The Dardanelles Disaster: Winston Churchill's Greatest Defeat Hardcover - 2009

by Dan Van Der Vat

The riveting account of young Churchill's greatest-and almost career-ending-defeat

The British Navy's disastrous attempt to pass through the Dardanelles to Constantinople was a turning point in the history of World War I. Acclaimed naval military expert Dan van der Vat argues that the disaster at the Dardanelles prolonged the war by two years, led to the Russian Revolution, forced Britain to the brink of starvation, and contributed to the destabilization of the Middle East.

With a narrative rich in human drama, The Dardanelles Disaster highlights all the diplomatic clashes from Whitehall to the Hellespont, Berlin to Constantinople, and St. Petersburg to the Bosporus. Van der Vat analyzes Churchill's response to the obstacles he faced and describes the fateful actions of the Turkish, German, and British governments. With never before published information on Colonel Geehl's minelaying operation, which won the battle for the Germans, The Dardanelles Disaster is essential reading for everyone interested in great naval history, Churchill's early career, and World War I. The repercussions of that battle are felt more strongly than ever today.