Empire Episode 297: Gaza in WW1 – A Rematch For Gallipoli (Part 7)

Date: October 8, 2025
Hosts: William Dalrymple & Anita Anand
Guest: Eugene Rogan (author of The Arabs and The Fall of the Ottomans)

Overview

In this episode, William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, joined by historian Eugene Rogan, delve into the tumultuous years of World War I in the Middle East. They focus on the decline of the Ottoman Empire, the complex series of promises and betrayals made by the British, and the critical battles fought over Gaza—a turning point that echoed the earlier catastrophe of Gallipoli. The episode explores the local and imperial perspectives, military blunders, and how these events set the stage for both the end of Ottoman rule and the geopolitical realities that followed, including the issuance of the Balfour Declaration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: The Ottoman Empire & the Coming of War

• [01:51] Eugene Rogan:

  • For Arabs, WWI brings the collapse of a four-century-old state and the rise of national identities, guided and manipulated by European imperial interests.
  • “The First World War is the great transformative moment that takes us from the old world of the 19th century and propels us forward to what would be the nation state realities of the 20th.”

• Lack of Awareness:

  • Ottomans entered WWI due to external pressures, notably Russian threats and British actions (e.g., the seizure of an Ottoman warship), which pushed Turkey into the war almost accidentally.
  • The Arab population had no say and resented both the war and conscription ([03:01] Rogan).

British Imperial Promises & Sykes-Picot

• [03:57] Anita Anand & Eugene Rogan:
  • British make contradictory promises: to the French (Sykes–Picot, 1916), Sharif of Mecca (Arab revolt), and Zionist movement (Balfour Declaration).
  • These deals sow the seeds for future conflict: “These fissures and these deals that are being made at the same time to three different parties are never going to end.” – Anita Anand [04:46]
  • “They didn’t even think of the Middle East as a region in its own right. They were really concerned that should they come out of the First World War victorious, they wouldn’t then fall out among themselves over imperial claims to Ottoman territory.” – Eugene Rogan [05:18]

The Sinai-Gaza Front: Strategic and Logistical Trials

• [06:36] Eugene Rogan:

  • Palestine, especially Gaza and Beersheba, becomes strategic because of its proximity to Egypt and the Suez Canal. Ottomans make two failed attempts to threaten British control of the canal.

• Jihad as a German and Ottoman Tactic:

  • Germans encourage the Ottomans to frame the war as a jihad, hoping to incite uprisings in British and French colonies ([07:49]).

Local Attitudes and Suffering

• Perceptions of British and Ottoman Rule:

  • Most Arabs were loyal to the Ottoman order and feared British rule, evidenced by local diaries showing uncertainty rather than excitement about British occupation ([09:40] Rogan).

• Ottoman Repression:

  • Brutal retribution discouraged Arab nationalist sentiment, such as Cemal Pasha's execution of nationalists ([10:31]).

• Knowledge of Armenian Genocide:

  • Awareness filters in late as Armenian refugees arrive in Syria and Palestine ([11:40]).

The British Campaigns on Gaza

Logistical Feats

• [13:07] Rogan:
  • British advance hampered by arid terrain—progress tied to the construction of a water pipeline and railway toward Gaza, harassed by Ottoman attacks.

Composition of Armies

• [13:55] Dalrymple & [14:13] Rogan:
  • British forces include significant numbers of Indian and ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand) troops, as well as camel corps.

The First Battle of Gaza (March 1917)

• [16:31] Rogan:

  • General Murray, experienced but inflexible, delays the attack due to fog; late start, confusion, and lack of water for horses lead to withdrawal under fire—turning near-victory into defeat.

  “The commanders did not know and feared that having started late, they hadn’t gotten far enough. And they called the troops back. ... The British army suffered terribly, turning the first battle of Gaza from the brink of victory to the despair of defeat.” – Eugene Rogan [17:00]

The Second Battle of Gaza (April 1917)

• [18:54] Rogan:

  • Murray exaggerates success, leading the high command to order another assault—this time with gas shells and tanks (first use in the Middle East).
  • Ottomans drop leaflets mocking British claims of victory ([20:17]).

  “He lines his troops up and does a frontal assault on Gaza ... The British hoped that between gas warfare and eight fearsome modern tanks, they would be able to overwhelm Ottoman lines. ... But as the tanks blew up, it raised the morale of the Turkish soldiers and defeated the morale of the British soldiers.” – Eugene Rogan [22:00, 22:44]

  • Catastrophe for the British—high casualties, tanks destroyed, exposed troops massacred.
    • 6,500 British killed, ~2,000 Ottomans killed ([23:57]).

Transition & New Leadership

• [24:34] Anand:
  • After two failures, General Murray is replaced by General Allenby.

General Allenby’s Transformative Tactics

• [27:22] Rogan:

  • Allenby: a ‘trickster’ general, expert in ruses and misdirection rather than Murray’s conventional tactics.

  “If I were to distinguish Allenby from Murray, it’s the conventional Murray who believed in the frontal assault, is replaced by Allenby the trickster. He was constantly using ruse and subterfuge to fool the Ottomans on British intentions and achieve success where all of his predecessors had failed.” – Eugene Rogan [27:22]

• [28:37] Anand & [28:40] Rogan:

  • Prime Minister Lloyd George wants Jerusalem captured “by Christmas”—to boost morale at home after years of stagnant trench warfare.

The Third Battle: The Outflanking of Gaza & The Charge at Beersheba

• [29:31] Rogan:

  • Allenby feigns a frontal attack while secretly maneuvering British and ANZAC cavalry east to Beersheba, where Turkish defenses are lighter.
  • Uses deception: a British officer leaves fake war plans to trick the Ottomans ([30:48]), and troop movements are disguised at night.

• Beersheba Cavalry Charge:

  • 800 Australian horsemen execute a dramatic charge, break Ottoman lines, and secure the wells before Ottomans can destroy them ([33:36–35:11]).

  “It’s one of the most romantic moments of the first World War in the Middle East ... you have a mass of about 800 horse bound cavalry... Gallop over the Ottoman lines, dismount to begin to engage in hand to hand combat.” – Eugene Rogan [33:36, 34:03]

The Fall of Gaza

• [35:54] Rogan:

  • The victory at Beersheba outflanks Gaza, leading to British artillery and naval bombardment that devastates the city—Ottomans evacuate civilians and retreat.
  • Gaza becomes “a destroyed cityscape ... untenable,” and is captured by Allenby’s forces ([36:54–37:11]).

• [37:51] Dalrymple:

  • The city is utterly gutted, comparable to the ruins seen in France and Belgium. Old prewar photos contrast with the devastation of 1917.

The Capture of Jerusalem

• [38:39] Rogan:

  • The Ottomans withdraw without fighting for Jerusalem, leaving city notables to accept the British. This draws the war line north, with Ottomans holding areas around Acre, Haifa, and Tiberias.

• [39:00] Anand & [39:46] Rogan:

  • Allenby enters Jerusalem ceremonially on foot, a carefully crafted moment for newsreel, accepting the city in humility—a scene still available on film today.
  • “He and his advisors really sat down to do the spin.”

The Balfour Declaration: A Turning Point

• [40:22] Dalrymple & [41:12] Rogan:

  • On November 2, 1917, just after the capture of Gaza, the British issue the Balfour Declaration, supporting a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
  • For the British, it’s a strategic play to solidify their claim to Palestine; for Zionists, a dream turns into tangible international backing.

  “For the British Empire, this is harkening back to our earlier conversation about Palmerston’s age, this attempt to try and harness the Zionist movement to the benefit of the British Empire ... For Zionism, it was yet more momentous. ... Now they had the backing of the greatest imperial power of the age.” – Eugene Rogan [41:12]

Lead-Up to the Mandate and the Future

• Eugene Rogan will return for the final episode in this miniseries, covering the end of the British Mandate, the birth of Israel, and Nakba.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On entering the war:

  “No country going to war ever does. ... Were they to lose the war, they would lose control over their land, their lives, their territory.” – Eugene Rogan [03:01]

• On British promises:

  “The British promised the Middle East to three different parties during the war.” – Anita Anand [04:46]

• On the impact of defeat:

  “The response was muted, but the future was in question. And I think people were nervous.” – Eugene Rogan [10:56]

• On the double defeat at Gaza:

  “...the second battle of Gaza, an even worse catastrophe and adding to a record of defeat at the hands of the Ottomans that starts in Gallipoli, continues in Mesopotamia and ... now in the second battle of Gaza, they’ve lost twice at the gates of Gaza.” – Eugene Rogan [23:44]

• On Allenby:

  “...he was constantly using ruse and subterfuge ... and when it came to taking the gates of Gaza, his methods would prove entirely successful.” – Eugene Rogan [27:22]

• On the Balfour Declaration:

  “Now they had the backing of the greatest imperial power of the age. And suddenly the unrealistic idea of Zionism suddenly became a political movement with legs. And that was going to transform Palestine, the Middle East, the world.” – Eugene Rogan [41:12]

Important Timestamps

• [01:51] – Eugene Rogan describes the Ottoman collapse and rise of Arab nationalisms
• [03:57–06:12] – Breakdown of British and Allied diplomatic dealings (Sykes–Picot, Balfour, Arab promises)
• [07:49–09:07] – German and Ottoman "jihad" strategies, and local Arab responses
• [13:07] – British logistical preparations: rail and pipelines toward Gaza
• [16:31–18:13] – The First and Second Battles of Gaza: military disaster for the British
• [22:00–23:58] – The failed British use of gas and tanks; high casualties
• [27:22] – Introduction and “trickster” strategy of General Allenby
• [29:31–35:11] – The outflanking of Gaza, cavalry charge at Beersheba
• [35:54–37:11] – Gaza’s evacuation, bombardment, and capture
• [38:39–39:00] – Ottomans evacuate Jerusalem, Allenby’s symbolic entry
• [40:22–41:12] – Balfour Declaration announced
• [41:12–end] – Immediate and long-term consequences of the British entry and the Balfour Declaration

Conclusion

This episode paints a vivid and often tragic picture of the struggle for Gaza and Palestine during WWI—a theater of war shaped by imperial ambition, logistical innovation, and brutal human cost. We witness the failures and lessons learned at Gallipoli echo into Gaza, the rise of new military tactics under Allenby, and see how the wartime scramble and competing promises would ignite the region for decades to come. The political and military climax is sharply punctuated by the issuance of the Balfour Declaration, setting the course for modern Middle Eastern history.