The Gallipoli campaign, also called battle of Gallipoli, was an Anglo-French operation against Ottoman Turkey, Germany’s ally, intended to force the 61km long Dardanelles channel and to occupy Constantinople and link up with Russia.
Countries Involved: For that purpose a large military force under Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton was assembled in Egypt, the French authorities also providing a small contingent.
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On January 2, 1915, in response to an appeal by Grand Duke Nicholas, commanding the Russian armies, the British government agreed to stage a demonstration against Turkey to relieve pressure on the Russians. The Dardanelles was selected as the place, a combined naval and military operation being strongly supported by Winston Churchill, who was then the first lord of the Admiralty. On January 28 the Dardanelles committee decided on an attempt to force the straits by naval action alone. However, on February 16 that decision was modified, as it was agreed that the shores of the Dardanelles would have to be held if the fleet passed through.
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What Happened?
In a military disaster 100 years ago, about 58,000 allied soldiers – including 29,000 British and Irish soldiers and 11,000 Australians and New Zealanders – lost their lives on the Gallipoli peninsula. A further 87,000 Ottoman Turkish troops died fighting the allies and at least 300,000 more on both sides were seriously wounded.
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The naval bombardment began on February 19 but was halted by bad weather and not resumed until February 25. Demolition parties of marines landed almost unopposed, but bad weather again intervened. On March 18 the bombardment was continued. However, after three battleships had been sunk and three others damaged, the navy abandoned its attack, concluding that the fleet could not succeed without military help.
The allied commander, Sir Ian Hamilton, was replaced by Sir Charles Munro and the allies withdrew on the 9th January 1916. In contrast to the attack the retreat was considered a major success. Churchill resigned from the government and went to command an infantry battalion in France. The disaster hastened Asquith’s resignation and his replacement as prime minister by David Lloyd George. |