The Gallipoli Campaign – which had Constantinople as its strategic target – was not utilised by Hellas, even though it saw the emergence of a greater problem as early as 1908 with the revolution of the Young Turks. This was due to Hellas’ inability to overcome internal disputes, yet the same strategic schemes are significant even for the future. In order to supply their ally Russia, France and England understood that they needed to take control of the Straits¹, as the Ottoman Turkish Empire was by then officially an enemy who chose to turn against the Entente. Hence, the seizure of Constantinople was decided without the agreement of Hellas, which would have altered the circumstances, since this would have constituted a liberation of its own. Simply put, the Entente was not assisted. The Ottoman Turkish Empire had accepted to participate in the Triple Alliance due to the promises of Germany to cede territory in the Caucasus as well as north-west Iran. In other words, we see that high strategy touches directly areas which do not have geostrategic aspects but regionally strategic. Also, while the Convention of London of 1841 existed, which forbade military craft passing through the Straits, the permission given by the Ottoman Turkish Empire for German vessels, not only allowed them to escape the Entente, but also gave the stigma of what was to come next. The Ottoman fleet bombarded the Russian port of Odessa and prepared to strike even British Egypt in order to sever the Suez route² and to isolate England from its colonies in the Indies³. The diplomatic efforts of the English were futile and the landing became necessary to permit the craft of the Entente to disarm the sea-mines⁴.

1.The Hellespont, also known as the Dardanelles, and the Bosporos, which Constantinople (Istanbul) sits astride.
2.The Suez Canal was the main communication route between Great Britain and its Asian and Pacific colonies. It was also the main point of the Ottoman Turkish assault on British Egypt in 1914-15.
3.This is a general term in Hellenic, referring to south and east Asia.
4.German ships had lain three minefields across the Dardanelles in the early months of World War One.