Battles of World War IA. The Western Front

B. The Eastern Front

C. Battle of Gallipoli

A. The Western Front

• Many battles will occur on this front

• Germany vs. France, Britain, and Italy

• Marne, Verdun, the Somme, Ypres

• But the war is at a stalemate (neither side is winning)

Battle Year Allies Central

1st Marne 1914 263, 000 250,000

Verdun 1916 377,000+ 336,000+

Somme 1916 623,907 465,000+

Aisne 1917 187,000 168,000

Michael 1918 255,000 239,000

Krupp’s “Big Bertha” GunKrupp’s “Big Bertha” Gun

B. The Eastern Front• The area of

fighting on the German and Russian border

• Some fighting in the Balkans

• Russians and Serbs vs. Germans, Austrians, and Turks

• More mobile war in the east, there aren’t any trenches

• Stalemate is still common

• Russia has a lot of problems:– not industrialized – Constantly run out of

food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, and blankets

• Allies (B & F) unable to ship goods to Russia b/c of the German U-boat (submarine) blockade

• Only asset is the size of Russia – continually able to rebuild it’s army

C. Battle of Gallipoli• Allies need to help Russia so they don’t lose

– Germany will send full army to the West if Russia is gone

• 1915: Allies try to aid Russia by invading the Ottoman empire

• Battle at Gallipoli

between Allies

vs. Turks &

Germans

• Led to another stalemate where trenches were dug – finally the Allies are forced to retreat

• Allies still want access to Russia – encourage Arab nationalists to revolt against the Turks

• Turks begin Armenian Genocide: wiping out the Armenian people b/c they helped the Allies

• 1914-1917, both sides fighting on all fronts, but are at a stalemate