Battle Story

Taking readers to the frontline and beyond, in one of the most resounding defeats of World War I The Gallipoli campaign was in some ways the brainchild of First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, who saw an attack on the Dardanelles as a way to break through the stalemate in supplying the Eastern Front. The preceding naval campaign led many to believe that victory was inevitable. However, increased losses at sea prompted the Allies to send ground troops to invade and eliminate the Ottoman artillery. These ground forces comprised a large ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand) contingent and Gallipoli would be their first major campaign in the war. They invaded on April 25, 1915, landing on 5 stretches of beach in open boats. The first landing's casualties were horrific--of the first 200 men out of the boats, only 21 reached inland, the rest were mown down by the Ottoman machine-guns. Throughout the campaign losses were severe, with both sides suffering casualties in excess of 200,000 troops. Eventually the Allies were forced to evacuate. The fall out from this disaster was felt in both military and political circles.