By the
end of November 1914, Britian and France had suffered almost a million casualties. The western front was in deadlock. Trenches stretched from the Swiss border across 466 miles to the English Chanel at Nieuport. There was one soldier for every four inches of front. Enemy trenches were being taken at appalling cost. At one point 700 yards gain was taken at a cost of 26,000 men. Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, believe that if victory would be won it would be 'bought so dear as to be almost indistinguishable from defeat'. By
December 30th the British and French were losing more men in the trenches than Germany.
The Russians had also suffered severe losses. They had lost a million men and crushing defeats at Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes. Their rifles and ammunition were in short supply. Trade through the Dardanelles was blocked. The Turks were threatening the Caucasus which prompted the Grand Duke Nicholas to consider wheeling his army south to meet the Turks thereby reducing numbers facing the German Army. This would free up more German soldiers to fight on the Western Front.
The Times newspaper called for another strategy with a 'touch of imagination'. The British cabinet strained to find another battleground. They considered an amphibious invasion of the German coast using the North Sea island of Borkum as a staging area. Violations of Dutch and Danish neutrality were debated. They looked at possibilities in northeastern Greece, Syria, Gallipoli and the Dardanelles where the Turkish empire was weak.
On
25 November 1914 Winston Churchill proposed to the War Council that an attack on the Gallipoli peninsular was the best of these options. If successful the allies would then have control of Constantinople, knocking Turkey out of the war. If successful this would also support Russia. Over 90% of Russia's grain and half its exports usually passed through the Dardanelles but were now blocked by the Turks. If success was achieved in this new theater, England might find new allies: Bulgaria, Romania and Montenegro. Perhaps a line of communication up the Danube into central Europe may also be opened up.
The Gallipoli peninsula was the key site which overlooks the Dardanelles. Taking control of Gallipoli would assist allied warships passing first through the Dardanelles, then the Narrows and across the Sea of Marmara to Constantinople. Kitchener supported a campaign in the Dardanelles if it didn't involve removing troops from France. At this stage, however, it was thought that an attack on the Dardanelles could be undertaken by ships alone. Churchill rejected this strategy believing both ground troops as well as a naval action would be required.
On
5 January, Admiral Carden (who was commander of the squadron blockading the Dardanelles and been in that area for a number of weeks) assessed the various possibilities which might lead to a successful re-opening of the shipping lanes through the Dardanelles. He reported that the Dardanelles could be rushed with a large number of ships. This information was positively received in London and Churchill asked Carden what he would need to successfully carry out such a plan.
On
11 January, Carden requested 12 battleships, 3 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 16 destroyers, 6 submarines, 4 seaplanes, 12 minesweepers and various support vessels. Admiral Carden estimated that it would take about a month to bombard the forts, clear the narrow sea passage of mines, destroy the nearby forts and break through to the Sea of Marmara. Churchill put these plans to the War Council on
12 January and the idea seemed like the breakthrough they were searching for. They agreed to go ahead with the plan. The decision was unanimous. The Admiralty should prepare for a naval expedition and take Gallipoli with Constantinople as its objective.
The French warmly greeted the plan and offered four battleships. The Russians too were supportive.
On
9 February the Greek island of Lemnos was handed over to the British. This was to be the staging post for the invasion of Turkey. Also in
early February Jacky Fisher (the First Sea Lord), Asquith (Prime Minister) and others recommended that a strong military force should be ready to assist the naval operation, or at least follow up the naval action by taking the forts after they were silenced by naval bombardment. A British division, the 29th, became available, as well as a marine brigade, to support the naval attack on the Dardanelles.
Kitchener also had at his disposal the Australian and New Zealand troops stationed in Egypt.
The First Sea Lord was directed to have sufficient transports to carry a force of 50,000 men.
