GALLIPOLI

Learning Objectives
1) Explain the political background of WWI

2) Explain the political and strategic considerations

which led to the Gallipoli campaign

3) Explain the 4 phases of the Gallipoli Campaign

 Gallipoli Was:

•The disaster which convinced the Brits that

Amphibious Operations were not practicable

•The primary subject of U.S. Marine Corps study

of Amphibious Operations before WWII
•Seeds of discontent after the Franco-Prussian War
leads to an arms race (standing armies of France and
Germany double between 1870 and 1914)

•Development of the von Schlieffen Plan to attack

and defeat France (after Belgium) before Russia can
mobilize against them

•Naval Competition between Germany and Britain

(1889, Brits decide they need Navy 2.5 times the
size of the next largest Navy)
Imperialism
•Great Britain, Germany and France need foreign
markets after the increase in manufacturing due to
the Industrial Revolution

•In the Middle East, the crumbling Ottoman Empire

was alluring to Austria-Hungary, the Balkans, and
Russia
Bosnian Crisis of 1908
Austria-Hungarian annexation of the former Turkish province of
Bosnia in 1908.

Balkan Wars of 1912-13

The Balkan States drive the Turks back to Constantinople and
fight among themselves over territory. Tensions between Serbia
and Austria-Hungary increase when Austria-Hungary force
Serbia to abandon some of its gains.
Assassination in Sarajevo

Europe reaches its breaking point when on June 28, 1914,

Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the
Austria-Hungarian throne, is assassinated in Sarajevo,
Bosnia, by a Serbian nationalist belonging to an organization
known as the Black Hand.
Fallout of the Assassination
• Germany pledges its full support to Austria-Hungary, pressuring
them to declare war on Serbia
• Convinced that the Serbian government had conspired against them,
Austria-Hungary issues Serbia an unacceptable ultimatum to leave
Albania
• Serbians refuse and mobilize for war
• Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia on July 28,
1914
• On July 29, Russia orders a partial mobilization against
Austria-Hungary in support of Serbia
Fallout of the Assassination

•The Germans threaten war on July 31 if the Russians do

not demobilize

• The Germans want to take on the Russians, but also wanted

the British to remain neutral

•On August 1, Germany declares war on Russia anyway, then

on France two days later
Fallout of the Assassination

•The Germans invade Belgium (to attack France from the

south) which violates Belgium's official neutrality
•Britain declares war on Germany
•The young Turkish government is shunned by the British,
so it joins the Germans
•The Russians take on the Austrians

World War I Began

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Strategic Situation in November, 1914
•Battle of the Marne results in stalemate
along the Western Front (350 mi. trench line from
North Sea to Swiss Alps). Now becomes a battle
of attrition

Strategic Decision
•Allies decide they must outflank the
Germans and join up with the Russians
 GALLIPOLI
Political Decisions

•Primary - Western Allies must take some action

in order to link up with, and relieve pressure on
Russia (on the Eastern Front), to keep them in the
War

•Each side interested in influencing Balkan

and/or Baltic states to join its alliance or at least
remain neutral
 GALLIPOLI
3 Strategic Courses of Action of the Allies

•COA1 Main Effort on the Western Front

(British Army thinks this is where the war
must be won)

•COA2 Launch Campaign into the Baltic

•COA3 Launch Campaign into the Balkans

 GALLIPOLI
COA2 Launch Campaign into the Baltic

Advantages
Disadvantages
•Take pressure off Western Front •Requires defeating German
•Gain Baltic States to Alliance
high seas fleet which
•Use Russian troops to land on
controls Baltic
German coast 90 mi. fm Berlin •Takes combat power away
•Avoid costly Western Front offensive
from W. front
•Not a true flanking/rear
attack
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COA3 Launch Campaign into the
Balkans
Advantages
Disadvantages
•Take pressure off Western Front
•Requires forcing
•Gain Balkan States to Alliance
Dardenelles
•L/up w/ Russia through Black Sea
•Takes combat power away
•Knock Turkey out of the war
from W. front
•Fighting Turks vice Germans
•Allies control Med
•Avoid costly Western Front offensive
 GALLIPOLI
Timeline
8 Aug Goeben/Breslau Incident
5-10 Sept 1914 Battle of the Marne
29 October Goeben/Breslau attack Odessa
November Brit Naval force bombards Dardenelles
Feb- 18 March 1915 Allied Naval Assault
March Expeditionary Force departs England
25 March Expeditionary Force diverts to Alexandria
25 April First landings
6-8 August Second landings
15 October Hamilton relieved
23 Nov Decision to withdraw
8-9 Jan 1916 Withdrawal
 GALLIPOLI
4 Phases of the Campaign
1) Feb-18 March 1915: Naval Phase; attempt
to force Dardanelles, reduce forts, and take
Constantinople with Naval Power only
2) 25 Apr-5 Aug: Initial landings and
stalemate
3) 6 Aug-23 Nov: Follow-on landings
and continued stalemate
4) 23 Nov 1915 - 9 Jan 1916: Withdrawal