January 9, 1916: The Gallipoli Campaign Ends in Ottoman Victory

On January 9, 1916, one of World War I's most grueling and consequential campaigns came to a close. After nearly eleven months of fighting, the final Allied troops withdrew from the Gallipoli Peninsula, marking a decisive victory for the Ottoman Empire and ending one of the war's most ambitious but ill‑fated operations.

A Campaign Born of Strategic Ambition

The Gallipoli campaign began in early 1915 as a bold Allied attempt to break the stalemate of the Western Front by opening a new theater of war. British and French leaders hoped to force the Dardanelles Strait, seize Constantinople, and knock the Ottoman Empire out of the conflict. The plan was strongly supported by First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, who believed a successful naval assault could shift the balance of the war.

But the Ottomans, aided by German advisers, had fortified the strait with mines and coastal artillery. When Allied warships attempted to push through in March 1915, they suffered heavy losses, forcing commanders to pivot to a land invasion.

The Landings and the Stalemate

On April 25, 1915, British, French, Australian, and New Zealand forces landed at multiple points along the peninsula. At ANZAC Cove, Australian and New Zealand troops faced steep cliffs and fierce resistance from Ottoman defenders led by Mustafa Kemal-later known as Atatürk-who played a pivotal role in halting the invasion.

At Cape Helles, British forces endured devastating casualties as they attempted to secure beachheads under relentless fire. Despite months of fighting, the Allies made only minimal territorial gains. The summer brought heat, disease, and exhaustion; the winter brought freezing rain and floods. By the fall, it was clear the campaign had stalled.

A Costly Withdrawal

In October 1915, British command was reorganized, and the new leadership recommended evacuation. The withdrawal was carried out in stages, beginning in December. Remarkably, the final evacuations-completed on January 9, 1916-were executed with minimal casualties, a stark contrast to the heavy losses suffered throughout the campaign.

By the end, the Allies had suffered approximately 250,000 casualties, with a similar number on the Ottoman side. The campaign deeply damaged Allied military credibility and reshaped political leadership in London. For the Ottoman Empire, Gallipoli became a defining moment of national pride and military resilience.

Legacy of Gallipoli

The end of the Gallipoli campaign had far‑reaching consequences. It elevated Mustafa Kemal as a national hero and laid groundwork for the eventual founding of modern Turkey. For Australia and New Zealand, Gallipoli became a cornerstone of national identity-ANZAC Day remains one of the most solemn commemorations in both countries.

For the Allies, the defeat underscored the dangers of underestimating an opponent and the limits of naval power in modern warfare. It also demonstrated the brutal realities of trench warfare beyond the Western Front.

A Turning Point Remembered

January 9, 1916, stands as a symbolic moment in World War I-a day when a grand strategic gamble ended in retreat, and when the Ottoman Empire secured one of its most significant victories of the war. The Gallipoli campaign remains a powerful reminder of the human cost of conflict and the unpredictable nature of military ambition.