Battle of Muş

1916 battle between the Russian and Ottoman Empires

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Battle of Muş

Part of the Caucasus campaign of World War I

Map of military operations on the Caucasus campaign in 1914–1916 by Andrei Zayonchkovski
| Date| 3 August 1916 – 24 August 1916

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Location|

Muş, Ottoman Empire

Result|  Russian victory[NB 1]
Territorial
changes|  Russian recapture of Muş and Bitlis
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire|

Russian Empire

* Armenian volunteer units[1]

Commanders and leaders
Ahmed Izzet Pasha
Mustafa Kemal Pasha
Faik Pasha|  Nikolai Istomin
Nikolai Yudenich
Tovmas Nazarbekian[10]
Units involved
Second Army
Kurdish Tribesmen|  Russian Caucasus Army
Armenian Fedayi
Strength
81,000[11]–120,000[12] men|  50,000 men
Casualties and losses
56,000[12]–60,000 killed, wounded or captured[13][11]|  20,000 killed, wounded and captured[citation needed]

* v
* t
* e

Caucasus campaign

* Bergmann Offensive
* Sarikamish
* Ardahan
* Van
* Manzikert
* Kara Killisse
* Erzurum
* Koprukoy
* 1st Trebizond
* 1st Bitlis
* Muş
* Çapakçur
* Erzincan
* 2nd Trebizond
* Choloki
* German expedition
* Sardarabad
* Abaran
* Karakilisa
* Mastara
* Goychay
* Aghsu
* Kurdamir
* Binagadi
* Baku
* Dagestan

* * *

Associated articles

* Dunsterforce
* Norperforce

The Battle of Muş, also known as the Ognot campaign, took place during World War I in the southeastern Anatolian region of the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey), between forces of the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire. One of the commanders involved in the battle was Mustafa Kemal, who later became known as Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.[14] The battle resulted in a Russian victory. After about three weeks of fighting, the Russians captured the city of Muş.[15] The Ottoman Second Army suffered heavy casualties and was nearly destroyed.[3]

## Battle

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Following major Russian victories in the northern theater, as well as the Russian capture of Bitlis in the south, the Ottoman forces faced significant setbacks. The Ottomans were forced to redeploy troops, including veterans from the successful defense of Gallipoli against Russia's Western allies.

On 3 August, with a significant manpower advantage of 2.5 to 1, the Ottomans launched a general offensive against Russian forces along the entire front. After heavy fighting, the Russians abandoned Muş by 8 August. Ultimately, however, the 1st Russian Division managed to turn the tide and decisively defeat four Ottoman divisions. Due to the remote location, the initial phase of the battle presented logistical challenges for the Russians, who in some areas faced Ottoman forces which outnumbered them as much as 4 to 1.[16]

Through fierce resistance, as well as the effective deployment of new mobile artillery, the Russians inflicted significant casualties on the Ottomans.[17] Seizing the opportunity, Russian General Nikolai Yudnich launched a counteroffensive against Ottoman force across the entire front.[18]

The Russians recaptured Muş on 23 August. Ottoman General Faik Pasha was reportedly killed during the battle.[3] Some sources place General Pasha's death on 24 August or 25 August. However, other sources claim that he died after the battle, on 30 August.[19]

## Aftermath

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The Ottomans' defeat in the Battle of Muş solidified Russia's military dominance. In the aftermath, the Ottoman Second Army suffered heavy losses at the hands of Russian artillery, and it was eventually reduced to the size of a corps.[3]

## References

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1. ^ Kreiser, Klaus (2014). Atatürk: eine Biographie (in German). Beck. ISBN 978-3-406-66594-3. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023.
2. ^ Jaques 2006.
3. ^ a b c d Oleynikov 2016, p. 177.
4. ^ Gerald 1992, p. 268.
5. ^ Tucker 2002, pp. 180–181.
6. ^ The International Military Digest Annual: A Review of the Current Literature of Military Science for 1915. New York City: The International Military Digest. 1916. p. 224. "Noteworthy in this theater is the Russian success in recapturing Mush and Bitlis (Aug 25), which the Turks had won earlier in the month."
7. ^ Zayonchkovski 2002, p. 583.
8. ^ Reynolds 2011, p. 136.
9. ^ Kernosovsky 1938, pp. 554–555.
10. ^ Monnier, Fabrice (9 April 2015). Atatürk. La naissance de la Turquie moderne: Naissance de la turquie moderne (in French). CNRS Editions. ISBN 978-2-271-08615-0. "Le 2 août, le 16e corps de Mustafa Kemal, appuyé par des irréguliers kurdes, attaque à nouveau Muş et Bitlis. Menacé d'encerclement, le général russe Tovmas Nazarbekov évacue Bitlis le 5 août puis, quelques jours plus tard, Muş."
11. ^ a b Oleynikov 2016, p. 259.
12. ^ a b Kernosovsky 1938, p. 554.
13. ^ Алексей Олейников. Огнотская операция Кавказской армии — триумф русской гаубичной артиллерии, июль-август 1916 г.
14. ^ Erickson, Edward J. (20 August 2013). Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-0458-7.
15. ^ Encyclopedia Americana. Vol. 29. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier. 2000. p. 300. ISBN 0-7172-0133-3. In any case, Yudenich was able to recapture Muş and Bitlis on August 24
16. ^ Алексей Олейников. Огнотская операция Кавказской армии — триумф русской гаубичной артиллерии, июль-август 1916 г. // Битва гвардий. Дата обращения: 6 августа 2020
17. ^ Allen W. E. D., Muratoff P. P. Caucasian Battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turco-Caucasian Border. 1828—1921 (англ.). — Cambridge: CUP, 1953. — 614 p. — ISBN 978-1-108-01335-2.
18. ^ Айрапетов О. Р. Участие Российской империи в Первой мировой войне (1914—1917): Серия из 4 книг. — М.: Кучково поле, 2014—2016
19. ^ Sunguroğlu, İshak. Harput Yollarında , Vol. 1, p. 177: II.nci Kolordu kumandanı Faik Paşa, 30 Ağustosta vazife başında şehit düştü, cenazesi Elâziz'e getirilerek merasimle defnedildi [The commander of the II Corps, Faik Pasha, was martyred in the line of duty on 30 August. His body was brought to Elaziz and buried with a ceremony].

1. ^ [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

### Notes

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## Literature

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* Tucker, Spencer (2002). The Great War 1914-1918. UCL Press. ISBN 1-85728-390-2.
* Reynolds, Michel (2011). Shattering empires : the clash and collapse of the Ottoman and Russian empires, 1908-1918. Cambridge university press. ISBN 978-0-521-19553-9.
* Kernosovsky, Anton (1938). "Борьба на Кавказе" [Struggle in Caucasus]. История русской армии [History of the Russian army] (PDF).
* Oleynikov, Alexei (2016). Россия-щит Антанты [Russia-Shield of Entente]. Foreword by Nikolai Starikov. St.Petersburg: Piter. ISBN 978-5-496-01795-4.
* Allen W. E. D., Muratoff P. P. Caucasian Battlefields: A History of the Wars on the Turco-Caucasian Border. 1828—1921 (англ.). — Cambridge: CUP, 1953. — 614 p. — ISBN 978-1-108-01335-2
* Zayonchkovski, Andrey (2002) [1929]. Первая Мировая Война [The First World War]. St.Petersburg: Poligon. ISBN 5-89173-174-6.
* Jaques, Tony (2006). Dictionary of Battles. Volume 1; "While Russian General Nikolai Yudenich seized Erzincan, Ahmet Izzet Pasha's Second Army advanced against the Russian left flank, where his corps cammder Mustafa Kemal seized Bitlis and Muş. Yudenich counter-attacked and, after prolonged combat west of Lake Van, he retook Bitlis and the Turks abandoned Muş before winter ended the fighting". Greenwood Press.
* Gerald, Herman (1992). The Pivotal Conflict: A Comprehensive Chronology of the First World War, 1914-1919. Westport: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-22793-4.

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