WAR OF THE NATIONS 



6159 



WAR OF THE NATIONS 



NARROW GATES TO CONSTANTINOPLE 



The allies struck at the Dardanelles and occupied less than one-twentieth of the Gallipoli Penin- 

 sula. The campaign was an allied disaster. 





fleet of France and Britain attacked the Turk- 

 ish forts at the entrance from the Mediter- 

 ranean Sea and in ten weeks captured them. 

 Landing of troops followed, but this was ac- 

 companied with heavy losses, both of infantry 

 and of five battleships, the latter sunk by tor- 

 pedoes. Only until the early days of 1916 did 

 the effort to crumble Turkish opposition con- 

 tinue. On January 9 the last of the allied 

 forces retreated. The failure of the campaign 

 had far-reaching effects; not only did it secure 

 Constantinople in Turkish possession, free from 

 danger of a second attack, but allied prestige 

 was lowered throughout the Balkan countries. 



Serbia Overwhelmed. Immediately after the 

 declaration of war against Serbia by Austria- 

 Hungary the latter country organized an of- 

 fensive which should overrun the little country. 

 Belgrade, just across the Danube, on the bor- 



was captured by overwhelming forces on 

 December 2, but two weeks later, in a strong 

 counter-offensive, Serbia regained its capital. 



ral Austrian commanders were retired in 

 disgrace because of their failure to subdue the 

 Serbs. After this success Serbia's army was 

 attacked by typhus fever, and its fighting power 

 was slight for the next six months. In June, 

 1915, the central powers moved troops from 

 '!. eastern front and were joined by Bulgaria, 

 tin- war on their side, and 



ubjugation of Serbia was again attempted. 



Not only was it deemed necessary to punish 



Serbia for the causes which precipitated the 



war, but it was important to open a direct road 



igh to Constantinople to give aid to the 

 Turks, who were demanding help. Such an 

 open road would make it possible, also, to 

 exert strong pressure upon other Balkan states 

 .mil infliii -Hi-.- tli. in against joining the a! 

 Besides, success in this din ,M make 



possible a campaign against the Suei Canal. 



Bulgaria had been persuaded to join the 

 central powers at this juncture, after it had 

 sought promises from the allies which they 

 were loath to entertain. The central powers 

 held before Bulgaria the lure of rich additions 

 of territory which had been lost by the Bulgars 

 in the Balkan Wars. When the Austro-Ger- 



MAP OP Till-: WESTERN FRONT 

 The Germ Mve-nlxths of the way 



to Paris fn>m the fn.iiti. r. t!;. iven back 



to the Alsiir Ki\ r. T) ration* on the 



map show almost the rxact disposition of forces 

 for the first three years of the war. 



mans and the Bulgarians moved against Serbia, 

 in August, the latter country, disappointed in 

 the hope of assistance direct from Russia and 

 from England and France from the Grecian 

 front, fought valiantly in defense of its liber- 

 ties, but unavailing. By December all of Ser- 

 bia r\ 1 1 the MMithcrn border and a narrow 

 strip in the west was in the hands of the con- 

 querors. 



