An Exclusive Interview with Peter Hart in Turkish web site

[akifemre]

Dear Friends,

We present you an exclusive interview with Peter Hart, Military Historian and has numerous books and articles about Great War and its fronts including Gallipoli Campaign. He speaks to Turkish media first time.

In this interview, he makes clear that Gallipoli campaign was a disastrous mistake from start to finish and had no tenable objectives. He stressed that British accounts have perhaps over-exaggerated the importance of Liman von Sanders and other German commanders. As to Great War Commomerations he said: “I would prefer to treat the Great War and Gallipoli as historical events to be studied and understood rather than celebrated or commemorated. Centenaries are mere excuses for morbid sentimentality; they have no meaning other than an arbitrary number of years since the event concerned.”

This interview has been translated into Turkish by M. Onur Yurdal and Kayıhan Kabadayı and was also aired at the same time.

English version:

http://www.geliboluyuanlamak.com/475_Gallipoli-campaign-was-a-disastrous-mistake-from-start-to-finish-–-An-Exclusive-Interview-with-a-leading-Military-Historian-Peter-Hart-(-M--Onur-Yurdal-).html

Turkish version:

http://www.geliboluyuanlamak.com/476_Gelibolu-Basindan-Sonuna-Kadar-Felaket-Bir-Hataydi!-Askeri-Tarihci-Peter-Hart-ile-Soylesi-–-M--Onur-Yurdal---(Cev--M-O-Yurdal-K--Kabadayi).html

Thanks for your interest,

Tuncay Yılmazer

Editor

www.geliboluyuanlamak.com

[keithmroberts]

Good stuff apart from one typo in the English version where 1914 slips in once instead of 1915. I met M. Onur Yurdal on my second visit to Gallipoli on a tour organised by Peter and he joined us on a couple of occasions. Thank you for posting the links.

Keith

[monuryurdal]

Thanks a lot your good words Keith. I'm looking forward your next coming...

[akifemre]

Hello Kevin,

Thanks for your warning.

This mistake was corrected.

Tuncay

[WhiteStarLine]

Thanks for posting this Tuncay. A most interesting read and thoughtful analysis.

[gilly100]

Interesting interview and well spoken, but as regards centenaries and morbid sentimentality, I think that part belongs to each individual and if remembrance is taken in amongst a large crowd on a publicly promoted event, and it works for that individual, then fair enough. Some descendants of the Great War may well be new to their family participation and be most happy (and proud) to be part of such an event. Others, who probably don't go a day without thinking about some aspect of these conflicts may well feel more comfortable not participating, and doing such remembrance in a different fashion at a different time, not allocated by such an advertised event. Whatever spins your wheels, with the good thoughts all running in the right direction.

I don't like crowds, but that's just me. Still reckon there were MG's there too!

Ian

[monuryurdal]

@Gilly100 I want to answering your question. Because I took that interview and I think if I can explain what I understood about the subject which you mentioned. Previously, in my opinion you r right. Every grandson who lost their grandfathers in WWI, probably want to go that fronts and join the commemoration ceremonies. Peter did not mention this. I think Peter was agree with you. Peter wanted to tell hold up as examples, also working on the historical and social results of the war. e.g. And he thinks that ceremonmies momentary. After the ceremonies, for example the 101 th year anniversary of the WWI what will we do? Will be able to give the enough or the same importance the previous year? But if we can research the war and that results, especially historical and social results, we can share and publish those will be permanent. That u said, every grandson may be wanted to go that fronts but with those documents grandfathers will be immortal...Because, the history which we mentioned, made by them...

Mustafa Onur YURDAL

as Little Lanny

[Kurt1959]

Thank you very much for posting the interview which I consider as balanced and informative. However - to tell the truth - I would like to see more interest from the Turkish side to research about the German role. The result should at least be to acknowledge that they were some Germans - perhaps not more than 500-600 in the battles of Gallipoli and not only Liman von Sanders and other Generals. Currently the discussion is only about the performance of Liman von Sanders, who is mainly blamed by the Turkish sources for his bad leadership. In Gallipoli or other Turkish museums you will hardly find any testimony of the partnership during that time - it is consciously forgotten and neglected. There is no German cemetery left in Gallipoli and not a single place were Germany could remember to their fallen soldiers of this campaign.

Almost hundred years after the start of the campaign it would be time to open the hearts and minds for this reality.