The time has not yet come for reviewing in detail the action taken with a view to destroying the Turkish power in Europe. Events have, however, shown that, whatever defects there were in the original naval and military plans, the objective in view was of the utmost importance in its bearing upon the general course of the war. It is impossible to over-estimate the influence which the Dardanelles operations have exercised on opinion in Italy, Greece and the Balkan countries; and the demonstration in the eyes of the people of the Near East of the long arm of sea-power has been invaluable. Evidence of the impression which this new campaign made upon the naval and military staffs of Germany is provided by the decision to detach considerable bodies of naval and military officers to direct and stiffen the Turkish defence, and by the risks which must have been run in dispatching one or more submarines from northern to southern waters in the hope of thereby embarrassing the transport arrangements and injuring the ships of the Allied Fleets while engaged in supporting the military forces ashore. As a result of the new campaign initiated by the Allied Governments, Turkey as an Ally of the two Central Powers of Europe has become not a support, but a grave embarrassment. Every military consideration compelled Germany to attempt to save Turkey from annihilation; and the diversion of force has contributed to the weakening of the German arms in other theatres of war. On the other hand, the Allied Governments found in these operations employment for surplus men-of-war, for the most part obsolescent, which they possessed after making adequate provision to contain the main fleets of Germany and Austria-Hungary. It was not to be expected that the Dardanelles could be forced without some loss. The eventual success of the operations will prove ample compensation for more considerable reductions in the strength of pre-Dreadnoughts than have yet been incurred. THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. 445. PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER, 1915. PENGE PUBLIC LIBRARY LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1915 GENERAL INDEX TO THE QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. 401, forming Volume CCI., and containing a General Index to the volumes from CLXXXII. to CC. of the QUARTERLY REVIEW, is available (Price 6/- net), and a new Index, forming Volume CCXXII., comprising the volumes from CCII. to CCXXI., has been published, and is obtainable through any bookseller. The QUARTERLY REVIEW is published on or about the 15th of Price Twenty-four Shillings per Annum, post free. Printed by WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited, London and Beccles, England. |