Why was it important that the Gallipoli Campaign should succeed?

    Winston Churchill, along side other key political and military figures had been growing desperate for a new strategy to try and break through the defences of the opposition on the Western Front. With hundreds of casualties and very little progress it was decided that a new line of attack should be focused on one of Germany’s weaker allies; Turkey. The allies' thought that Turkey was the weakest link of the central powers so would be the easiest to topple. As Lloyd George said, they were ‘the props under Germany', however we know now that this was a seriously underestimated judgment. Lord Kitchener believed that if Constantinople was captured, the war could be won. It was also believed that without Turkey in the war, other Balkan countries, for example Bulgaria and Romania would support the allied forces which would enable another front to be opened up in Austria–Hungary, increasing the pressure on Germany.

    There was also a long term threat that Russia might pull out of the war; due to increasing lack of funds and ammunition. If this happened it would have been a big advantage for Germany as they would be able to bring back their troops from the east and launch an attack on Britain and other allied powers in the West, this thought set the importance for the Gallipoli campaign to succeed. Turkey was ‘the back door to Europe’ and if Turkey could be defeated it would have provided a route for a surprise attack on Germany which in turn would have taken some of the pressure off Russia who were suffering great losses and running dangerously low on supplies. Winston Churchill in particular who was the First Lord of the Admiralty at the time put forward a strong case for a naval assault on Turkey along the Dardanelles which, if successful would provide the much needed route through the Black sea to the Russian front. Russia needed to be kept in the war if the allies were to win and the Dardanelle’s needed to be kept open if Russia was to have any chance in staying in the war. The area was crucial for the Russians as 90% of imports and 50% of their exports entered Russia through the Dardanelles, this included food and weaponry which were both becoming increasingly scarce.

     Another short term motive for the Gallipoli Campaign was that a quick victory would raise the morale of the British public. The stalemate and food shortages in the west were becoming progressively more demoralising as time went on and Winston Churchill in particular felt that the new line of attack on Turkey would show the British public and her allies that the war could be won. This was also an important factor because Churchill wanted to prove himself as a good leader; he also wanted to show Britain that he was competent at leading the country in war.

     In conclusion, the most important reason for the Gallipoli Campaign to succeed was the threat to Russia in the east. Without Russia in the war the allies would face a greater chance of lose in the west as all of the central powers forces could be directed towards Britain and France, with disastrous effects.