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Littoral Warfare LtCol Sorenson MA 154

Littoral Warfare LtCol Sorenson MA 154. WHY GALLIPOLI?. Exemplifies interaction of levels of war Poor leadership at the highest levels Many “Themes of Amphibious Warfare” Roots of USMC Amphibious Doctrine. STRATEGIC LEVEL OF WAR. Stalemate in Belgium and France

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Littoral Warfare LtCol Sorenson MA 154

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  1. Littoral Warfare LtCol Sorenson MA 154

  2. WHY GALLIPOLI? • Exemplifies interaction of levels of war • Poor leadership at the highest levels • Many “Themes of Amphibious Warfare” • Roots of USMC Amphibious Doctrine

  3. STRATEGIC LEVEL OF WAR • Stalemate in Belgium and France • Italian and Balkan Neutrality • Pre-Industrial Russia fighting industrial war • Ottoman Empire – “Sick man of Europe” • German surface and subsurface blockade of UK • END THE WAR BY CHRISTMAS!!

  4. Allied Courses of Action • COA1 - Main Effort on the Western Front • COA2- Launch Campaign into the Baltic region • COA3-Launch Campaign into the Balkans

  5. COA 1 • Advantages • Established logistics • Simplicity • Secure assembly areas • Disadvantages • Continued stalemate • Casualties • No change

  6. COA 2 • Advantages • Baltic States enter the war • Force Germans to defend new front • Bring Russians to the fight • End stalemate • Disadvantages • High Seas Fleet • Weaken Western Front

  7. COA 3 • Advantages • Balkan states, Italy enter war • Force Germans to defend new front • Bring Russians to the fight • Fight Turks vice Germans • End stalemate • Disadvantages • Require control of Dardanelles • Weaken Western Front

  8. COA 3: Dardenelles • Local British naval superiority • Begins as purely naval operation • Limited support in London • “Byzantine” politics • Imperial Military • British – Ottoman • British - Balkan

  9. Orientation • Dardanelles • 40 miles • Varying width: 4mi - 1600 yd • 5 kt current • Hilly, rough terrain • Turkish Defenses • Focused on narrows • 11 forts, 72 guns, torpedo tubes, minefield, wire nets • Extensive anti ship mines

  10. Timeline • Naval Phase • 19 February - 18 March 1915 • Attempt to force Dardenelles, reduce forts with naval power • First Landing • 25 April - 05 Aug • Initial landings and subsequent tactical stalemate • Second Landing • 06 Aug - 23 November • Continued stalemate • Withdrawal • 23 Nov - 09 Jan

  11. 12 battleship TF • Suppress/destroy forts, sweep mines • Royal Marine raids • 19 Feb- 16 Mar • Forts reduced • Mines not • 18 Mar: four BBs sunk • Pure Naval option ends

  12. Hamilton’s Message to Kitchener • “I am most reluctantly driven to the conclusion that the straits are not likely to be forced by battleships…..if my troops are to take part, it will not take the subsidiary form anticipated. The Army’s part will be more than mere landing parties to destroy forts, it must be a deliberate and prepared military operation carried out at full strength so as to open a passage for the Navy.”

  13. First Landing • GOC – Gen Sir Ian Hamilton • 75,000 strong force (ANZAC, French, Brit) • Incomplete plan • Ships not combat loaded • Staff inexperienced, in England • LF transits to Alexandria to prepare

  14. 25 April 1915 • OPLAN • Main effort: British 29th Division landing at Cape Wells • ANZAC land simultaneously at Gaba Tepe; seize high ground • French land at Kum Kale • Naval Division conducts demonstration vic Bulair • Isolates Turks on Peninsula • Execution • ANZACs land wrong beach • Pushed off high ground • “dig-dig-dig” • Heavy casualties at V Beach (29th Div) • Stalemate

  15. Stalemate Ensues • Churchill argues to reinforce Gallipoli with men and materiel: • He argues that a stalemate along the Western front can’t be helped, but Gallipoli could be decisive; • An advance to Achi Baba and Kalid Bahr could mean the realization of all objectives: • Forcing the Narrows; • Securing the Black Sea; • Uniting forces with Russia

  16. Second Landing • Dardanelles Committee • Field Marshall the Earl Kitchener • Grudging support for continuing Gallipoli operations • First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill • Enthusiastic support for continuing-strategic prize too great • Committee reinforces Hamilton w/ 3 Div- 120,000 • Strategic, Operational & Tactical surprise lost

  17. 6 August 1915 • 3 pronged attack • ME: Landings at Sulva Bay • ANZAC Beach • Cape Helles • Sulva Bay poorly executed • Intel, leadership blamed • Operational security • Stalemate by Oct • 250k casualties

  18. 6 August 1915 • Cape Helles attacks founder • rugged countryside • poor leadership • Turks repel assault on Seri Bair • ANZACs and Sulva Bay forces slowed by casualties • The Times reports: “[Allied forces] have landed and dug another graveyard.” • Turks ultimately counterattack and push forces back to the beaches….Dunkirk?

  19. Withdrawal • Hamilton relieved of command • Churchill, Kitchener eventually resign as well • Royal Navy requests another Naval atk • New GOC, Munro recommends evacuation • Kitchener reluctantly concedes • War Council orders withdrawal

  20. Nov 1915-Jan 1916 • Most units withdrawn during 5 night period • ANZAC/Brits conduct well planned withdrawal • Rifle and artillery fire continue at normal rates • Turks unable/unwilling to interfere w/ withdrawal • Well executed

  21. Themes • Sound strategy incompetently executed • Russia ends Western Front stalemate? • War ends w/o Russian Revolution? • Instead – stalemate war lasts until 1918 • Unity of command at all levels • Brits come away thinking “never again!” • NGFS – flat trajectory naval rifles • PERMA

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