The Gallipoli Campaign of 1915-16 was an unsuccessful attempt by the Allied Powers to control the sea route from Europe to Russia during World War I. The campaign began with a failed naval attack by British and French ships on the Dardanelles Straits in February-March 1915 and continued with a major land invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, involving British and French troops as well as divisions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Lack of sufficient intelligence and knowledge of the terrain, along with fierce Turkish resistance, hampered the success of the invasion. By mid-October, Allied forces had suffered heavy casualties and had made little headway from their initial landing sites. Evacuation began in December 1915 and was completed early the following January.
Causes of Gallipoli
Russia was too big an army. They needed weapons. The Dardanelle Strait was a waterway that connected the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara, which would give Britain a perfect route to reach the Russian army to supply them with weapons. In these times, if a country captured the capital city, it pretty much conquered the whole country. Gallipoli was the most significant city standing in their way, which is why Britain called on the attack on Gallipoli to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war. As the first lord of the admiralty, Winston Churchill suggested that creating another trench warfare would further dilute the German army as they would be directed to assist these Turks.
Geographical features of Gallipoli The British needed to get through 'the Narrows' in order to supply the Russian army with sufficient artillery. Gallipoli was in control of these waterways.
Countries involved
The countries that were involved in the Gallipoli campaign were Australia and New Zealand against Germany and Turkey. The British and French were also involved, but they mostly battled at sea.
The outcome of the Gallipoli campaign At the same time, campaign leader Sir Ian Hamilton's largely optimistic reports failed to indicate just how bad the situation was. This changed when Australian journalist Keith Murdoch arrived in London from Gallipoli in mid-September. Murdoch smuggled out a letter that English journalist Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett had written to inform the British Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, of his concerns about the campaign and especially about Hamilton's performance.
When military officials confiscated Ashmead-Bartlett's letter, Murdoch recorded his own version of it.
Asquith and his ministers read this account, accepted it unquestioningly, and in mid-October, dismissed Hamilton.
Allied troops began withdrawing from Anzac Cove and Suvla Bay in early December 1915.
By this time, there were 26 ...
