ABSTRACT
The War Council had always anticipated that the naval attack on the Dardanelles would, if successful, produce tremendous reactions in the Near East. The effect of the preliminary attack which resulted in the fall of the Outer Forts, exceeded anticipations. On March 3rd, when the War Council met to review the situation, the prospects of the grand strategy of uniting the Balkan States, which had for the last few weeks sunk into the background, again came to the front. The War Council opened up in a preliminary way the question of what attitude should be adopted if, as Grey anticipated, Russia should prefer a demand for the acquisition of Constantinople and the Straits. The Council then passed to the battle of Neuve Chapelle which had been fought since the last meeting. There were possibilities of trouble, for the attack had been organized without the Council having any knowledge of it, and opinion was sceptical about attacks on the Western Front.
