ENTENTE FORCES WIN IN GALLIPOLI

What’s the background to the Gallipoli campaign in 1914 and 1915?

Essentially what happens in 1914 is all military effort is committed by both sides to try and decide the war in Europe, but that stalemates towards the end of November, and the Turks join the war in early November 1914 on the side of the Central Powers. That in some ways distracts attention from the main theatre. Politicians looked outside for other strategic opportunities away from the Western Front, and they identify that they think Turkey is weak and vulnerable. The idea [for the Gallipoli campaign] is to connect the Western and Eastern allies, essentially to open up a sea route through the Dardanelles from the Mediterranean to Russia. So there’s a clear strategic rationale behind the campaign. It’s also rather rushed, it’s driven by what Lord Kitchener at the