FILMS, POLITICS AND HISTORY: THE EXAMPLE OF THE GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN
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The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies
International Journal of Social Science
Doi number:http://dx.doi.org/10.9761/JASSS7984
Number: 74 , p. 481-495, Spring 2019
Araştırma Makalesi / Research Article
Yayın Süreci / Publication Process
Yayın Geliş Tarihi / Article Arrival Date - Yayın Kabul Tarihi / Article Acceptance Date
15.01.2019 13.03.2019
Yayınlanma Tarihi / The Published Date
25.03.2019
FILMS, POLITICS AND HISTORY: THE EXAMPLE OF THE
GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN
FİLMLER, SİYASET VE TARİH: ÇANAKKALE SAVAŞI ÖRNEĞİ
Asst. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Cansun
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0797-9699
Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Department of Political Science and International Relations,
sebnem_cansun@yahoo.com
Abstract
The Gallipoli Campaign, which turned out to be a failure for the Allies
and a victory for the Ottoman Empire, is a significant part of World War One.
The representation of the Gallipoli Campaign in film and its connection to poli-
tics and history have thus far not been academically examined from a compara-
tive perspective. To fill the literature gap, I conducted a document analysis of
four films about the Gallipoli Campaign, focusing on the experience of the
Australians and the Turks. I chose two Australian and two Turkish films based
on their accessibility and recognition. Two of those films, Gallipoli (1981) and
The Water Diviner (2014), are Australian-made and show mostly the Australian
experience. The two other films, Çanakkale 1915 (Gallipoli 1915, 2012) and Çanak-
kale Yolun Sonu (Gallipoli: End of the Road, 2013) are Turkish-made and emphasi-
ze the Turkish experience. All four films highlight the inhuman characteristics
of war and the suffering of the soldiers and their families, hence the common
pain. Not surprisingly, patriotism and heroism are the emotions that emerge in
all the films in question because, for the Australians, the Gallipoli Campaign
was part of the national identity-building process, whereas for the Turks it was
about the survival of the nation and the defense of the motherland. The four
films also have the common point of a somewhat anti-British approach, though482
Şebnem Cansun
the Australian-made films differ from the others by having more anti-war ele-
ments. The Water Diviner has a pro-Turkish political perspective whereas Galli-
poli 1915 seems to cater to the current political arena in Turkey. A future work
could include other films about the subject and make a complementary compa-
rison.
Key Words: Gallipoli Campaign, Politics, History, Film, Australia, Tur-
key
Öz
Çanakkale Savaşı, ki İtilaf Devletleri için bir başarısızlık, Osmanlı İmpa-
ratorluğu için ise zaferle sonuçlanmıştır, Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nın önemli bir
kısmıdır. Çanakkale Savaşı’nın filmde temsili ve bunun siyaset ve tarih ile ilin-
tisi karşılaştırmalı perspektifle akademik olarak bugüne dek incelenmemiştir.
Bu literatür eksiğini gidermek üzere, Avusturalyalılar ve Türkler’in tecrübesine
odaklanarak, Çanakkale Savaşı hakkındaki dört filme doküman analizi yaptım.
Erişilirlik ve tanınırlıklarını çıkış noktası alarak iki Avusturalya ve iki Türk fil-
mi seçtim. Bunlardan ikisi, Gallipoli (Gelibolu, 1981) and The Water Diviner (Son
Umut, 2014) Avusturalya yapımıdır ve özellikle Avusturalyalı tecrübesini gos-
termektedir. Diğer iki film ise, Çanakkale 1915 (2012) ve Çanakkale Yolun Sonu
(2013) Türk yapımıdır ve Türk tecrübesini vurgulamaktadir. Dört film de sava-
şın insanlıkdışı özellikleri ile askerler ve ailelerinin acılarını, dolayısıyla ortak
üzüntüyü vurgulamaktadir. Şaşırtıcı olmayan şekilde, vatanseverlik ve kahra-
manlık bahsedilen filmlerdeki öne çıkan duygudur, çünkü Avusturalyalılar için
Çanakkale Savaşı milli kimlik oluşturma sürecinin parçası, Türkler için ise mil-
letlerinin hayatta kalma mücadelesi ve anavatanlarının savunulmasıdır. Dört
filmin diğer ortak noktası Britanya karşıtı yaklaşımdır, öte yandan Avusturalya
yapımı filmlerde diğerlerinden daha fazla savaş-karşıtı unsurlar vardır. The
Water Diviner’da Türk taraftarı bir siyasal yaklaşım vardır, Çanakkale 1915 ise
Türkiye’deki güncel siyasal arenaya hitap eder görünmektedir. İlerideki çalış-
malar konu hakkındaki diğer filmleri de içerebilir ve tamamlayıcı karşılaştırma
yapabilir
Anahtar Kelimeler: Çanakkale Savaşı, Siyaset, Tarih, Film, Avustural-
ya, Türkiye
Introduction mission was to fight the Ottoman Turks. The
The Gallipoli Campaign was an im- campaign turned out to be a failure for the
portant part of World War One. During an Allies and a victory for the Turks. Many aca-
eight-month campaign in 1915, Allied soldiers demic works from different disciplines have
from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, treated the Gallipoli Campaign. However, the
Ireland, France, India and Newfoundland representation of the Gallipoli Campaign in
tried to open up the Dardanelles Strait and film and its connection to politics and history
capture the Ottoman capital, Istanbul. The have thus far not been academically examined
campaign started on April 25, 1915 with the from a comparative perspective. To fill the
landing of ANZAC (Australian and New Zea- literature gap, in this study I focus on Gallipoli
land Army Corps) troops in a small cove on (Lovell, Stigwood and Weir, 1981), The Water
the Gallipoli peninsula. The troops were un- Diviner (translated as Son Umut in Turkish;
der the leadership of British officers, and their Lum, Mason, Rodger and Crowe, 2014), Ça-Films, Politics and History: The Example of the Gallipoli Campaign 483
nakkale 1915 (Gallipoli 1915; Örümcek Yapim lipoli Campaign veteran, reassured the mot-
and Sezgin, 2012) and Çanakkale Yolun Sonu hers of the dead ones. In 1934, he said, ‚You,
(Gallipoli: End of the Road; Aydın, Aydın, Akar, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway
Uzun and Karaman, 2013). countries, wipe away your tears; your sons
Here, brief information about the Gal- are now lying in our bosom and are at peace.
lipoli Campaign is in order. The Gallipoli After having lost their lives on this land, they
Campaign was about patriotism, heroism, have become our sons as well‛ (Uyar, 2016).
comradeship and courage. It was about young Previous works
men who died for their countries. The case of The analysis of the Gallipoli Campa-
the ANZAC at Gallipoli is particularly inte- ign through films has not received significant
resting because World War One did not take treatment. Instead of academic articles, there
place in their homeland or even their hemisp- are more often newspaper articles based on
here. The ANZAC voluntarily joined the war the content and criticisms of the films. There
to support the British Empire, and their parti- are also a few comparative works, such as
cipation is considered to have played a role in those mentioned below, that treat both the
the building of the national identity. For the Australian and Turkish perspectives.
ANZAC, the idea of heroism was mixed with Freebury (1987) focused only on the
a sense of romantic adventure. For the Turks, cult film The Gallipoli (1981) and treated it
the campaign was a matter of survival. The within the nationalist paradigm. She argued
Gallipoli Campaign, known as Çanakkale Sava- that the film has anti-Britishness and that, for
şı, was about the defense of the motherland Australian audiences, it was the proper repre-
against the invaders. sentation of national history. The author also
During the Gallipoli Campaign, the drew attention to the confusion over the gen-
Australians and the Turks -who fought so re, regarding whether Gallipoli was a war
close to each other that at times they were able film or an anti-war film.
to clearly hear and see the other side- paid Yıldız (2017a) focused on a Turkish-
attention to the rules of politeness during war. made film called The Children of Gallipoli
For instance, there were moments of ceasefire (2012) and argued that the film involves hy-
to bury the dead. During these moments, per-empathy syndrome. The film presents
vehicles and staff bearing the Red Cross or both the Turkish and British flags as of equal
Red Crescent sign were safe from bullets. worth, gives the same attention to Turkish
Afterwards, the fighting continued (Reynolds, and British religious songs and takes the same
2007 cited in Karaduman, 2016). Part of this distance from the Turkish and other dead
understanding of the enemy can also be seen soldiers. Hence, the film shows hyper-
in the fact that the ANZAC attributed a name sympathy rather than sympathy, which the
to the Turkish soldiers. They called them author finds wrong. According to Yıldız, the
‚Johnny Turk‛ to show their sympathy film despises the Turkish national resistance
towards them (Murray, 1965 cited in Kara- culture.
duman, 2011). Yıldız (2017b) also made a comparati-
The two nations became friends, par- ve work on The Gallipoli and The Water Divi-
ticularly after the war, and have commemora- ner, stating that attention was paid to subli-
ted their deceased together. In this respect, the minal messages. According to Yıldız, Gallipoli
speech of the founder and president of mo- defends humanism but presents Muslims as
dern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881- primitive and corrupt and Turks as barbaric.
1938), is significant. Atatürk, who was a Gal- Also, Yıldız argues that in The Water Diviner,484
Şebnem Cansun
the invaders are presented as the saviors of and recognition. In July 2018, I accessed all the
Turkish women, whereas Turkish society is films online except for The Water Diviner,
presented as ignorant. Yıldız believes that which I purchased in a store. I watched the
both films ignore the fact that the ANZAC films several times, noting the important po-
came to invade Turkey with a crusader men- ints related to the plot and the portrayal of the
tality. Gallipoli Campaign. Afterwards, I highlighted
Bennett (2014) made a comparative the interesting points, including the differing
work. However, he compared not films with and common points among the films, and
historical content, but new documentaries. He connected the results to political and histori-
focused on two ‚borderless productions‛, cal perspectives.
Wain Fimeri's Revealing Gallipoli and Tolga Results
Örnek’s Gallipoli: The Frontline Experience, each Findings on Gallipoli (1981)
made in 2005 for the campaign’s ninetieth Gallipoli is an Australian-made film
anniversary. The two documentaries explore that depicts the story of rural, young Austra-
the story through experts’ perspectives. They lian men who, mesmerized by the idea of
address the conflict from all sides, focusing on adventure, join the army and go to Gallipoli
the lives of ordinary men in a very humanist to fight the Ottoman Turks in 1915. Archy
way. Hamilton, a stockman and sprinter, is the lead
Lastly, Hillman (2014) drew attention character, whereas his friend, Frank Dunne,
to new/different perspectives on the Gallipoli another sprinter and unemployed ex-railway
Campaign, focusing on both filmic and lite- worker, is the secondary lead. The film also
rary texts. Hillman focused on both the novel depicts the tragic story of Dunne’s ex-
Birds Without Wings (2004) by the British aut- coworkers from the railway, who enlist and
hor Louis de Bernières and the documentary have a tragic experience in Gallipoli. The film
Gallipoli: The Frontline Experience by Turkish audience witnesses the young men’s enlist-
director Tolga Örnek. Hillman compared tho- ment process, as well as their days in the trai-
se texts to Roger McDonald’s novel 1915 ning camps in Cairo and then in Gallipoli as
(1979) and the cult film Gallipoli. Örnek’s work members of the Light Horse Brigade. The film
combines different national viewpoints and ends with Hamilton’s death scene in a freeze-
involves almost ‚a ghostly, supranational oral frame.
history‛. Bernières’ novel presents a historic Gallipoli shows how Australians, who
contextualization of the battle, ‚a strong sense mostly considered the Turks as enemies, did
of the confluence of many Australian and not even know where the fight was taking
Turkish perspectives, rather than Australian place. In one of the early scenes, railway wor-
and British‛. Furthermore, Hillman drew kers learn and think about the war through a
attention to the importance of ‚transnational‛ newspaper. The news involves the victory of
and ‚cross-disciplinary‛ debates. the Turks. Young Australian men identify
Methods themselves with the Allies, call the Turks
Aiming to contribute to the analysis ‚bastards‛ and decide to join the army on the
of the Gallipoli Campaign from the Australian spot. The exception is Dunne, of Irish descent,
and Turkish perspectives, I decided to con- who appears hesitant in the beginning. In the
duct qualitative research based on a descripti- same scene, while one man reads the news
ve film analysis. I chose two Australian films and pronounces ‚Gallipoli‛, another man
(Gallipoli, 1981; The Water Diviner, 2014), and repeats the name of the city using a different
two Turkish films (Çanakkale 1915/Gallipoli intonation, to correct the first man. In addi-
1915, 2012; Çanakkale Yolun Sonu/Gallipoli: End tion, other people in the film say Gallipoli
of the Road, 2013), because of their accessibility consecutively because they hesitate in theirFilms, Politics and History: The Example of the Gallipoli Campaign 485
pronunciation. This issue shows that Austra- letely different viewpoint from the others. He
lians have probably learned about this city does not even know that a war is going on.
only quite recently. Also, newspapers always When Hamilton tells him that he is off to war,
include a map because Australians, who the man asks naive questions such as ‚What
mostly know who their enemies are, do not war?‛ and ‚How did it start?‛ Hamilton is
necessarily know where they are. However, it shocked to encounter someone who has not
is clear that Australians have some unders- heard about the war. Similarly, the camel
tanding of the connection between Gallipoli driver has a hard time understanding why the
and ‚Troy‛. An enlistment call is held during Australians are at war. Hamilton says that the
festivities after a race, where Hamilton and war is against Germany, that he does not
Dunne get to know each other. Army officials know how it started but that it is the Ger-
show up with a big wooden Trojan Horse to mans’ fault, and that Australia is fighting
get people’s attention and no one questions against Turkey because Turkey is Germany’s
why. ally. Hamilton believes that if the Australians
Australians’ general approach do not stop the Germans, they could end up
towards the war is quite positive. The enlist- in Australia. The camel driver says, ‚And
ment call mentioned earlier becomes part of they’re welcome to it‛.
the after-race festivities. The departure of the The Cairo days are like an exotic jo-
army ship to Cairo in July 1915 is almost like a urney in which the film audience sees mostly
party as well. Only a few people seem un- Dunne and his former coworkers from the
happy. War appears to be a means of strengt- railway. The soldiers cheerfully play rugby in
hening national unity, and for the most part, front of the pyramids. They visit a bazaar to
people are enthusiastic about it. Men who are buy local ornaments, clothing and food. They
not old enough to join the army try to fool the also visit cheap brothels. In fact, because it is
army officials so that they can enlist, as if they expected that some of them will visit brothels,
don’t want to miss the experience. For instan- the soldiers receive a lecture on sexually
ce, Hamilton produces a false birth certificate transmitted diseases at the beginning of their
and wears fake facial hair. stay.
Although most people support the At times, the soldiers’ relations with
war, a few are against it or do not even know the locals are abusive. In one scene, Dunne’s
a war is taking place. Dunne is the one who friend, who believes that he has overpaid for
questions the motives behind the war. While an ornament, loots a shop. The soldiers are
Hamilton believes that Dunne must be a not familiar with the bazaar area, and they
coward or aligned with the other side, Dunne enter a shop that they think is the one where
believes that the war is an British conflict that the ornament was purchased. They try to
has nothing to do with the Australians. Dun- convince the shop owner to take back the
ne’s father is against his son’s participation in ornament and return the money. The shop
the war because the British killed his father owner refuses. Dunne damages the shop and
(Dunne’s grandfather). Dunne tells his father gets the money. However, the soldiers have
that he has joined the army not to fight for the entered the wrong shop, and they emerge as
British Empire but to return as an officer. To aggressive tourists.
Dunne, joining the army means finding a job. Furthermore, the soldiers take their
One person in the film -the camel dri- military training lightly. For training purpo-
ver whom Hamilton and Dunne encounter in ses, they are divided into two groups in the
the desert on their way to Perth- has a comp- desert and told to attack each other. It is like a486
Şebnem Cansun
play; for instance, Dunne and Hamilton act as water diviner from North Western Victoria,
though they are dead but cannot stop laug- Australia, who lost his three sons in the Galli-
hing. Meanwhile, the officers checking on the poli Campaign. In 1919, four years after the
training have serious looks. This scene shows war, Connor travels to Turkey to track down
the lack of experience and naivety of the vo- his sons. He tries to find his way using the
lunteering soldiers, as well as the conscious- bloodied diary of his son, which had been
ness of reality among the superiors. passed along to Connor after the war. At the
The Gallipoli days are like a mixture beginning of the film, Connor’s wife, who
of game and bloody reality. The soldiers arri- cannot take the suffering related to the losses
ve at night. The following day, while they of her sons and who accuses Connor of not
happily swim naked and even plunge into a having tracked them down, commits suicide.
sunken ship, they are bombed at sea. Most of Connor aims to bring back his sons’ bodies to
them continue smiling and laughing, particu- Australia and bury them with their mother.
larly at the beginning. Hamilton remarks in a He travels first to Istanbul, then goes to Galli-
letter to his family, ‚Everyone is terribly exci- poli. Hasan, a Turkish Major, tries to help him
ted. There is a feeling [they] are all involved in his search. Connor learns about the deaths
in an adventure somehow larger than life‛. of two of his sons, then finds that his third son
The Australians shoot at the Turks as if the has survived, though too traumatized to re-
war were a game. The film audience hears the turn home. The film shows both the war,
Turkish soldiers talking to the Australians or through flashbacks, and the situation in Tur-
among themselves, which shows how the two key in 1919. Although the main plotline in-
groups fought at a close distance. It is only volves Connor’s search for his sons in Turkey
when the Australian soldiers see the wounded and his flirtation in Istanbul with Ayşe, who
and the cemeteries with crosses, as well as lost her husband in Gallipoli, the film also
when they lose a close friend who asks that depicts what Turkey was going through in
his diary be given to his parents, that they 1919. The Australians’ war is over, but the
start to understand the reality of their situa- Turks’ war continues. The British remain,
tion. The mournful tones of Adagio in G Minor whereas the Greeks have invaded some parts
play in the background, in the scene in which of Turkey. The Turks are trying to organize so
the Australian soldiers arrive in Gallipoli as that they can fight back and defend their co-
well as in other scenes in which the soldiers untry. The film ends with Connor and his son
understand that they are close to death. The returning to Istanbul, where Ayşe implies that
music emphasizes the Australians’ shock and she loves him.
recent consciousness. Some of the soldiers try Both the Australians and the Turks
to find courage through their diaries, letters experience the hardships of war. The dead
and family photos. Others seek courage thro- soldiers on both sides are very young. The
ugh prayer beads. In the end, the Australian Australians and Turks fight very close during
soldiers understand that most of them will the war. Once the war is over, the Turkish
die. Colonel Robinson, the British superior land becomes home not only to the Turks but
officer, asks to ‚push on‛, although the Aust- to all the deceased. The Australian officer says
ralian officer, Major Barton, describes this act that Australia lost more than 10,000 soldiers
as ‚cold-blooded murder‛. The film ends with in Gallipoli and that he does not know where
the shooting of Dunne, which represents the half of them are. The officer asks Major Hasan
deaths of innocent Australian soldiers. for help locating them. Hasan answers that
Findings on The Water Diviner (2014) Turkey lost 70,000 of its people in Gallipoli
The Water Diviner tells the story of and that to him the area is just ‚one big gra-
Joshua Connor, an Australian farmer and ve‛. Both sides grieve for their dead.Films, Politics and History: The Example of the Gallipoli Campaign 487
The film draws attention to the ages The film also depicts the results of the
of the dead soldiers. Connor’s son’s grave -or, war. Although the Turks won the Gallipoli
rather, the cross on it- is marked ‚17 years Campaign, they lost the war. In fact, most of
and 17 days‛. The son died quite young. Ser- the film takes place in the year 1919 rather
geant Cemal, drunk, sings with other soldiers, than 1915; 1919 is the year when the Turks
‚Hey fifteen fifteen‛ (Hey onbeşli onbeşli), a started their War of Independence (May 19,
song referring to the soldiers who participa- 1919 - October 29, 1923) under the guidance of
ted in the Gallipoli Campaign and who, ac- Mustafa Kemal, who later founded Modern
cording to the Muslim calendar, were born in Turkey and was given the surname ‘Atatürk’,
the year 1315. According to the Gregorian father of Turks. When Sergeant Cemal and the
calendar, these soldiers’ year of birth was others sing a song about the war, they also
1899, which makes them the same age as drink to Mustafa Kemal, who has given them
Connor’s son. hope for a victory.
As far as the distance between the Because of the Armistice, in 1919 the
two fighting groups is concerned, the film Gallipoli peninsula is not under the control of
audience learns that the two sides were close the Turks but, rather, of the Allies. In the Im-
to each other. Major Hasan says that on the perial War Graves Unit area in Gallipoli, Ma-
frontlines, the Turkish soldiers were able to jor Hasan and Sergeant Cemal, who are sup-
see the blue eyes of the Australians, and that posed to help the ANZAC investigate a mass
there were so many. Although the two sides burial detail in the area between Kılıçbayır
were enemies in 1915, they are no longer and Kocaçimen, are escorted by Allied soldi-
enemies in 1919. When Connor wants to take ers. This fact humiliates the Turkish soldiers.
his sons’ bodies back to Australia, the Austra- In Istanbul, rallies take place and Turks shout
lian officer tells him that to the dead soldiers, ‚Get out, British‛. Also, scenes portray wo-
Gallipoli is ‚home‛, ‚it is not enemy ground men and children evacuating their villages on
anymore‛. The dead soldiers are ‚among the Aegean because the Greeks set everything
friends, probably the closest they ever had‛. on fire. Other scenes portray the Turks orga-
The film emphasizes the fact that so- nizing to fight the Greeks.
me Turks resent the Australians, who came Beyond the political and military ef-
from so far away to fight them. For instance, fects of war, there is also an emotional effect.
when Ayşe learns that Connor is Australian, Families -and particularly women- are signifi-
she tells him that there is no room in the hotel. cantly affected. Connor’s wife is so traumati-
She connects with him only after learning zed, she asks her husband to read a bedtime
about his losses and pain. Sergeant Cemal also story to his sons, as if the sons were still child-
shows his resentment several times. Cemal ren and still living with them. As mentioned,
thinks that Australia was in the war to benefit she ends up killing herself. Ayşe, who lost her
from it. Calling Connor ‚ambassador‛ (büyü- husband, is depressed and tries to resist her
kelçi), Cemal asks him which part of the Ot- brother-in-law, who insists on taking her as a
toman land Australia took. When Connor second wife. According to Ayşe, Gallipoli is
answers that the issue was not about the land not a regular city anymore; it contains nothing
but that the Australians fought for principle, but ghosts.
Cemal does not look convinced. According to Findings on Gallipoli 1915 (2012)
him, ‚the issue is always about the land‛ (Me- Gallipoli 1915 is a Turkish-made film
sele her zaman topraktır). When people fight that depicts the spirit of resistance and high-
and die, they do so to get something out of it. lights the poor conditions that the Turks expe-488
Şebnem Cansun
rienced, such as a lack of ammunition. There with a white flag, finds the wounded soldier
is no leading role, and the plot is not as detai- and carries him to the Australian line.
led as those of the other films. However, the Gallipoli 1915 shows the sacrifices of
film has the distinction of portraying histori- Turkish women. A small group of educated
cal figures such as Colonel Mustafa Kemal women go to the Istanbul Red Crescent Cen-
and Corporal Sait (1889-1939). It is the only ter to talk to a pasha in charge. Those women
film in which the audience sees Colonel Mus- declare their interest in helping. They cannot
tafa Kemal, who later founded modern Tur- stay where they are, doing nothing while their
key. Kemal gives his famous speech in which sons, brothers and fathers are on the front
he orders the soldiers not to attack but to die, lines and while the number of deaths and
as in the time it will take them to die, other casualties increases. They ask to take classes
forces can assume their places. The other his- that will enable them to become nurses. Ac-
torical figure in this film is Corporal Sait, who cording to the pasha, people might object to
picked up three 275 kg shells for an artillery this, believing it a sin for women to work so
piece without any help. The film ends with closely with men and to touch them when
several soldiers holding the Turkish flag, sig- necessary. However, the women are willing to
nifying the Turks’ victory. The film audience become nurses so long as their efforts help
also learns that ‚After the Second Anafartalar save the motherland. When the pasha promi-
War the British army corps was vanquished. ses to offer nursing training classes and warns
General Hamilton was relieved of his com- them that nursing is almost as difficult as
mand. The Allied power quietly left Çanakka- military service, the women declare that they
le‛. Furthermore, a dedication appears at the will become soldiers as well if they must.
end of the film: This film is dedicated to the Women in Istanbul knit, weave, iron and pre-
martyrs and ghazis defending their native- pare clothing for the soldiers. They also create
land. small packages containing items like soap,
Like the other films in this study, Gal- eau de cologne and figs; these packages will
lipoli 1915 highlights the youth of the soldiers, be passed along to the Turkish soldiers in
the importance with which they regard pra- Gallipoli. The film highlights the connection
yer, and the politeness of war. In the scenes between the protection of the motherland and
showing dead soldier, a famous Turkish folk the protection of women. According to Serge-
song about Gallipoli plays in the background. ant Mehmet Ali, who gives a speech of encou-
The lyrics of this song focus on how young ragement to the soldiers, ‚The homeland is
men lost their lives: ‚In Çanakkale they shot the soldiers’ mothers’ purity‛ (vatan anamızın
me. They buried me before I died, oh, my ırzıdır).
youth, alas!‛ (Çanakkale içinde vurdular beni, Findings on Gallipoli: End of the
Ölmeden mezara koydular beni, off, gençliğim Road (2013)
eyvah!). Soldiers seek courage from God. They This is another Turkish-made film
often say, ‚In the name of Allah, fire‛ (Haydi that shows the spirit of resistance and the
bismillah, ateş) or ‚God is the greatest‛ (Allahu miserable conditions under which the Turks
ekber). They perform the namaz, treat the Al- tried to defend their land. Gallipoli: End of the
lied soldiers as infidels and, most of all, trust Road focuses mostly on two brothers who
in God and in their mothers’ prayers. In addi- participate in the Gallipoli Campaign upon
tion, the film contains scenes indicating the hearing the enlistment call. They fight against
politeness of war. For instance, one scene the ANZAC, which is under the leadership of
depicts a Turkish soldier who hears a Major Steward. Before the war, the younger
moaning Australian soldier among the dead; brother (Hasan) had not even dared hunt a
the Turkish soldier approaches the front line gazelle; therefore, he is quite uncomfortableFilms, Politics and History: The Example of the Gallipoli Campaign 489
on the frontlines. The older brother (Muhsin) The Turkish camp does not consist of
is a war veteran who had participated in the only Muslims. There is a German doctor and
Balkan War (1912-1913) and who volunteers an Ottoman soldier of Greek descent. This
to join the army again. Muhsin becomes a soldier asks to be buried with the Muslims
sniper in the army and does his best so that when he is killed, speaks Turkish with a
his brother can remain away from the risky Greek accent and finishes his sentences with
frontlines. However, when Muhsin and the ‚endaxi?‛- ‚ok‛ in Greek. Towards the end of
Allied sniper, Corporal William Eagle, try to the film, the soldier is shot in the heart. At this
kill each other and get wounded in the pro- point, the film audience learns that his name
cess, Hasan ends up taking Muhsin’s place. is Kostas. The Turks call him ‚brother‛ and
The film’s title comes from a line that Muhsin bury him with the others. They say Muslim
says before blowing himself up in the inva- prayers by the cross that marks his grave.
ders’ arsenal and killing everyone around Throughout the film, the audience
him: ‚The end of the road, Gallipoli. There is sees the religiosity of the Turks as well as of
no further for you‛ (Yolun sonu Gelibolu. Size the Allied soldiers. The Allied soldiers cross
daha ötesi yok). The film ends with the attacks themselves, whereas the Turks show their
of the Turks and with Nurse Behice’s gaze at trust in God through prayers and speeches.
this scene from far away. Behice, who had For instance, Muhsin the sniper asks for for-
flirted with Muhsin, feels both the victory of giveness every time he shoots at the enemy.
the Turks and the death of the two brothers. When another soldier tells him it is not a sin
From the Turkish perspective, the Al- to kill the enemy, Muhsin says he believes it is
lied soldiers fought under better conditions a sin to make the dead ones’ family members
than the Turks did. For instance, in the film, cry. Also, Turkish soldiers attack with ‘Allah
Ibrahim Adil, a Turkish captain, writes a letter Allah’-the name of God in Islam- to give
to a colleague, indicating that the Allied soldi- themselves courage and power.
ers have tents, arms and animals whereas the This film touches upon the discord
Turks have only their faith and their love of within the Allied army. For instance, an Aust-
the country with which to fight. The same ralian soldier afflicted by lice and flies argues
officer argues that the Turks know only the that the British officers have medicine but do
British as the enemy, but at Gallipoli they not pass it along to others. In another scene, a
encounter a unity of black-skinned, yellow- British officer chooses an ANZAC with a
skinned and slant-eyed people. To him, it is German mother to be a spotter for the sniper.
almost like a crusader army. As for the soldi- The British officer selects that particular sol-
ers, the army enlists men born between 1308 dier because of his German mother and beca-
and 1312 according to the Muslim calendar. use the officer trusts that soldier more than he
This makes the soldiers’ years of birth does the others.
between 1892 and 1896 according to the Gre- Discussion and conclusion
gorian calendar. In other words, they are ro- The Gallipoli Campaign is important
ughly 20 years old. However there are also to both the Australians and the Turks. Altho-
older volunteers like Muhsin, who participa- ugh the four films have different plots, they
ted in the Balkan War. One such soldier says all show how innocent and young men on
that he did not see the birth of his daughter both sides, mostly from agrarian origins and
because he was at the frontlines at the time. hit by the political atmosphere of their era,
He adds that the next time he sees her, it will committed themselves to the war and walked
probably be at her wedding. to death for the sake of others. Soldiers fol-490
Şebnem Cansun
lowed the rules of patriotism, courage and accepts it bravely, whereas Eagle, who recei-
comradeship, and when they saw others do ves morphine for his operation but still shows
the same, they became closer to one another. signs of pain, is depicted as the ‚coward Bri-
The main difference among those tish‛ and ‚desperate‛ (Birincioğlu, 2017). In
films is that the Australian films include more Gallipoli 1915, the British are the main enemy.
anti-war elements than the Turkish ones. In The four films treated in this paper
that sense, I agree with Freebury (1987), who have received criticism, particularly of a poli-
discussed the anti-war approach taken by tical nature. For instance, The Water Diviner
Gallipoli. Historically speaking, Australia fe- has been criticized for assuming a pro-Turkish
derated in 1901 but retained its Commonwe- political approach and reading of history. The
alth identification status and sent troops to line of criticism states that the film overlooks
Gallipoli. Australian soldiers lost their lives in several important historical realities (Macnab,
a country that was not even in their hemisp- April 3, 2015). It argues that ‚the displace-
here. Both Gallipoli and The Water Diviner de- ment and murder of millions of ethnic Greeks,
pict Australian soldiers more like ‚victims‛ Assyrians and Armenians, beginning in 1914‛
than ‚invaders‛. This is why I argue that they is missing, which is ‚a shameful and/or obli-
have anti-war elements. The Water Diviner in vious whitewashing of a hugely important
particular tells the story of a family shattered historical crime‛ (Quinn, April 23, 2015). On
by war. The plotline in itself delivers a pacifist the other hand, according to the pro-Turkish
message. On the other hand, the Turkish films approach, what took place during that era
fall within nationalist frameworks. This is was certainly understandable for a country
because whereas the Australians were able to fighting for its survival and the killings were
choose whether they would become soldiers, reciprocal rather than one-sided. Here, I do
the Turks did not have any options; they had not enter the debate over which perspective
to defend their homeland. has better arguments, as such a debate is not
The main common point in the films the subject of this study.
is an anti-British element. I agree with Free- Gallipoli, although considered a clas-
bury (1987), who described the anti-British sic, is criticized for having an anti-British bias
approach of Gallipoli, and I argue that this and for showing too little of the war. For ins-
particular approach exists in the four films. tance, in the portrayal of the Nek clash in the
For instance, in Gallipoli, Colonel Robinson, film, Colonel Robinson orders the attack. A
who has a British accent, emerges as ‚the anti- pro-British political approach and reading of
British personification‛. Although the direc- history argues that in reality it was mostly
tor, Peter Weir, drew attention to the fact that ‘the poor decision-making [of] 3rd Australian
Robinson is not British and is simply an Light Horse Brigade commander Brigadier
example of rigid leadership, many viewers General Frederic Hughes’ that mattered (Chil-
considered him British because he is ‚callous‛ ton, April 25, 2016). On the other hand, the
and ‚chauvinistic‛. Major Barton is fatherly ANZAC point of view was that the Australi-
and friendly with the soldiers, and is contras- ans were let down by the British military es-
ted with the British officers (Haltof, 1993). In tablishment (Australian Government De-
The Water Diviner, the British are the invaders partment of Veterans’ Affairs, 2001). In de-
in Istanbul and the locals hate them. In Galli- fending himself against criticism that he
poli: The End of the Road, in addition to the showed too little of the war, director Weir
general cruelty of the British officers, a cont- cited a Chinese proverb: ‚It’s not the arriving
rast is made between the Turkish sniper Muh- at one’s destination but the journey that mat-
sin and the British sniper Eagle. Muhsin un- ters‛ (Weir, 1981).
dergoes an operation without medicine and Unsurprisingly, the Turkish films ha-Films, Politics and History: The Example of the Gallipoli Campaign 491
ve not had as wide of an audience or as many McDonald also highlighted the fact that when
reviews as the Australian films. Gallipoli 1915 Australian troops were in Cairo, some of them
is criticised for being an awful treatment of ‚terrorised Cairo residents, ransacking brot-
the Ottoman resistance to the Allied landing, hels and assaulting locals‛ (McDonald, 2017).
lacking ‚a proper dramatic focus‛ (The Guar- These points can be considered among those
dian, May 9, 2013). According to Turkish re- that were not emphasized earlier.
viewers, the film is ‚a heroic docudrama‛ In Turkey also, with the Islamic re-
lacking a real plot. The main political criticism surgence, some new readings of the Gallipoli
of this film relates to the presence of chants. Campaign and criticisms of the existent myth
According to some critics, the chants seem to have emerged. For instance, an Islamic interp-
have been particularly placed to align with retation of the Gallipoli Campaign considers
the current political atmosphere in Turkey Turks who fought at Gallipoli as defenders of
(Habertürk Kültür Sanat, October 17, 2012). Islam rather than as defenders of Ottoman
The AKP (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, Party of Turkey. According to this approach, the Gal-
Justice and Development), a conservative lipoli Campaign was an example not of a na-
democratic party that has a religious inspira- tional war but of a Huntingtonian clash of
tion, has ruled over Turkey since 2002 thro- civilizations, and during the war, ‚saints,
ugh a single-party government. Hence, a con- angels and other holy beings‛ helped the
nection might exist between the chants in the Turks. Furthermore, this approach questions
film and the current Turkish political climate. Atatürk’s place in the war, which for years
The Turkish-made films can also be has been highly exalted by the official/secular
criticized from pacifist and feminist perspec- perspective. It argues that he was ‚a minor
tives. Ottoman Turks fought for survival. figure, merely a divisional commander and
Hence, the Turkish-made films highlight a moreover a commander who made serious
militaristic approach. Within this framework, mistakes which had allegedly been covered
the films depict men as warriors and protec- up ever since‛ (Uyar, 2016). These criticisms
tors of their land. Women are depicted as demonstrate how a different political appro-
carriers of the community, with secondary ach sees a different political and historical
roles (Birincioğlu, 2017). This criticism could reality.
also be made not only of the Australian films This study analyses four films about
but of most war films in general. Feminist the Gallipoli Campaign, showing their simila-
scholars argue that history is treated mostly as rities and differences as well as their connecti-
his story and that her story is often overlooked. ons to politics and history. Although it is the
I will not go into detail about this perspective most comprehensive work on this subject in
because it is not the main topic of this paper. the literature so far, it has the limitation of not
Finally, I would like to provide covering all the films about the Gallipoli
examples of criticism about not the Gallipoli Campaign. A future work could include other
Campaign films but about the reading of the films about the subject and make a comple-
Campaign itself. McDonald argued that the mentary comparison.
Gallipoli myth in Australia excludes native Acknowledgement
Australians, women and New Zealander sol- I would like to thank Nuray Ocaklı
diers, that it emphasizes the sacrifices of only for her support.
white men and that it celebrates militarism by
exalting ‚participation in armed conflict as the
ultimate demonstration of citizenship‛.492
Şebnem Cansun
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Citation Information/Kaynakça Bilgisi
Cansun, Ş. (2019). Films, Politics and History: The Example of the Gallipoli Campaign, Jass Stu-
dies-The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies, Doi num-
ber:http://dx.doi.org/10.9761/JASSS7984, Number: 74 Spring 2019, p. 481-493.494
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