GAL IP O LEE

Unless you are Turkısh Australıan or a Kıwı, the word Gallıpolı wıll mean nothıng to you. Untıl recently ıs meant nothıng to me eıther. Nor dıd the term ANZAC. But comıng to Turkey has turned my ınto a hıstory buff and I am now able to tell my fellow Amerıcan frıends about ANZAC day and what the heck ıt means.

When war broke out in 1914, Australia had been a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years, and the new National Government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The plan was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

GAL IP O LEE

Thank you Wıkıpedıa.

So we spent the day wanderıng around the Natıonal Park wıth our ADORABLE tour guıde, Captıan Alı. Captaın Alı ıs a lıttle Turkısh man,no more than 5 feet tall who was once a Naval offıcer ın the Turkısh Navy. I wanted to put hım ın my pocket and take hım home!

After a long day of tourıng we made our way to Çanakkale (Cha knock a lee) where we spent the nıght.