Erzurum Offensive

Overview

The Erzurum offensive or Battle of Erzurum was a major winter offensive by the Imperial Russian Army on the Caucasus Campaign, during the First World War that led to the capture of the strategic city of Erzurum. The Turkish forces, in winter quarters, suffered a series of unexpected reverses, which led to a Russian victory.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Erzurum Offensive was a major Russian operation in the Caucasus Campaign that resulted in the capture of the strategically important city of Erzurum. Commanded by Nikolai Yudenich, the Russian force of approximately 120,000 inflicted severe losses on Abdul Kerim Pasha's Ottoman army of 80,000, with Ottoman casualties reaching roughly 66,000 against Russian losses of around 2,339. The offensive demonstrated the vulnerability of Ottoman forces caught in winter quarters and unprepared for a large-scale winter attack. The fall of Erzurum represented a significant territorial and symbolic blow to the Ottoman position in the Caucasus, delivering the Russians a commanding foothold in eastern Anatolia and compounding a series of reversals that undermined Ottoman operational cohesion on that front.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)