The British were defending India.  The Germans, unable to attack the British Empire by sea, were hoping to attack her by land.  They had already attempted to stir up a Holy War with the full expectation that it would lead to an Indian revolution.  In this they had failed, for the millions of Mohammedans in India cared little for the Turkish Sultan or his proclamations.  Through Bagdad, however, they hoped to strike a blow at the English influence on the Persian Gulf.  The English, therefore, felt strongly that it was not enough to sit safely astride the Tigris, but that a blow at Bagdad would produce a tremendous political effect.  It would practically prevent German communication with Persia, and the Indian frontier.

As a matter of fact the Persian Gulf and the oil fields were safe so long as the English held Kurna and Basra, and the Arabs were of no special consequence.  The real reason for the expedition was probably that about this time matters were moving badly for the Allies.  Serbia was in trouble in the Balkans, Gallipoli was a failure, something it seemed ought to be done to restore the British prestige.  Up to this time the Mesopotamia Expedition had been a great success, but it had made no great impression on the world.  The little villages in the hands of the British had unknown names, but if Bagdad should be captured Great Britain would have something to boast of; something would keep up its prestige among its Mohammedan subjects.

Before the expedition to Bagdad was determined on, there had been several lively fights between the English forces and the Turks.  On March 3d a Turkish force numbering about twelve thousand appeared at Ahwaz where the British had placed a small garrison to protect the pipe line of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.  The British retirement led to heavy fighting, with severe losses.

A number of lively skirmishes followed, and then the serious attack against Shaiba.  The Turkish army numbered about eighteen thousand men, of whom eleven thousand were regulars.  The fighting lasted for several days, the Turks being reinforced.  On the 14th of April, however, the English attacked in turn and put the whole enemy force to flight.  The British lost about seven hundred officers and men, reported a Turkish loss of about six thousand.  In their retreat the Turks were attacked by their Arab allies, and suffered additional losses.  From that time till summer there were no serious contests, although there were occasional skirmishes which turned out favorably to the British.

By this time the Turks had collected a considerable army north of Kurna, and on May 31st an expedition was made to disperse it.  On June 3d the British captured Amara, seventy-five miles above Kurna, scattering the Turkish army.  Early in July a similar expedition was sent against Nasiriyeh, which led to serious fighting, the Turks being badly defeated with a loss of over two thousand five hundred men.