Capture of Lemnos
1912 CE.
Shown on the map at 39.920°, 25.142°.
The Capture of Lemnos took place in October 1912 during the First Balkan War, serving as the opening action between Greek and Ottoman forces in the Aegean Sea. The strategic value of the island of Lemnos had been recognized by Greek naval planners for many years, as it lay at the entrance of the Dardanelles Strait and offered an excellent natural harbour in Mudros Bay. The island was occupied with little resistance from the small Ottoman garrison, which was taken prisoner. Mudros Bay was made into a forward naval base for the Greek navy, enabling it to blockade the Dardanelles and secure naval dominance in the Aegean. This obstructed the movement of Ottoman reinforcements to the front lines, and allowed the capture of the remaining Ottoman-held Aegean islands over the following months. Ceded to Greece in 1914, due to the subsequent outbreak of World War I, the island's status remained disputed, and its annexation to Greece was not confirmed until the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
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