Mr. Churchill then turned to the Dardanelles. "The enterprise was
framed entirely by expert and technical minds." It was "a legitimate war gamble" for great stakes. Russia had asked for some action to be taken to relieve the pressure in the Caucasus. In November, 1914, he offered Lord Kitchener transports for forty ,thousand troops to attack Gallipoli, but no army was available, and he gathered that if one had been it would not have been used for that purpose. The naval bombardment without military help was approved by expert opinion on the spot and at home. Lord Fisher did not offer any criticism, " if Lord Fisher had disapproved at the War Council the operations would never have been begun. . . I did not receive from the First Sea Lord either the clear guidance before the event or the firm support after the event to which 1 was entitled."
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