- A Black Swan Story That Changed History
- 1914... The Germans have started World War I, yet unnamed, and predicted to be over in six months. With the participation of the Allies, it has turned into a struggle between great powers. Having achieved the title The First Lord of the Admiralty at a young age, Winston Churchill believes he will change the course of the war by launching new sea battles for the illustrious Royal Navy, thereby bolstering British imperial power. Russia is their greatest ally against Germany. From this perspective, one of his biggest objectives is to keep the Turkish straits open for Russia's access to the Mediterranean. If necessary, he will consider invading the Turkish straits. Meanwhile, in Istanbul, precautions are taken lest they must enter World War I. An alliance agreement has been signed with the Germans and a call to arms announced. Preparations with limited resources are in effect to protect the entrance to Istanbul from the Canakkale (Dardanelles) strait. With a defunct navy, the Ottoman Empire resorts to laying mine lines along the strait in order to stop a naval attack. It puts its trust in the forts along the coasts on either side that will use German made gun turrets, as well as artillery dismantled from out-of-use battleships. It sends its last battleship, the "Mesudiye", to the Canakkale to be used as a fixed artillery station. Kemal and Hasan, two young ensigns on duty on board the battleship "Mesudiye", have been friends since the naval academy. Kemal is in love with Hasan's sister, Leyla. With the call to arms, Leyla decides to leave Istanbul and volunteer as a nurse in Canakkale. This way, she will be closer to her brother Hasan. She boards the ferry "Kirlangic" from Istanbul. The ferry carries the commanding officer of "NUSRAT" the Minelayer, Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey of Tophane, and the young nurse Leyla to their shared fate. The day Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey begins his duty at Canakkale, the Ottoman Empire declares its side in the war by bombing Sevastopol and Odessa. Britain retaliates immediately. Upon the British government's decision, Churchill orders the bombing of the forts at the entrance of the Canakkale in retaliation. The war has arrived at Canakkale. Leyla is introduced to the devastation of war as wounded soldiers are brought in from the bombed forts. While Leyla is overcome with sadness, her greatest supporter is her love, Ensign Kemal. Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey, meanwhile, is aware that after the bombardments, mines need to be prepared and laid at the greatest haste. Ensign Hasan is anxious about his sister, Leyla, being this close to the war. But Leyla is adamant about remaining at Canakkale. In the newly established War Council, Churchill announces his belief that Britain must enter the strait of Canakkale in order to ensure an absolute victory. Secretary of Defense Lord Kitchener opposes Churchill by arguing that their infantry forces are fighting hard in the Western front and they simply do not have the strength to also handle a new battlefront. Prime Minister Asquith agrees with Lord Kitchener. Despite Churchill's insistence, his proposal is rejected. For the time being, an assault on Istanbul is off the table.
After the bombardment, Canakkale experiences a period of quiet. Kemal wishes to declare himself to the woman he loves. He learns that Leyla also feels the same way about him. Her brother Hasan is aware that his sister Leyla and his friend Kemal are in love with each other. Unaware of how the impending war will change his fortune, Hasan entrusts his sister to his dear friend Kemal, as if he prophesies his own death. On the morning of the 13th of December, the British submarine "HMS B-11" is on patrol sail. It succeeds in secretly passing through the mine fields at Canakkale Strait and torpedos the anchored battleship "Mesudiye". Hasan is stranded on the battleship while she begins to sink. Throwing themselves into the rescue, Kemal and Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey are unable to prevent Hasan's death despite all their efforts. Kemal blames himself for Hasan's death. He can't bring himself to face Leyla for some time. Leyla meanwhile is left completely alone. Kemal is be assigned to "NUSRAT". Leyla and Kemal are two lovers totally unaware of what will befall them. In conflict with the Turks in the Caucasus front, the Russians believe that launching a new battlefront will relieve them and deflect Turkish power. Hence, they ask their allies, Britain, for help. Lord Kitchener asks Churchill if it would be possible to make a show of power at Canakkale using only navy. Churchill has plans for more than just a show of power. He goes one step further and asks Admiral Carden, Commander of the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet, whether it is possible to pass the strait of Canakkale with only navy. Amiral Carden states this is possible and proceeds to plan out Churchill's desires. After Hasan's death, Leyla is left all alone in Canakkale and decides to return to Istanbul. Kemal has no wind of this. Finding out at the very last minute, Kemal succeeds in stopping Leyla from leaving. From now on, they will move together towards the harsh war that awaits them. Churchill assembles the War Council without further ado. Describing Admiral Carden's plan in detail, Churchill leaves the council having gained what he wanted. Britain implements its three-phased Canakkale plan with the support of France. Allied forces first harass the forts at the entrance of the strait. Once they enter the straits, the minesweepers advance under the protection of the battleships and destroyers. However, they face unforeseen assault from mobile artilleries. Since they can't determine the location of the mobile artilleries, they are left defenseless. Additionally, the strong currents of the straits and unfavorable weather conditions hinder their plans. Commander of the Canakkale Fortified Area, Brigadier Cevad observes that the battleships tasked with destroying the forts use the widest expanse of the strait, Karanlik Liman (Dark Harbor), to maneuver. He realizes at that moment what needs to be done. He orders Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey to lay new mines at Karanlik Liman undetected by enemy forces. Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey is aware that he will enter dangerous waters under enemy control. Preparation begins immediately on "NUSRAT". All light-colored surfaces of the ship are painted black to avoid notice. The white canvases are all dismantled. Lt. Ismail Hakki Bey realizes this expedition may be one with no return. "NUSRAT", however, succeeds in laying 26 mines at Karanlik Liman in total silence and sails back in safety. Waiting at Limni, Admiral Carden is aware that their plans will take longer than they thought and has become ill due to stress. Nonetheless, he responds to Churchill's pressure with: "We will arrive at Istanbul on March 20th."
Ensign Kemal's temporary role on board of "NUSRAT" as second gunnery officer comes to an end and he is assigned again as gunnery officer to the Mesudiye fort at Baykus Tepe (Owl Hill). Leyla and Kemal are stationed at opposite sides of the straits awaiting harder days to come. Once weather conditions improve, the Allied navy resumes assault. Deputy Commander Of The Eastern Mediterranean Squadron Admiral De Robeck is forced to retreat from his night assault in face of searchlights and mobile artillery power. Admiral Carden, upon learning these developments, can't stand it anymore and asserting his illness, resigns. Churchill appoints Admiral De Robeck in Admiral Carden's place. On the morning of March 18, Admiral De Robeck puts his newly granted authority to use. As Churchill has insisted upon from the beginning, Admiral De Robeck enters the Canakkale strait with navy that includes its newest and most powerful battleship "HMS Queen Elizabeth". In the beginning, everything goes according to plan. The forts are battered, and smoke rises from every corner of the Canakkale. During this arduous day, Leyla is on duty at a field tent near where Ensign Kemal is stationed at the Mesudiye fort. She rushes to the side of every sailor brought in from the forts with her heart in her throat: "Is it Kemal?" They have no news of each other. Kemal is also preoccupied with Leyla but receives some encouraging news. He is relieved to learn that Leyla is working in a field tent somewhere nearby. The sailors at the Mesudiye fort are composed entirely of sailors who have had no shooting experience till the morning of March 18. The names of all the sailors that died on the Mesudiye battleship are written on their gun turret. His dear friend Hasan's name is written on one of them. This gun turret manages to shot "FS Bouvet". Immediately, "FS Bouvet" is dragged toward the mines laid by "NUSRAT" at Karanlik Liman, where it explodes and sinks in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, the Mesudiye fort receives heavy fire, and Kemal is wounded. He is rushed to the field hospital where Leyla works. But there is little that she can do. Leyla's great love dies in her arms. After "FS Bouvet" sinks, "HMS Irresistible" strikes "NUSRAT"s mines and is heavily damaged. "HMS Ocean" rushes to help but also suffers heavy damages and must leave the strait. The Allied forces, due to the mines at Karanlik Liman, must retreat upon orders of Admiral De Robeck in the evening of the 18th of March. Possessing the greatest navy of its time, Britain entered this operation along with its allies expecting a different result. Due to the mines laid by "NUSRAT" at Karanlik Liman, for the first time in its history, Britain lost two battleships in one day with one other battleship heavily damaged. The allied French loses one battleship, with two battleships heavily damaged. The allied navy suffers a massive defeat. March 18, 1915, becomes the day that changes the course of history. "NUSRAT" renders the Canakkale impassable with this victorious landmark defense. In the time to come, the allied forces realize that the strait of the Canakkale are impassable by sea. They decide to implement a terrestrial assault at Gelibolu (Gallipoli) in order to traverse the strait. However, the land campaign achieves its conclusion with Lieutenant Colonel Mustafa Kemal's great victory of Gelibolu. Due to this peerless victory, the Turkish people declared Mustafa Kemal, 'ATATURK' upon founding the Republic of Turkey.
Carrying the weight of his defeat at Canakkale for years, and harassed at every opportunity for it, Churchill, declared these words in the "La Revue de Paris" / August 1, 1930: "...6 to 7 million people whose bones lie under the earth in France, Belgium, Poland, Galicia, the Balkans, Palestine, Syria and Northern Italy were extinguished not by the bullets and cannon of their enemies, but on the morning March 18th by 20 iron cups fixed with wires under the strong currents of Dardanelles."
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