stopped by heavy Turkish The attack goes wrong from the start. The machine gun fire. In some places, Australians begin their attack, but the New Turkish counterattacks push British Zealanders were not able to make it on time and begin their attack one hour later. The forces as far back as their original start- Turks are already waiting, massacring them ing positions. with machine gun fire. The New Zealanders are forced to retreat. The Australians remain in the exposed position under heavy Turkish fire. The Deadly Toll Kiritha The failed assault costs the The village of Krithia (now ANZAC and the British 1,000 Alçıtepe) and the fortified Achi casualties with no strategic or Baba hill nearby were a major tactical gains. strategic obstacle for the British in reaching the fortifications that controlled the Dardanelles isthmus. May 6th–8th, 1915 The Second Battle for Krithia The allied attack is quickly stopped. Krithia's stone houses were some Aerial reconnaissance has failed to gain 1,800 meters away, but the advance any information, so the Allies do not of fewer than 1,000 meters, with exactly know where the Turkish posi- forces already depleted on ANZAC tions are located. As a result, an artillery Cove Beach to 2,900 combatants, bombardment preceding the attack is resulted in a loss of a further ineffective. 1,000 soldiers. – Charles Bean, historian Jam Tin Bombs Allied soldiers used home- made bombs – a can of beef or condensed milk was filled The Deadly Toll with explosives and fitted with nd a fuse. Such bombs, often The Australian 2 Brigade of placed under the bodies of the infantry conquers less than fallen and under stones, served 500 m of land, while losing as traps. about 50% of its manpower. During the entire 2-day battle, the Allies lose about 30% of their men. Hard Tack biscuits May 19th, 1915 Life in the Trenches The basis of the rations was dried canned beef, jam A Turkish attack on ANZAC positions to push and "Hard Tack" biscuits. They the Allies into the sea, commanded by Lt. were so hard that there were Mustafa Kemal, fails. Preparations for the cases of breaking teeth while Turkish attack were detected earlier thanks eating. A typical meal was bis- to good aerial reconnaissance. cuits softened in water, mixed with beef and onions and seasoned with thyme harvested in the area. Biscuits were also used instead of paper to write letters home. Disease A lack of hygiene and poor diet , depriving the men of nutritional value caused diseases – dysentery, typhus, Australian War Memorial cholera and tetanus. More than 100,000 Allied troops had to be evacuated from the battlefield due to disease.

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