Gallipoli Campaign Through the lens of the Times newspaper

Abstract

Undoubtedly, the legacy that Gallipoli campaign left to the contracting countries was substantial. Oral defined the campaign as ‘the whole First World War in a cup of tea’ by stating that ‘ships, submarines, mines, planes, war on the soil, balloons—almost everything humankind used in war was used’ during the war in Dardanelles. On this basis, it is vital to examine the roles of the newspapers which kept the connection between the Home and the War Front as well as directing the public opinion. In that respect, the roles of the Times played were vital with regards to British war propaganda as well as informing the public throughout the war. In editorials, published on 29 and 31 July 1914, Wickham Steed, the Times' Chief Editor, argued that the British Empire should enter World War I. Furthermore, the Times occasionally attacked to the government, mainly Lord Kitchener, W. Churchill and Lloyd George, reported the debates in the Houses of Parliament and also included lists of those killed in action or who died of wounds while covering the main events in the battlefield. For instance, on 13 October 1915, the criticism of the Times on Churchill can be considered as a call the British public in a duty, ‘In the Dardanelles affair in particular a megalomaniac politician risked the fate of our Army in France and sacrificed thousands of lives to no purpose.’