The Bergmann Offensive ( tr, Bergmann Atağı; in Turkish literature tr, Köprüköy ve Azap Muharebeleri, "Battles of Köprüköy and Azap" russian: Берхманнский прорыв; in Russian literature russian: Кёприкейская операция, "Köprüköy operation") was the first engagement of the
Caucasus Campaign during
World War I. General
Georgy Bergmann, commander of the
1st Caucasus Army Corps, took the initiative against the
Ottoman Empire.
When the war started, Russia had 25 battalions at Sarikamish, 8 battalions at
Oltu, 5 battalions at
Kağızman and 5 battalions at
Kars
Kars (; ku, Qers; ) is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. Its population is 73,836 in 2011. Kars was in the ancient region known as ''Chorzene'', (in Greek Χορζηνή) in classical historiography ( Strabo), part of ...
. Russia also had 20 cavalry companies.
[General Nikolski, Sarıkamış Harekatı, p. 3.] On the other hand, the Ottomans had XI Corps' 2 divisions (18 Battalions) at
Hasankale, IX Corps' 28th and 29th Divisions at
Erzurum, IX Corps's 17th Division at
İspir, XI Corps' 33rd Division at
Tutak, 37th Division (6 battalions) at
Muş, X Corps' 30th Division at
Sivas, 32nd Division at
Samsun and 31st Division at
Amasya. X Corps didn't participate in the Bergmann Offensive due to its distance. 29th, 33rd and 37th Divisions joined the battle on 11 November and 17th Division on 17 November. The Ottomans initially had a 33% infantry numerical advantage (the
Russian Caucasian Army consisted of 45,000 infantry and the Ottoman army had 60,000 infantry available) and Russia separated their army carelessly. The Ottomans however didn't use this advantage due to their precaution. Russia equalized numbers by starting to bring in the Turkistan Army Corps on 16 November. The Ottomans obtained a 50% infantry advantage by bringing X Corps (40,000 infantry) at the beginning of December. This numerical superiority encouraged the Ottomans to perform the
Sarikamish Offensive.
At the outbreak of war, the Russians decided to