Prompt: Was World War I inevitable? Based off what we have learned so far about it, could war have been avoided? Take a position and defend.

Please write the prompt and respond in complete sentences!

What happened on June 28, 1914?

Who were the original two countries that started the conflict?

Austria-Hungary vs. Serbia

July 28, 1914 – Austria declares war on Serbia

Willy-Nicky Telegrams were sent the next day!

Recall: What were the two alliances prior to the war? What countries comprised each?

Triple Alliance –Germ., A-H., Italy

Triple Entente – GB, Fr., Russ.

Russia is allies with Serbia

Germ. declares war on Rus. on Aug. 1

Remember: W-N Telegrams end July 31st

Germ. declares war on Fr. two days later

TPS: Why did Germany declare war on France?

GB declares war on Germ.

CENTRAL POWERS ALLIED POWERS

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

Great Britain

France

Russia

Japan & Italy joins Allies*Remember, It. was allied with Germ. & A-H prior to the war, but now swapped sides

Most thought the war would be short

Within a few months, the war turned into a bloody stalemate (dead lock) along battlefields in Fr.

Recall: What was the main issue the Central Powers faced geographically?

Germ. waged war on two fronts (sides)

The Schlieffen Plan – a battle strategy

1. Attack & defeat the Fr. quickly

2. Rush troops to Rus. to win war

The key was speed!

Germ. forces rushed Fr. and got close to capturing Paris

Sept. 5 – Allied troops regrouped and pushed back the Germ. troops

Defeat meant the Schlieffen Plan was no longer viable

TPS: Why was the Battle of the Marne so significant?

Western Front – the deadlocked region in northern Fr.

Trench warfare – new style of fighting, caused huge losses of life for little gain of land

Battle of Verdun – Feb. 1916, Germ. Attacked Fr., each side lost more than 300K

Gains? Germ. gained about 4 miles of land

Battle of the Somme – July to Nov. 1916, Brit. try to push back the Germ., each side lost more than 500K

Gains? GB gained about 5 miles

TPS: What was a major issue with the type of warfare on the Western Front?

Eastern Front – territory between Russia & Germany

The war here was more mobile (could move more)

TPS: Why might the war on the Eastern Front have been more mobile than the Western Front?

Unlike the rest of W.Eur, Rus. had yet to become industrialized

Always short on food, guns, clothes – couldn’t get supplies from the allies

Recall: Why could the Russians not get supplies from its allies?

Asset of Rus. – population, they kept sending more troops to the Eastern Front, Germ. couldn’t finish them off

Explain why WWI was not the “quick war” everyone thought it was going to be.

Please write the question and respond in 3-5 sentences!!

Answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper in complete sentences, using the question in the response (framed response)

1. At the Battle of Bolimov, why was the poison gas ineffective?

2. What were the four main problems associated with the use of poison gas at the Battle of Ypres?

3. Explain the initial reaction to the use of poison gas by the Allies. Explain both the military and civilian response.

4. What were the challenges medical units? Explain why this was a challenge.

5. What other challenge did the Allies suffer from that was exacerbated by the use of poison gas?