 |
|
|
|
|
A good army of 50 000 men and sea power, that is the end of the Turkish menace. Winston Churchil British cabinet ministir, 1915 On 19 February 1915 British ships began a bombardmaent of the Turkish defences at the strais of the Dardanelles (Canakkale Bogazi) The British wanted to break trough to Constantinople (Istanbul), the Turkish capital, and force Turkey Germany's ally, aut of the war.
This strategy was designed to enable Britain and France to supply their ally Russia trough Turkish waters and to open a southern front against Austria Hungary. The naval attack failed. A plan was then devepoled to invade the Gallipoli (Gelibolu) peninsula to overcome the Turkish defences and allow the navy through the Dardanelles.
An army, the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, composed mainly of British Australian, New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAK), was to land further north near Gaba Tepe (Kabatepe). |
|
|
|
|
