The Gallipoli Campaign (1915)

The Gallipoli Campaign (1915–1916)

Why the Campaign Was Launched

With fighting on the Western Front stalled, the Allies considered opening another front. In January 1915, Russia’s Grand Duke Nicholas asked Britain for help against the Ottoman Empire, which had invaded the Caucasus.

The Allies aimed to capture the Dardanelles, the straits connecting the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara and, beyond it, the Black Sea. Success could open supply routes to Russia and force the Ottoman Empire out of the war. Winston Churchill also argued that a new front would divert German support from the Ottomans.

The Naval Assault

British and French battleships began bombarding the straits in February 1915. On March 18, Ottoman mines and gunfire sank three Allied ships and damaged three more. The subtitles attribute the failure to the difficulty of dealing with mines and guns at the same time, as well as the unsuitability of the largely obsolete Allied warships.

The Landings and Stalemate

The Allies then launched an amphibious campaign on the Gallipoli Peninsula under General Ian Hamilton, with British, French, and ANZAC forces. The landings began on April 25. Allied troops suffered heavy casualties while establishing beachheads at Cape Helles and what became known as ANZAC Cove. The ANZACs landed north of their intended location.

Unable to advance, the Allies became bogged down in trench warfare. Heat, dysentery, and flies around the dead worsened conditions. In August, Hamilton ordered a landing at Suvla Bay to link up with the ANZACs and break the deadlock. Delays allowed Ottoman forces to reinforce, and the subtitles say an attack led by Mustafa Kemal recaptured Suvla Bay by August 10.

Evacuation and Outcome

With casualties mounting and reinforcements lacking, the Allies evacuated. Suvla Bay and ANZAC Cove were cleared by December 20, 1915, and Cape Helles by January 9, 1916. According to the subtitles, the evacuation was completed without casualties. The campaign cost both sides an estimated 250,000 casualties.

Historical Significance

The video describes Gallipoli as a defining event for Australia and New Zealand, often regarded as their “baptism of fire” and an important moment in their emergence as independent nations. In Turkey, it is presented as a major victory and a final successful defence before the Ottoman Empire’s end.

Speakers and Sources

• Narrator: Christian H. Miles, identified in the supplied video metadata. The subtitles contain a single narration and no interviews or quoted speakers.
• Historical figures mentioned but not heard speaking: Grand Duke Nicholas, Winston Churchill, General Ian Hamilton, and Mustafa Kemal.
• Channel/source: Simple History