Gallipoli Campaign

19 February 1915 — 9 January 1916

Why was control of the sea not enough to open the strait or break out of the beachheads?

Military history

Why was control of the sea not enough to open the strait or break out of the beachheads?

Mines and batteries close the strait to the Allied fleet. To remove them by land, the Entente lands at Helles and Anzac, with a diversion at Kum Kale. The campaign fails to break through the peninsula; a later landing at Suvla and attacks on the ridges also fail to open the way. The Allies evacuate in stages, first Anzac and Suvla, then Helles.

A gamble that began at sea

The Entente sought to open a sea route to Russia and threaten Constantinople. From 19 February to 17 March, its bombardments and minesweeping made little progress. On 18 March, mines—including the line laid by Nusret in Erenköy Bay—and fire from the forts stopped the attempted passage. This defensive success still did not reveal to the Ottomans where a land operation might follow.

Five weeks to change method

On 22 March, the naval and military authorities selected a combined operation. The absence of the 29th Division and the concentration of troops at Alexandria delayed the assault until late April. The delay allowed transports and contingents to assemble, but also enabled the Ottoman Fifth Army, created on 26 March, to organise a defence in depth with coastal detachments and reserves inland.

Maps too poor for the ravines

At Arıburnu, the Allied survey derived from an 1854 French map, supplemented belatedly by aerial reconnaissance. It represented slopes and ridges imperfectly. Once ashore, units dispersed across spurs and ravines; the Australian 3rd Brigade report shows mixed groups, difficult communications and movement in single file along narrow paths.

Three fronts, three distinct drives

Helles was to take Krithia and Achi Baba; ANZAC was to gain Sari Bair and then cut the peninsula; Suvla, opened only in August, was to provide space and join Anzac. The objectives were linked, but beaches and commands remained separate. The Ottoman defence could therefore contain each beachhead by holding the heights and committing reserves where the threat became legible.

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Chronological dossier

Battle · 26 — 30 August 1914TannenbergThe Germans strip the north, strike Samsonov's two wings separately, then close the roads through Neidenburg, Passenheim and Willenberg around his centre.Battle · 21 February–18 December 1916VerdunThe German concentration opens the right bank but does not take Verdun; reliefs, artillery and the Sacred Way stabilise both banks, then the October and December offensives recapture Douaumont, Vaux and most of the eastern gains.Battle · 31 May — 1 June 1916Battle of JutlandHipper draws Beatty towards Scheer, then Beatty leads the pursuit back onto Jellicoe; two unfavourable deployments force Scheer to disengage through battle turns, smoke and torpedoes, before a night escape saves his fleet without loosening the blockade.Battle · 4 June — 20 September 1916Brusilov OffensiveFour armies prepare several sectors and open the Austro-Hungarian front together; when reserves belatedly concentrate towards Kovel, the Stokhid, German reinforcements and lengthening supply lines exhaust the exploitation.Battle · 1 July — 18 November 1916Battle of the SommeThe bombardment produces opposite results in different sectors; gains in the south and at Bazentin run into strongpoints and reserves, then four months of adaptation push the front back without opening it.Battle · 24 October — 12 November 1917CaporettoThree coordinated penetrations through Plezzo, the Isonzo valley and the ridges shatter the IV and XXVII Corps, then the pursuit drives the Italian army back to the Piave.Battle · 20 November — 7 December 1917CambraiPredicted fire, tanks and infantry break through without announcing the assault; attrition, the bridges and Bourlon close the exploitation window, then a more effective German counter-offensive in the south forces the British to shorten the salient.Battle · 8 — 12 August 1918AmiensThe Allies combine tanks, artillery, aviation and infantry to break German defences before they can be rebuilt.

Military history

Sources

Contemporary primary source, brigade reportReport on operations at Anzac 25 April–3 May 1915 — AWM255/166

Transcription directe du rapport du commandant de la 3rd Australian Infantry Brigade : p. 1, débarquement au nord de Gaba Tepe sous le feu et répartition des bataillons ; pp. 2–4, contre-attaques du 25 avril et tenue de Spur 400 ; pp. 7–8, positions du 30 avril au 1er mai et tableau des pertes.

Grounding the Anzac landing in a contemporary report: dispersed units, small-group communications, counterattacks, holding the lower ridges and one brigade's casualties—without generalising that sector to the whole peninsula.