Reasons for the Campaign
1. Stalemate on the Western Front
◦ Hoped a breakthrough in Turkey → attack Ger. from rear & draw Ger. resources from W. Front.
2. Churchill
◦ CHURCHILL (1st Lord of Admiralty) pushed for ‘2nd front’.
3. Russia losing badly on E. Front
◦ Russ short of ammo & supplies ∵ Germany’s ally Turkey closed DARDANELLES.
◦ Taking Straits → supply route from Med. to Black Sea.
4. Ottoman Empire
◦ = ‘WEAK MAN of Europe’, declining.
◦ Lost Balkans (1912), Br. defeated them in Iraq (1914).
◦ ∴ Br. expected easy win → remove Ger. ally.
5. Threaten Austria-Hungary
◦ Serbia had defeated A-H (Aug 1914).
◦ ∴ Br hoped a Balkan attack → knock A-H out of war.
The Gallipoli Campaign
1. March 1915
◦ Anglo-Fr. naval attack on Straits failed.
◦ 2 Fr. & 2 Br. ships sunk by artillery/mines, HMS INFLEXIBLE hit mine, damaged.
2. 25 April 1915
◦ Med. Exp. Force landed Gallipoli.
◦ Inc. Australians and New Zealanders (ANZACs), Indian unit, Br. Territorials, Fr. division.
◦ Plan: drive out Turks so navy could attack Constantinople.
◦ ANZACs land at GABA TEPE; Br. & Fr. at Cape HELLES (Sir Ian HAMILTON).
◦ Heavy casualties, barely established bridgehead.
3. July 1915
◦ 6 new divisions sent, but Hamilton’s landing at SULVA Bay failed.
4. Dec 1915
◦ By Oct, Gallipoli = as costly/stalemated as W. Front.
◦ A-H campaign impossible after Serbia’s defeat (Oct-Nov).
◦ Hamilton replaced by Sir Charles MONROE → advised evacuation (Dec).
5. Casualties
◦ Allies lost 115k men.
Why Gallipoli Failed
1. 1906 report warned Straits = heavily mined/defended → ignored.
2. Minesweepers = civilian trawlers, in range of Turk artillery → failed.
3. Turk artillery = mobile → hard for Navy to destroy.
4. March attack had warned Turks → time to prepare.
5. Br. underestimated Turks = motivated, led by MUSTAFA KEMEL & Ger. officers.
6. Gallipoli = 2nd priority vs W. Front → Allies sent inexperienced troops & leaders.
7. Distance & low priority → supply issues. Force lacked heavy artillery.
8. Poor reconnaissance → Sulva assault failed, attackers got lost at night.
9. Dreadful conditions: heat, water shortages, waste/bodies unburied → dysentery.
10. Oct: Bulgaria joined war → Ger. rail link to Constantinople → Turks resupplied → also to Serbia’s defeat (Nov).
Consequences of Gallipoli Failure
1. End of ‘2nd front’ idea → confirmed need for war of attrition.
2. Encouraged Bulgaria to join Ger./Turkey → Serbia defeated, Russia unsupported.
3. Br. humiliation → Churchill dismissed & Liberal govt collapsed → war-focused COALITION formed.
4. ANZACs lost confidence in Br. → early step in Br. Empire’s decline.
5. Turk national pride ↑ → Kemel’s rise → led to Turkish Republic.
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