Gallipoli [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.

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.

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 ... again and again. Similarly, not content with writing one book on the Gallipoli campaign, Peter Hart has written a second account of this ill-fated venture and we should be rightly thankful.

This new book uses completely new material to that found in his first book, "Defeat at Gallipoli", written with Nigel Steele and published in 1994.

Hart needs no introduction to the WW1 military history enthusiasts. His previous publications cover all three services and he is particularly noted for "The Somme", "1918: A Very British Victory" and "Aces Falling" (that formed the nucleus for the well received BBC Timewatch of the same name).

In case you didn't know, Peter Hart is the Oral Historian at the Imperial War Museum. His genre is to use first-hand accounts and weave them into incisive and frank campaign analysis, and very importantly, in a style that is easy to follow and fully understand."Gallipoli" is no different and is arguably Hart's best work yet.

Hart's theme is that the Gallipoli campaign was doomed from the outset and significantly averted war resources away from the critical war theatre of the Western Front. He begins by setting the political scene that led to the Naval and Army campaigns. We learn that the Turkish army that opposed the British forces were not an ill-disciplined rabble but professional, highly motivated troops, well led by subalterns and senior officers; the myth of Turkish machine guns confronting the Allied landings is skilfully and persuasively argued against. The different stages of the campaign are broken down into a series of chapters and together with the concise maps, Hart's descriptions of locations and places of combat could easily serve as a battlefield guide on location. As it happens, included at the back of the book is a guide to visiting Helles, ANZAC and Suvla - some people think of everything.

When I had finished Gallipoli it was difficult to decide what I liked best about Hart's new book but of course this accolade must be reserved for the first hand accounts that make this history book so vivid. Hart doesn't only interlace his authoritative narrative with British and ANZAC first-hand accounts, but with those from the French, German and Turkish combatants as well. This isn't just another book on Gallipoli but is breaking new ground and encompassing the views of those from all the participating nations. Add to this, photos that I certainly haven't seen published before, plus the extensive list of references and sources, and you have the Must Have book for military enthusiasts for 2011.

Well done Peter Hart.