As Donald Trump and Iran maintain a tense standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, with a fragile ceasefire in place, a historical parallel from over a century ago offers a stark warning. The closure of this vital waterway mirrors the Dardanelles campaign of 1915, where a determined defender using mines and coastal artillery thwarted the world's two largest navies.
The Strait of Hormuz Standoff
Why has no decisive action been taken to reopen the Strait of Hormuz? The answer lies in the near-impossibility of clearing a minefield when the shoreline is held by the enemy, without accepting significant casualties. This, it appears, the United States is unwilling to do. Bombing a technologically inferior foe from the air is one thing, but engaging in a close-quarters naval battle against an adversary well-prepared for asymmetric warfare is another. History provides a sobering lesson.
The Dardanelles Disaster of 1915
In March 1915, the Dardanelles—the narrow strait linking the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and providing access to Istanbul—was closed by Turkish forces. The British and French, engaged in World War I, decided to force the passage. They assembled a formidable fleet: 14 capital ships (battleships and battlecruisers), supported by escorts and a large minesweeping force.
The plan was methodical. Capital ships would bombard shore defences from safe waters. Once silenced, minesweepers would clear a path, allowing the ships to advance and repeat the process. This progressive clearing aimed to reopen the strait.
On 18 March 1915, the operation began. The first line, comprising HMS Queen Elizabeth, Agamemnon, Lord Nelson, and Inflexible, opened fire at 11am. By 12:20pm, French ships of the second line—Gaulois, Charlemagne, Bouvet, and Suffren—advanced. By 1:45pm, shore battery fire had slackened, and minesweepers were deployed. The third line of six British ships moved forward.
But at 2pm, disaster struck. FS Bouvet hit a mine, capsizing and sinking within minutes. Only 75 of her 718 crew survived. HMS Irresistible struck two mines, losing all power and being abandoned; over 600 men were rescued. HMS Inflexible hit a mine, suffering a massive hole, but managed to beach and later be towed for repairs. At 5:50pm, Vice-Admiral John de Robeck ordered a general withdrawal. Minutes later, HMS Ocean struck a mine and was abandoned. Both Irresistible and Ocean sank.
Within four hours, three of 14 capital ships were sunk, one crippled. The attempt to force the straits by naval power alone was abandoned and never repeated.
Lessons for Today
The focus then shifted to a ground campaign, which also failed. A relatively weak opponent, using asymmetric tactics and mines, defeated the combined might of the British and French navies. The lesson for President Trump is clear: without a willingness to accept heavy casualties, forcing a mined strait defended from shore is a perilous endeavour. History warns that such operations can end in catastrophic failure.
