Battle of Baghdad (World War I)
The Battle of Baghdad during World War I refers to a significant military engagement between British forces and the Ottoman Empire in early 1917. Initially, British troops entered the Mesopotamian region in November 1914, where they faced challenging environmental conditions, including extreme heat and reliance on the Tigris River for supplies. After a difficult campaign, the British captured Kut-al-Amara in December 1915 but met strong Turkish resistance during an attempt to advance on Baghdad. This led to a retreat and subsequent siege at Kut-al-Amara, resulting in the surrender of the British Indian Sixth Division in April 1916.
In mid-1916, Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude took command, advocating for a renewed offensive. After reorganizing and improving supply lines, British forces attacked Kut-al-Amara again and successfully captured it by February 1917. The renewed push towards Baghdad culminated in the British entry into the city on March 11, 1917, with minimal opposition. The capture of Baghdad marked a pivotal moment, as it allowed British forces to establish control over the remainder of Mesopotamia, leading to its governance as a mandate following the war.
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Battle of Baghdad (World War I)
Type of action: Ground battle in World War I
Date: March 11, 1917
Location: On the Tigris River in modern Iraq
Combatants: 123,000 British vs. 10,000 Turks
Principal commanders:British-Indian, Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude (1864–1917); Turkish, Khalil Pasha
Result: Capture of the capital of Mesopotamia
The British entered Mesopotamia in November, 1914. The campaign was difficult more because of the elements than because of the enemy, as the desert heat and dependence on the Tigris River as the only supply route severely limited the ability of the British troops to operate quickly. After capturing Kut-al-Amara in December, 1915, the British Indian Sixth Division pursued retreating Turkish troops in the direction of Baghdad, some seventy-five miles further upriver. Unaware of the climatic and supply conditions, the British government authorized an attack. The assault fell short against stout Turkish resistance at Ctesiphon, just outside Baghdad, and the British retreated to Kut-al-Amara. The Sixth Division was besieged there and surrendered in April, 1916.
The starvation and sickness suffered by the soldiers during the siege brought a parliamentary investigation as well as a reorganization of the British effort. Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude took command in July, 1916, and agitated for a renewed offensive toward Baghdad. Permission was finally granted, and he led a much better organized and supplied army on the offensive. Kut-al-Amara was attacked in mid-December, 1916, but not captured until late February, 1917.
Maude pursued the defeated Turks, led by Khalil Pasha, as they withdrew to Baghdad. On March 6, his troops faced sporadic resistance as they crossed the Diyala River (just east of Baghdad), then entered the city without opposition on the morning of March 11.
Significance
Control of Baghdad allowed the British to occupy the remainder of Mesopotamia, which they oversaw as a mandate after World War I.
Bibliography
Barker, A. J. The Neglected War. London: Faber and Faber, 1967.
Davis, Paul K. Ends and Means. Rutherford, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson, 1994.
Fromkin, David. A Peace to End All Peace. New York: Holt, 1989.