I.Dünya  Savaşı  sürecinde  Kafkas  Cephesi’nde  yaşanılan  gelişmeler  oldukça  önemli idi.  Buradaki  savaş  kendi  şartları  içerisinde  diğer  cephelerden  belirgin  farklılıklar göstermekteydi. Erzurum’un  16  Şubat 1916’da Rus işgaline uğraması stratejik açıdan Türk kuvvetlerini  zor  durumda  bıraktı.  Erzurum  ile  Bayburt  arasında  bulunan  Kop  Dağı  hem savunma hattı oluşturulması hem de Trabzon-Erzurum karayolu bağlantısı açısından önemli idi.  1916  Temmuzu’nun  başlarına  kadar  bölgede  şiddetli  çarpışmalar  oldu.  Sonuçta  15 Temmuz 1916’da Türk birlikleri Bayburt’u terk etti. Bölge Rus işgaline açık bir hale geldi. Rus  kuvvetleri  Gümüşhane  ve  Erzincan’ı  Temmuz’un  sonlarında  ele  geçirdi.  Savaş  yeni yıkımları da beraberinde getirecekti.  The events happened in Caucasus Campaign during World War I were significant. The battle in Caucasus had some salient features which made it different from other fronts. It put Turkish forces strategically in a difficult situation that Erzurum was under Russian occupation on February 16, 1916.  Kop Mountain, located between Erzurum and Bayburt, had importance both as a line of defense and as a gateway between Trabzon and Erzurum. There was fierce combat in the area until early July, 1916. Ultimately, Turkish troops left Bayburt on July 15, which made the area vulnerable to Russian occupation. Russian forces seized Gümüşhane and Erzincan cities in late July. The war triggered further devastation.

The events happened in Caucasus Campaign during World War I were significant. The battle in Caucasus had some salient features which made it different from other fronts. It put Turkish forces strategically in a difficult situation that Erzurum was under Russian occupation on February 16, 1916.  Kop Mountain, located between Erzurum and Bayburt, had importance both as a line of defense and as a gateway between Trabzon and Erzurum. There was fierce combat in the area until early July, 1916. Ultimately, Turkish troops left Bayburt on July 15, which made the area vulnerable to Russian occupation. Russian forces seized Gümüşhane and Erzincan cities in late July. The war triggered further devastation.