History of Europe

What did the ANZACS think of Turkey?

The ANZAC troops who fought in the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 had mixed feelings about the Turks. On the one hand, they were impressed by the courage and fighting ability of the Turkish soldiers. On the other hand, they were also frustrated by the brutal tactics that the Turks used, such as trench warfare and the use of snipers.

In general, the ANZAC troops respected the Turks as a military opponent. They recognised that the Turks were well-trained and well-equipped, and that they were fighting for their homeland. However, they also saw the Turks as a ruthless enemy, and they were critical of the way that the Turkish soldiers treated their prisoners.

The ANZAC troops also had a complex view of the Turkish people as a whole. On the one hand, they were sympathetic to the plight of the Turkish people, who had been living under the oppressive Ottoman Empire for centuries. On the other hand, they were also aware of the atrocities that the Turks had committed against the Armenians and other Christian minorities.

Overall, the ANZAC troops had a complex and nuanced view of Turkey. They respected the Turkish soldiers as a military opponent, but they also saw them as a ruthless enemy. They were also sympathetic to the plight of the Turkish people, but they were aware of the atrocities that the Turks had committed against other groups.