Erzurum offensive

Erzerum Campaign
File:Russianeda.JPG Russian troops entering Erzurum.
Date 10 January-16 February, 1916 Location Erzurum, Turkey Result Decisive Russian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Nikolai Yudenich	Kerim Pasha
Strength
Russian Caucasus Army 290,000 infantry 35,000 cavalry 150 trucks 20 planes	Third Army 78,000
Casualties and losses
10,000 killed 4,000 sick	? killed 12,000 prisoners

The Erzerum Campaign, also known as the Battle of Erzerum was a major winter offensive on the Caucasus Front that led to the capture of the strategic city of Erzerum. Ottoman forces in winter quarters suffered a series of unexpected reverses that let to a decisive Russian victory.

Background

Main articles: Armenian Genocide and Battle of Sarikamish

After the defeat at the Battle of Sarikamish, the Ottomans tried to reorganize. Armenian persecutions made supplying their forces a problem. Trade by Armenians, which had supplied the Ottoman Army, was disrupted. Dismissal of Armenian soldiers into labor battalions and their massacres further worsened the problem. However,throughout 1915, the northern sectors of this front remained quiet.

At the same time, end of the Gallipoli Campaign would free up considerable Turkish soldiers. Yudenich knew this and prepared for an offensive. He hope to take main fortress of Erzerum in the area followed by Trebizond. It was a difficult campaign as Erzerum was protected by a number of forts in the mountains.

Eight of these divisions were designated for the Caucasus Front. Yudenich believed he could launch an offensive before these divisions could be ready for battle.

Russian preparations

For the operations, Russians had 130,000 infantry and 35,000 cavalry. Further, the had 160,000 reserves, 150 supply trucks, and 20 planes of Siberian Air Squadron. Facing them were 78,000 Turkish troops.

The Battle of Semirum

The Second Russian column arrived on the outskirts of Erzurum on January 17. The entrance to the city was guarded by the fortress of Semirum. The Russians began bombarding the fort on January 17, and on January 18 the Turks advanced from the fort to the Russian lines, only to cut down by machine gun fire. After the failed Turkish attacks the Russian were able to easily storm the fort and resume their advance on Erzurum.

The Capture of Erzurum

After taking Semirum (January 18), the second Russian column camped outside the city of Erzurum. The Russians decided to wait for the first column to arrive before attacking the city. When the first Russian column arrived outside Erzurum on January 19, Kerim Pasha, the commander of the ottoman forces inside Erzurum, lost his nerve and decided to retreat from Erzurum rather than risk a battle with the superior Russian forces. The Russians marched into Erzurum unopposed on January 20.

The limit of the Russian advance into Anatolia

Results

During the nine days of fighting and conquest the Russians captured some 13,000 prisoners and 323 guns. As a result of the Erzurum Campaign, the Ottomans lost an important fort, supply base and strategic position. With the Third Army once again broken and demoralized the Russians were able to advance deep into Anatolia. In the southern area of Armenia, Muş and Bitlis were captured in early March. In the north, Trebizond fell in April. As a result of this defeat, Kerim Pasha was replaced by a new commander Vehib Pasha.

Sources

• Tucker, Spencer The Great War: 1914-18 (1998)
• Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World CD-ROM
• Pollard, A. F. (1920). A Short History of the Great War (chapter 10).
• Chronology of Russian Military Actions in World War 1