Attacks on Izmir and defence of Izmir During World War I

The First World War was a large-scale war that took place between the years of 1914 and 1918 and caused the death of millions of people. This war, which resulted in the emergence of new powers and the disruption of order in the international arena, accelerated the process leading to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which had existed for more than six hundred years. In this war, the fleet of Allies attempted to invade Ottoman waters, who was in alliance with Germany. One of these attempts is the siege of Izmir. Izmir was bombed in March 1915. However, the Ottoman Empire calculated the possibility of the invasion of Izmir and took some measures. Thanks to the deterrent measures taken, Izmir could not be occupied even if it was bombed by the fleet of Allies. Just before the Battle of Çanakkale on March 18, 1915, this kind of an attempt was quite remarkable. It is possible to say that when the enemy fleet blockaded Izmir, they intended to make a more effective maneuver in Çanakkale. The bombing and siege of Izmir is important in terms of both the Battle of Çanakkale and the occupation of Istanbul. The fact that the British-backed Greeks occupied Izmir on May 15, 1919, six months after the Armistice of Mudros, is enough to prove that Izmir was historically and strategically important.