The Gallipoli campaign was a military operation fought during World War I from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916. The campaign was the first major amphibious operation in modern warfare, and it was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula in Ottoman Turkey. The objective of the campaign was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul) and ultimately knock Ottoman Turkey out of the war. The campaign was a disaster for the Allies, with disastrous consequences for the troops. The campaign was characterized by trench warfare, which quickly took hold at Gallipoli, mirroring the fighting of the Western Front. The campaign was marked by intense fighting, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. The Allies endured suffocating heat and were surrounded by rotting corpses that drew thick swarms of flies. They lacked water and thousands died from dysentery as disease spread. The campaign did divert large Turkish forces away from the Russians, but it did not produce the desired strategic success. In August, a new assault was launched north of Anzac Cove against the hills around Chunuk Bair, but this attack, along with a fresh landing at Suvla Bay, quickly failed and stalemate returned. Finally, in December, it was decided to evacuate - first Anzac and Suvla, followed by Helles in January 1916. The Gallipoli campaign has become a defining moment in the history of both Australia and New Zealand, and the traits that were shown there – bravery, ingenuity, endurance, and mateship – have become enshrined as defining aspects of the Australian character.