Reincarnated as Nikolai II

But what about Russia? Having almost taken Poland already, they're physically closer to Berlin compared to the Western Front and seem to have sufficient strength.

Then how should they make Russia occupy Berlin?

Aristide Briand, former Prime Minister and current Justice Minister of the French coalition government, focused on one single fact.

"For the Russian Empire to maintain forces beyond 3 million to 5 million, advancing to 10 million, the Black Sea must absolutely be opened."

Based on this argument, Briand advocated opening the Ottoman front to Britain since October, but Britain, still focused only on organizing the BEF and controlling colonies, wouldn't listen.

In November, Briand went to London personally and tried to persuade Britain even with bribes, but failed again.

Rather, Britain still believed they could bring the Ottoman Empire to their side despite having confiscated their ships.

Everyone confirmed the Russian Imperial Army's strength yet wouldn't use it.

Then. Only one person lent an ear to Briand's voice.

"Ottoman soldiers aren't even regular army. Their coastal artillery is rusted and they're a ragtag bunch, we could occupy their capital within a month."

It was Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, who had the exact same thoughts.

However, it was impossible for just two people to change the direction of the Anglo-French forces.

The trauma of nearly losing Paris was too powerful, making both countries focus only on strengthening their Western Front forces.

Then. The Ottoman Empire caused one incident.

The Suez Canal attack.

What the Ottomans touched was the canal, but what Britain almost lost was the Commonwealth, Southeast Asia, Chinese concessions, and India.

At once, Kitchener, who had been solely handling BEF organization, began organizing army forces for the Mediterranean and the Royal Navy started gathering.

Already since January, the Russian-Romanian allied forces had finished preparations to strike Constantinople through Bulgarian territory.

Their Black Sea fleet was on constant standby, ready to land even on steep cliffs.

Unlike the Western Front beginning to stagnate in the age of trenches, this was a fluid theater.

Just go fire some naval guns, land troops and push straight up to Constantinople.

And on the grand operation day.

The Anglo-French forces entered the Dardanelles Strait as if just collecting a victory trophy.

Though the strait itself had well-constructed defensive fortresses on both sides, the Royal Navy started with magnificent bombardment but.

"There's no response."

"Did they all run away, or can they just not use their coastal artillery?"

The enemy showed little reaction.

With no enemy response, the Anglo-French forces advanced further inside from the 3.7km strait entrance.

Further in, deeper in.

Very deep.

They sailed slowly.

And finally, when they reached the narrowest point where the strait was one mile, about 1.6km wide.

BOOM-

"Mines! There are mines underwater!"

"Where are the minesweepers! Put them in front!"

"Ah, we didn't bring minesweepers because we hadn't heard about mines!"

The French battleship Bouvet capsized from hitting a mine.

Simultaneously, coastal guns considered trash compared to modern ones due to their short range, opened fire from both sides of the strait.

"You've come looking for death!"

"You dare enter with just aerial reconnaissance?"

The Ottoman Empire has no navy.

Well, they do, but not at a level to face the enemy in terms of combat power.

In other words, the Ottoman forces didn't envision using this strait from the start.

What does this mean?

"These madmen seem to have laid mines indiscriminately!"

"At this level, they can't even send out a single fishing boat beyond the strait!"

It means they blocked even their own way out to sea.

A truly no-retreat operation.

However, the results were extremely effective.

Because a third of the Anglo-French naval forces committed to this single operation disappeared.

Anzac Cove occupation? Gallipoli landing? They fled without even attempting.

With the enemy firing coastal guns from both sides, it's impossible to deploy divers to remove and recover mines.

Insufficient reconnaissance.
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Wrong enemy intelligence.

Poor terrain knowledge.

Wrong radio information interception.

In short, they were defeated due to arrogance.

No room for excuses. They were defeated from an overwhelming advantage and fled with their tails between their legs like scared dogs.

Still, the Anglo-French forces didn't learn nothing.

"Complete passage through the strait is impossible!"

"Going deeper would only mean facing the 6.4km Ottoman coastal wall and guns!"

"So instead of entering the strait, we need to take one side first."

"The Gallipoli peninsula seems right with fewer steep cliffs and more beaches."

That is, abandoning thoughts of passing through the strait to bombard Constantinople and focusing on amphibious operations first.

To fully commit to amphibious operations, naturally many army troops are needed.

General Ian Hamilton's Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF).

Australian Imperial Force (AIF) trained in French training camps and New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF). Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC).

Plus the French Oriental Expeditionary Corps (OEC).

Unable to pull forces stuck in Western Front trenches after one setback, the Anglo-French forces gathered all other surplus forces to prepare for amphibious operations.

After about a month of reorganization.

They headed again toward the Dardanelles Strait, no - more precisely toward the Gallipoli peninsula controlling one side of that strait.

At the same time, Minister Kitchener, who had sailed around to the Norwegian Sea, arrived in St. Petersburg.

Though not commanding the front lines directly, he essentially oversaw everything from the rear, practically Britain's equivalent to Kuropatkin.

"We are grateful for your taking the risk to visit personally."

"Though we call it negotiations, we're allies anyway. The U-boat threat was nothing."

Herbert Kitchener, arriving just as the White Sea thawed.

From the fact that someone who organized armies based on cabinet decisions came personally, he clearly came with full authority to conclude negotiations at once.

However, unfortunately, before Kitchener and Kokovtsov could begin proper negotiations about the war.

"General Kitchener, Lone Pine sector is isolated. The ANZAC Corps is in real-time danger. Also, forces can't advance past enemy resistance after landing on seven beaches."

"Prime Minister, the forces the Ottomans prepared at Gallipoli are no joke. Currently, the Gallipoli occupation has failed."

News of the Gallipoli occupation's failure reached both men's ears at the perfect timing.

Though not even arrived at the capital yet, Kitchener felt that news from Gallipoli foretold the negotiations' future.

To such General Kitchener, Kokovtsov said:

"Since time is short, I'd like to hear your conditions first."

Kokovtsov had no intention of waiting just because they were allies.