'The Water Diviner' a story of World War I
The Water Diviner, directed by and starring Russell Crowe, is the story of an Australian farmer whose three sons are reported missing in action after the Gallipoli Campaign. Four years after the battle and with the war ended, the grieving father travels to Turkey to search for his sons.
The film opens in U.S. theaters on the weekend of April 24-26, the 100th anniversary of the landing. On April 25, 1915, 18,000 Allied soldiers arrived at Gallipoli, according to World War I, The Definitive Visual History, Richard Overy, editorial consultant (DK books; 2014).
The campaign is often described with words like disastrous and grueling. Both descriptions fit. Here’s why:
The objective:
Turkey was on the side of Germany in the war, so the endgame for Britain and the other Allies was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul) and force Turkey's surrender. The Allies also hoped to open a supply line to Russia. Before the troops landed, there had been an attempt to force Turkey’s hand with a naval campaign that included Britain’s super dreadnaught, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
But even though the Allies had serious firepower, the naval campaign failed to achieve its objectives. This set the stage for a land invasion on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
A grueling campaign:
The Allies attempted to break through enemy lines, according to the Australian War Memorial website. The Turks, defending their homeland, attempted to force the Allied troops off the peninsula.
As weeks turned to months, the fighting was often fierce. The Australians were involved in a diversionary attack Aug. 6 that came to be known as the Battle of Lone Pine, a five-day fight with 3,000 Australian and 7,000 Turkish casualties, according to World War I, The Definitive Visual History.
The outcome:
Ultimately, a stalemate ensued. The Allies withdrew nine months later, in January 1916. More than 44,000 died. While the Turks were successful, their death toll was significantly higher – 90,000.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAtHElDpDYs
To know more:
- Smithsonian -- World War I, The Definitive Visual History, editorial consultant, Richard Overy, (DK books; 2014).
- Australian War Memorial—Gallipoli
- Military Geography: The influence of terrain in the outcome of the Gallipoli Campaign, 1915, by Peter Doyle and Matthew R. Bennett, The Geographical Journal, March, 1999.
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