WW1 History Lesson 5: Other Fronts

World War I was dubbed a world war because it was fought over a large part of the globe.  The coutcome of the war was decided mostely by events in Europe, especially on the western front, but fighting in other parts of the world also had important consequences.  To many observers, the European fronts were the "main events" and other fronts were merely "sideshows," but those other fronts were equally dangerous to the people involved in them. 

After western Europe, the second most important war zone was eastern Europe, where the war had originally started.  Major battles were also fought in the Middle East and in four parts of Africa, and significant naval battles were fought far from all these places.  Most surprisingly, perhaps, the  last battles of the war were fought in East Afrida, where the war may be said to have finally ended.

The Eastern Front

Watch about the Russian Army in WWI here

East Asia

Watch this video on East Asia in WWI

Turkey and the Dardanelles

The fourth great empire to enter the war was the old Turkish Ottoman Empire, whose rule had once extended over Turkey, the Balkans, parts of Eastern Eruope, North Africa, and much of the eastern Mediterranean region.  By the early 20th century, however, revolts, foreign wars, and government mismanagements had reduced the empire to its Turkish core, parts of the Balkan Peninsula, and most of the Middle East region from Asia Minor in the north to what is no Saudia Arabia in the South.

Decaying from long years of poverty adn inefficient and corrupt government at all levels, the Ottoman Empire was often disparaged as teh "sick man of Europe"  As an ally, the empire prom ised to be more a drain on manpower and resources than a contributor to the war effort for either side.  However, Turkey had one great asset that both the Allies and Central Powers coveted: control over the Dardanelles Strait that separated European Turkey from its Asia Minor provinces.  It was a channel connecting the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

The Black Sea to Turkey's north was the back door to Russia and eastern Europe.  The Dardanelles was the eky to that door.  Through it, ships could carry weapons, troops, and goods to supply Russia or to support an invasion of the Central Powers from their rear.  Consequently, both the Allies and the Central Powers courted Turkish friensship as the was was beginning.  Ultimately, diplomatic blunders on Britain's part moved Turkey's government to lean toward the Germans.  In October 1914, and unusual incident in the Mediterranean led to Germany winning a Turkish alliance.  After a British naval squadron chased two German warships across the Mediterranean, the German ships took refuge in the harbor of Turkey's capital - Constantinople.    

Watch about the Gallipoli Campaign here

Africa

Watch about Africa in WWI here

• Look at the pages in the Eyewitness book on this topic
• Read Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood pages 48-60