The Mediterranean port that nearly reshaped the map of World War I
In short: In 1915, British planners eyed this Turkish coastal city as a vital gateway to India. A single strategic decision regarding its conquest could have fundamentally altered the fate of the Ottoman Empire and the trajectory of the Great War.
İskenderun, historically known as Alexandretta, sits on an alluvial plain along the Mediterranean coast. Its strategic value stems from its proximity to the Syrian Gates—the most accessible route into the Hatay Province and Aleppo. Because of its rugged surroundings, it was also known by the descriptive name Alexandria Scabiosa, or 'Alexandria the Mountainous.'
During World War I, the city became a focal point for British imperial ambition. Lord Kitchener argued that seizing Alexandretta was essential to securing a port and railhead for accessing Iraq. The goal was to construct a new railway eastward from the coast to drastically cut travel time between the United Kingdom and India. However, internal debates within the British government led to a different path; the De Bunsen Committee ultimately favored Haifa over İskenderun for this specific logistical purpose.
The decision not to attack via Alexandretta had profound geopolitical consequences. German Field Marshal Hindenburg later noted that if the British had successfully landed there, the Ottoman Ally could have been defeated much sooner. The region's complex history—marked by French mandates, a contested 1938 referendum, and centuries of diverse cultural presence—reflects its enduring status as a high-stakes crossroads of trade and military power.
Today, while it remains a vital port for overland trade from Baghdad and India, the city faces modern challenges. It was devastated by powerful earthquakes in February 2023, followed by floods and fires that tested the resilience of this ancient maritime hub.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: İskenderun
- Also: Wikidata — İskenderun · CC0
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