Gallipoli
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Review
'Superb... a serious and important work on Gallipoli. It is written in Peter Hart's increasingly excellent style.' --David McLoughlin, Press Association
'An impressive and timely reminder of the futility of war.' --Morning Star
'[A] stirring account' --Irish Examiner
'A perceptive and refreshingly candid study of a doomed campaign.' --Peter Simkins
'A tremendous book and for anyone interested in this campaign or the political direction of the war' --Chris Baker, The Long, Long Trail
'Gallipoli by Peter Hart is one of the most refreshing books written about this campaign.' --Martin Hornby, Western Front Association
'All good history books should be an assault on myth, and in 'Gallipoli' Peter Hart mounts a supremely effective attack' --Mail on Sunday
'A marvellous, ghastly book...vivid and compelling' --The Economist
'An account filled with insight and poignancy' --Craig Gibson, TLS
'An impressive and timely reminder of the futility of war.' --Morning Star
'[A] stirring account' --Irish Examiner
'A perceptive and refreshingly candid study of a doomed campaign.' --Peter Simkins
'A tremendous book and for anyone interested in this campaign or the political direction of the war' --Chris Baker, The Long, Long Trail
'Gallipoli by Peter Hart is one of the most refreshing books written about this campaign.' --Martin Hornby, Western Front Association
'All good history books should be an assault on myth, and in 'Gallipoli' Peter Hart mounts a supremely effective attack' --Mail on Sunday
'A marvellous, ghastly book...vivid and compelling' --The Economist
'An account filled with insight and poignancy' --Craig Gibson, TLS
Book Description
A gripping, revisionist account of an epic tragedy
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Gallipoli campaign cannot be said to have been poorly served by historians. Indeed, this is the author's second work on the subject, the first, "Defeat at Gallipoli", was co-authored with Nigel Steel. However, this book makes a strong claim to adding much that is new to our understanding of what it meant to be a participant in the ill-fated Dardanelles adventure. And one that I would unhesitatingly recommend to anyone interested the subject.
The telling of history, particularly that concerning the Great War, has developed significantly in the past thirty years or so. The actions of great men and plans of campaign illustrated by broad arrows on a map have been largely overtaken by anecdotal accounts of the actual participants. Both approaches have their merits but weaknesses too. Detached accounts telling how this or that division or brigade moved an inch across a map pay little heed to the price paid by the men on the ground. Whilst the stories of the men themselves without the historical infrastructure on which to link the reality of war to how and why they came to be there in the first place leave the reader little the wiser. And Peter Hart again proves himself to be a master at combining the two traditions, complemented with his own informed and expertly articulated interpretation of events.
'Gallipoli' is written in the author's by now trademark style. The motivations and actions of those at the very top of the chain of command are outlined clearly and concisely, setting in context the experiences of those given the job of putting the lofty aims of the likes of Churchill into practice. But, and this was for me the stand out feature of this work, the author reminds us that the allied forces were not simply battling military incompetence, difficult terrain, a harsh climate and flies but well-led and very brave, professional Turkish soldiers. In addition, we are reminded of the French contribution to the campaign, one that has received little attention from English-speaking authors (and I suspect amongst French ones too). Indeed, Peter Hart goes so far as to argue that the French were the most effective military force on the allied side and given the hardest task, exposed as they were to fire from the Asiatic shore whilst tackling some of the toughest conditions found anywhere on the Peninsular.
The role of the French contingent might surprise many readers, as will, perhaps, the author's firm assertion at the very beginning of the book that the campaign was a forlorn hope from the start. Hart's contention is that politicians looking for a cheap alternative to taking on Germany on the Western Front did more than delude themselves, they wasted thousands of lives in the process. And the grand scheme to send aid to Russia via the Dardanelles is exposed as a complete fantasy. The irony that the British in 1915 lacked the very shells and artillery required to break the deadlock of trench warfare, either in France or Gallipoli, meaning there were none to spare for the Russians in the first place, is not lost.
Although this is the author's second visit to Gallipoli, the quotations from those involved are all new; their power will make an impact on the most avid reader of military history. As such, `Gallipoli' is another magnificent tribute by Peter Hart to the generation that fought the Great War. I am, as anyone might guess, an admirer of the author's work. But what is clear here and in his other works is that Peter Hart directs our admiration to those whose story he has so beautifully told. Highly recommended.
The telling of history, particularly that concerning the Great War, has developed significantly in the past thirty years or so. The actions of great men and plans of campaign illustrated by broad arrows on a map have been largely overtaken by anecdotal accounts of the actual participants. Both approaches have their merits but weaknesses too. Detached accounts telling how this or that division or brigade moved an inch across a map pay little heed to the price paid by the men on the ground. Whilst the stories of the men themselves without the historical infrastructure on which to link the reality of war to how and why they came to be there in the first place leave the reader little the wiser. And Peter Hart again proves himself to be a master at combining the two traditions, complemented with his own informed and expertly articulated interpretation of events.
'Gallipoli' is written in the author's by now trademark style. The motivations and actions of those at the very top of the chain of command are outlined clearly and concisely, setting in context the experiences of those given the job of putting the lofty aims of the likes of Churchill into practice. But, and this was for me the stand out feature of this work, the author reminds us that the allied forces were not simply battling military incompetence, difficult terrain, a harsh climate and flies but well-led and very brave, professional Turkish soldiers. In addition, we are reminded of the French contribution to the campaign, one that has received little attention from English-speaking authors (and I suspect amongst French ones too). Indeed, Peter Hart goes so far as to argue that the French were the most effective military force on the allied side and given the hardest task, exposed as they were to fire from the Asiatic shore whilst tackling some of the toughest conditions found anywhere on the Peninsular.
The role of the French contingent might surprise many readers, as will, perhaps, the author's firm assertion at the very beginning of the book that the campaign was a forlorn hope from the start. Hart's contention is that politicians looking for a cheap alternative to taking on Germany on the Western Front did more than delude themselves, they wasted thousands of lives in the process. And the grand scheme to send aid to Russia via the Dardanelles is exposed as a complete fantasy. The irony that the British in 1915 lacked the very shells and artillery required to break the deadlock of trench warfare, either in France or Gallipoli, meaning there were none to spare for the Russians in the first place, is not lost.
Although this is the author's second visit to Gallipoli, the quotations from those involved are all new; their power will make an impact on the most avid reader of military history. As such, `Gallipoli' is another magnificent tribute by Peter Hart to the generation that fought the Great War. I am, as anyone might guess, an admirer of the author's work. But what is clear here and in his other works is that Peter Hart directs our admiration to those whose story he has so beautifully told. Highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
this is an excellent book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. My Great uncle was killed at Suvla Bay, so I have a vested interest in its accuracy. I have another book on Gallipoli by Robert Rhodes James also an excllent book. I had a great deal of pleasure comparing them and the different authors views. Definitely recommend the book.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the first book i have read from Peter Hart and judging by the quality of historical research, reasoned arguement and immensely readable writing style, it won't be the last.
The author has divided the campaign by battlefield, so that the battles for ANZAC cove, Helles and Suvla bay, have their own chapters or sections which i found aided the understanding of the campaign immensely. The description of the campaign and the fighting is balanced between the Allies and the Turkish forces which gives the reader more understanding a much greater depth. The narrative is interspersed with numerous veteran accounts, perfectly introduced to reinforce the points made by the author.
The myths that have grown up about the campaign are examined in some detail, for example, the ANZAC perception that the British were tardy at Suvla bay, the supposed number of Turkish machine guns pouring fire onto the soldiers staggering up the beach etc, against the evidence to arrive at sound conclusions.
There are a number of maps at the start of major chapters but i found them insufficient for the detail in the writing, that is, the text refers to a certain 'gully' which then doesn't appear on the map. More detail here would definitely enhance the book.
Overall this is an excellent book and strongly recommended. 9/10.
The author has divided the campaign by battlefield, so that the battles for ANZAC cove, Helles and Suvla bay, have their own chapters or sections which i found aided the understanding of the campaign immensely. The description of the campaign and the fighting is balanced between the Allies and the Turkish forces which gives the reader more understanding a much greater depth. The narrative is interspersed with numerous veteran accounts, perfectly introduced to reinforce the points made by the author.
The myths that have grown up about the campaign are examined in some detail, for example, the ANZAC perception that the British were tardy at Suvla bay, the supposed number of Turkish machine guns pouring fire onto the soldiers staggering up the beach etc, against the evidence to arrive at sound conclusions.
There are a number of maps at the start of major chapters but i found them insufficient for the detail in the writing, that is, the text refers to a certain 'gully' which then doesn't appear on the map. More detail here would definitely enhance the book.
Overall this is an excellent book and strongly recommended. 9/10.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Gallipoli - An unnecessary distraction
The story of the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 has had much coverage, including a previous volume co-written by Peter Hart. Read more
Published 10 months ago by JMcCudden
Sort of useful!
The personal accounts are fine, although the style is a bit flowery, bordering on the pretentious at times. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Camp Freddy
a wast of money
at first, from looking at the extremely good reviews, I was under the impression that this was an extremely good book that analysed the abject of failure that was Galliopli. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Hector
Good; but not his best.
Peter Hart's extensive use of primary source material make this an invaluable assessment of the Gallipoli conflict. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Interested layman
Gallipoli
`Gallipoli' by Peter Hart is one of the most refreshing books written about this, seen by many as the most misguided campaign of the Great War. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Martin Hornby
Doomed campaign and mythology exposed
I guess I place myself among the so-called revisionist historians of WW1; I cannot abide the simplistic and emotional nonsense that led to the phrase "lions led by donkeys" having... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Chris Baker
Gallipoli by Peter Hart
Most of us that have been fortunate enough to visit the battlefields of Gallipoli know that one visit isn't enough. Gallipoli is the type of place that makes you return ... Read more
Published 15 months ago by JCS
Gallipoli by Peter Hart
Peter Hart is the Oral Historian at the Imperial War Museum and the author of several acclaimed books on the Great War including his Nigel Steel collaboration Defeat at Gallipoli. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Stephen McGreal
Powerful stuff!
This is an immensely powerful book about this tragic, from an allied perspective, world war one campaign. Read more
Published 15 months ago by R. Chapman
A masterful anatomy of futile courage
`Gallipoli' is not the first time that Hart has been drawn to the disastrously conceived campaign of that name. Read more
Published 16 months ago by George A. Webster
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