Subtitle Gallipoli < SECURE >

: The primary aim was for a combined British and French fleet to force a passage through the Dardanelles Strait , a narrow 38-mile waterway.

: Success would have allowed the Allies to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war, and open a vital sea route to resupply a beleaguered Russia via the Black Sea. subtitle Gallipoli

: The campaign began with a naval bombardment on February 19, 1915. However, hidden Ottoman mines and shore-based artillery inflicted heavy losses, sinking several major ships and forcing the Allies to shift to a land-based invasion. The Land Campaign: Harsh Realities and Stalemate : The primary aim was for a combined