The loss of human life in Gallipoli was staggering. The survivors haunted by memories of terror. Politicians, far removed from the battlefield, were playing a game of Risk with life that wasn’t theirs. From the movie trailer, Gallipoli (2005) Trailer, there are several scenes and narrative that provide clues as to why there were so many casualties.
Motivation would be at the top of the list of reasons. Britain was trying to protect its imperialistic empire and was using the call of duty (ironic re: weekly article) as a selling point to enlist as many people as possible. With patriotic hearts in hand, thousands and thousands joined the fight, only to find a resting spot for life in a foreign country. The rows and rows of cemetery crosses, illustrated in the trailer, detail this fact.
Similar to our present day struggle in Afghanistan, the terrain and natural elements of the Turkish state made it very difficult for the British to maneuver and provide enough supplies for their troops to survive and work efficiently. The Turkish army definitely had the strategic advantage of knowing their harsh and unforgiving surroundings and was able to better prepare their troops. Britain’s troops were thrown into the unknown. The natural beauty of this area, that the trailer exemplifies, was not conducive to the replenishment of supplies, or the style of military maneuvers, that were used to defeat the enemy.
Apparent throughout the movie trailer were the rounds and rounds of mortar fire and machine gun attacks that pummeled soldiers at every turn. The machine gun was invented in 1884 and was manufactured and readily available for this war. Using what was modern weaponry at the time with outdated strategic tactics turned Gallipoli into a slaughter house. A similar problem faced the British during the Revolutionary War. They were very slow to adapt to the “gorilla” warfare of their enemy.
The impact of the tremendous loss of human life was a strategic tragedy as well as a societal tragedy. With so many soldiers dying in this specific conflict, Britain was unable to replenish troops in any of its other battlefronts. When every person that could be enlisted was already in other battlefields killing or dying, Britain’s own boundaries were at risk of being invaded. Turkey sustained huge causalities, as well, but was not stretched as thin strategically.
Socially, Britain’s loss of young, predominately male life would affect their ability to replenish its population. Britain would experience diminished power around the world and the power to propel its own economy. There would be a lack of people able to work productively in any career, such as farming, manufacturing…etc. There is no measurement capable of extracting the emotional toll human losses, such as those in Gallipoli, can take on a population. The grieving would be beyond words. How does a nation recover and rebuild such a weakened population?
