Two Factors Affecting the Siege of Kut Al Amara: Food and Disease

Orhan Avcı

Makale detayları

Two Factors Affecting the Siege of Kut Al Amara: Food and Disease

Yazarlar:

Orhan Avcı

Yayıncı:

Kirikkale University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi:

Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.1-18

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001340491

pISSN:

2146-2879

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The Ottoman Empires secret alliance with Germany on August 2, 1914 led to its de facto entry into the First World War on October 29, 1914. Thus, as of this date, the Ottoman Empire became one of the parties to the war as an enemy of Britain. From the beginning of the war, the British started to occupy Iraq in order to seize Ottoman lands. Expanding from north to south, the British military campaign made a comfortable progress at the beginning. The occupation, which extended as far as Salman-ı Pak near Baghdad, was stopped by the Turkish Army here in November 1915. Charles Townshend, the commander of the withdrawn 6th British division, entered the town of Kut al amara between Baghdad and Basra, which he had turned into a fortified position, and remained in a defensive position. After a siege of about 4.5 months, the British division in the town of Kut al amara, surrounded by Turkish troops, surrendered to the Turks because starvation and disease could not be solved. This article aims to show how starvation and disease, which determined the fate of the siege, can have significant consequences on warfare. Both the besiegers and the besieged were affected in similar ways. Starvation and disease, rather than fighting, determined the fate of the British division trapped in the town. This article seeks to show how starvation and disease can have significant consequences for warfare, determining the fate of a siege. Both the besiegers and the besieged were affected in similar ways. Starvation and disease, rather than fighting, determined the fate of the British division trapped in the town. This victory did not have a decisive impact on the First World War. However, the impact of the Kut al amara victory can be mentioned here at two points. First of all, it prolonged the war until 1918 as it cut the pace of the British advance in the Iraqi geography. Naturally, the general conditions changed in this process. Secondly, it was a heavy blow to the British military power being considered invincible.

 The Ottoman Empires secret alliance with Germany on August 2, 1914 led to its de facto entry into the First World War on October 29, 1914. Thus, as of this date, the Ottoman Empire became one of the parties to the war as an enemy of Britain. From the beginning of the war, the British started to occupy Iraq in order to seize Ottoman lands. Expanding from north to south, the British military campaign made a comfortable progress at the beginning. The occupation, which extended as far as Salman-ı Pak near Baghdad, was stopped by the Turkish Army here in November 1915. Charles Townshend, the commander of the withdrawn 6th British division, entered the town of Kut al amara between Baghdad and Basra, which he had turned into a fortified position, and remained in a defensive position. After a siege of about 4.5 months, the British division in the town of Kut al amara, surrounded by Turkish troops, surrendered to the Turks because starvation and disease could not be solved. This article aims to show how starvation and disease, which determined the fate of the siege, can have significant consequences on warfare. Both the besiegers and the besieged were affected in similar ways. Starvation and disease, rather than fighting, determined the fate of the British division trapped in the town. This article seeks to show how starvation and disease can have significant consequences for warfare, determining the fate of a siege. Both the besiegers and the besieged were affected in similar ways. Starvation and disease, rather than fighting, determined the fate of the British division trapped in the town. This victory did not have a decisive impact on the First World War. However, the impact of the Kut al amara victory can be mentioned here at two points. First of all, it prolonged the war until 1918 as it cut the pace of the British advance in the Iraqi geography. Naturally, the general conditions changed in this process. Secondly, it was a heavy blow to the British military power being considered invincible.

 The Ottoman Empires secret alliance with Germany on August 2, 1914 led to its de facto entry into the First World War on October 29, 1914. Thus, as of this date, the Ottoman Empire became one of the parties to the war as an enemy of Britain. From the beginning of the war, the British started to occupy Iraq in order to seize Ottoman lands. Expanding from north to south, the British military campaign made a comfortable progress at the beginning. The occupation, which extended as far as Salman-ı Pak near Baghdad, was stopped by the Turkish Army here in November 1915. Charles Townshend, the commander of the withdrawn 6th British division, entered the town of Kut al amara between Baghdad and Basra, which he had turned into a fortified position, and remained in a defensive position. After a siege of about 4.5 months, the British division in the town of Kut al amara, surrounded by Turkish troops, surrendered to the Turks because starvation and disease could not be solved. This article aims to show how starvation and disease, which determined the fate of the siege, can have significant consequences on warfare. Both the besiegers and the besieged were affected in similar ways. Starvation and disease, rather than fighting, determined the fate of the British division trapped in the town. This article seeks to show how starvation and disease can have significant consequences for warfare, determining the fate of a siege. Both the besiegers and the besieged were affected in similar ways. Starvation and disease, rather than fighting, determined the fate of the British division trapped in the town. This victory did not have a decisive impact on the First World War. However, the impact of the Kut al amara victory can be mentioned here at two points. First of all, it prolonged the war until 1918 as it cut the pace of the British advance in the Iraqi geography. Naturally, the general conditions changed in this process. Secondly, it was a heavy blow to the British military power being considered invincible.

 Osmanlı İmparatorluğunun Almanya ile yaptığı 2 Ağustos 1914 tarihli gizli ittifak, 29 Ekim 1914te fiilen Birinci Dünya Savaşına girmesine neden olmuştur. Böylece bu tarihten itibaren Osmanlı İmparatorluğu, İngilterenin düşmanı olarak savaşın taraflarından biri haline gelmiştir. İngilizler savaşın başından itibaren Osmanlı topraklarını ele geçirmek için Irakı işgale başlamışlardır. Kuzeyden güneye doğru genişleyen İngiliz askerî harekâtı başlangıçta rahat bir ilerleme sergiledi. Bağdat yakınlarındaki Selman-ı Paka kadar uzayan işgal, Kasım 1915te burada Türk Ordusu tarafından durduruldu. Çekilen 6. İngiliz tümeninin komutanı Charles Townshend, müstahkem mevki haline getirdiği Bağdatla Basra arasındaki Kutülamare kasabasına girerek, savunma konumunda kaldı. Türk askerî birlikleri tarafından sarılan Kutülamare kasabası içerisindeki İngiliz tümeni yaklaşık 4,5 aylık bir kuşatma sonucunda açlık ve hastalıklara çözüm bulunamadığından Türklere teslim oldu. Bu yazı, kuşatmanın kaderini belirleyen açlık ve hastalıkların harp üzerinde ne kadar önemli sonuçlar doğurabileceğini göstermeye yöneliktir. Hem kuşatanlar hem de kuşatılanlar benzer şekillerde bu iki durumdan etkilenmişlerdir. Kasabada sıkışıp kalan İngiliz tümeninin sonunu ise çatışmalardan ziyade açlık ve hastalıklar belirlemiştir. Bu zafer, Birinci Dünya Savaşı üzerinde belirleyici bir etkiye sahip değildir. Ancak burada iki noktada Kutülamare zaferinin etkisinden bahsedilebilir. Birincisi Irak coğrafyasında İngilizlerin ilerleme hızını kestiği için savaşın 1918e kadar uzamasını sağlamıştır. Doğal olarak genel şartlar bu süreçte değişmiştir. İkincisi de İngilizlerin askerî gücünün yenilmez kabul edilmesine ağır bir darbe olmuştur.

Makale detayları

Two Factors Affecting the Siege of Kut Al Amara: Food and Disease

Yazarlar:

Orhan Avcı

Yayıncı:

Kirikkale University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi:

Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.1-18

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001340491

pISSN:

2146-2879

Kut Al Amara

Iraqi Front

First World War.Kutülamare

Irak Cephesi

Birinci Dünya Savaşı

Sayı

Makale detayları

Two Factors Affecting the Siege of Kut Al Amara: Food and Disease

Yazarlar: Orhan Avcı

Yayıncı: Kirikkale University

Ana Başlıklar: Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi: Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.1-18

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 1/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001340491

pISSN: 2146-2879

Kut Al Amara

Iraqi Front

First World War.Kutülamare

Irak Cephesi

Birinci Dünya Savaşı

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Orhan Avcı

Yayıncı:

Kirikkale University

Ana Başlıklar:

Yakınçağ Askeri Tarih

Dergi:

Kırıkkale Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.1-18

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

1/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001340491

pISSN:

2146-2879