The Bay of Plenty Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1943. THE ALLIES AND THE DARDANELLES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13333, 21 December 1943, Page 4

The Bay of Plenty Times TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1943. THE ALLIES AND THE DARDANELLES

It is possible that Turkey will either come into the war as a declared belligerent or at least extend the utmost assistance to the Allies, otherwise there would not have been the important conferences between the leaders of the Allied Nations and the leaders of the Turkish nation. Nor would the Turks have been given the information that was imparted to them by President Roosevelt and Mr Churchill. There exists a treaty between Britain and Turkey by which both are pledged to render mutual aid. It is well known that Turkey has given close attention to her military position and has received a lot of war equipment from Britain and the United States. There is a sizeable Turkish army in Thrace on the Bulgarian frontier and so it may be said that Turkey is prepared to play her part in the Avar. If the Allies are to attack Hitler’s Europe from the south, that is, through the Balkans, the active assistance of Turkey is imperative. The Allies command the Adriatic Sea and could launch attacks on the Dalmatian coastline provided they possessed ample air strength to ensure success for any such naval venture. But invasion of the Balkans Avould not be easy from the Adriatic alone. The Allies must also attack from the Black Sea, and to do this Allied Avarships must pass through the Dardanelles and that cannot be done Avithout the permission of the Turkish authorities. The Dardanelles have been under Turkish control for a great many years, and there Avas an occasion Avhen a British fleet technically forced the passage of the Dardanelles and entered the Black Sea, Avith the connivance of the Turks. The occasion Avas the Avar betAveen Russia and Turkey. The Turks are no mean fighters, and at the siege of Plevna they put up a magnificent defence. But the Russians Avere too strong for them and a serious position deA r eloped Avhen the Russian Army under General Skobeloff started to march on Constantinople. Admiral Hornby, Avho Avas in command of the British Mediterranean Fleet Avas ordered to stop Skobeloff from entering Constantinople Avhich is iioav knoAvn as Istanbul. Admiral Hornby Avith his Ironclads, as the Avar vessels were knoAvn then, steamed through the Dardanelles and took up positions facing the road along Avhich the Russian Army must moA 7 e if Constantinople was its objective. The British ships Avere cleared for action, and General Skobeloff Avas notified that he and his troops Avould be shelled. The matter Avas referred to the Tsarist Government in St. Petersberg, iioav Leningrad, and Skobeloff Avas ordered not to march on Constantinople. The Russo-Turkish Avar Avas fought about 1877-78 and Turkey Avas then under a Sultan. In the Avar of 1914-18 the Turkish Government of the dav showed its gratitude for British help in 1877 by joining Avith Germany. It Avas fighting the Turks at Galipoli that the Anzacs covered themselves with glory. The Turks went doAvn Avith their German allies and suffered badly. Turkey lost Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and the Arabian States and her hegemony over Egypt Avas abolished. Under Turkish rule Egypt had a Khedive, iioav it has a king. Sipc£ the last great Avar-great changes have taken place, due mainly to the untiring zeal of Kemal Pasha. The Turks abolished the Fez, the national headgear for men, and the women threAV aAvay the veil. Turkey is iioav a Republic, and is once again on the side of Britain.