Delayed in the Desert: The Gaza Stalemate and Beersheba Breakthrough
In 1917, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George ordered the Egyptian Expeditionary Force to capture Jerusalem by Christmas. This was, arguably, a diversion from the main focus of the war on the western front. He believed this would be a good 'Christmas Present' for the British people.
However, the route to Jerusalem was across the Sinai desert and blocked by the Ottoman defences at Gaza and Beersheba. The eventual Allied victory at the Battle of Beersheba, was a grave setback for the Ottoman Empire and led to the eventual defeat of the Central Powers in what was then Palestine.
This is the first part of two back to back presentations.
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