The War to End All Wars—The The War to End All Wars—The Battle RagesBattle Rages

THE WESTERN FRONTTHE WESTERN FRONT

Germany’s Plan of AttackGermany’s Plan of Attack

• The Germans had a TWO FRONT war—enemies in two geographical areas

• They couldn’t deal with both at the same time, so they came up with the

– Schlieffen Plan

Let’s Go Through BelgiumLet’s Go Through Belgium

• Most of the French fortifications were on the border with Germany

• The Germans decided to avoid those and go through Belgium to get to France

• They thought “it will take us 6 weeks to defeat France and then we can go fight Russia”

Germans in BelgiumGermans in Belgium

• The Belgian Army was no match for the Germans

• When the Belgian Army was forced to surrender, the citizens started shooting at German soldiers from their windows and doorways

• In retaliation, the Germans said they would kill 10 civilians for every 1 German soldier killed—and they did

The Belgian Army

Problems with the PlanProblems with the Plan

1. The Belgians fought like crazy to defend their homes—the Germans were slowed

2. Russia mobilized its army faster than Germany expected and the Germans had to go fight on the Eastern front as well as the Western one

3.When the Germans finally got to Northern France around August 20th, there were British troops waiting to fight them

4. The French attacked another wing of the German army along with the British

Schlieffen Plan fails, BUTSchlieffen Plan fails, BUT

• The Germans still defeat the French and British in France

• The Allies pull back to Paris to defend the city with everything they’ve got

• General Joffre of the French Army

11stst Battle of the Marne Battle of the Marne

• The defense of Paris is called the Battle of Battle of the Marne the Marne

• The French army used TAXIS to get their army to the battle quickly

• The Germans are pushed back and Paris is saved- YEAH PARIS!

VerdunVerdun• France v. Germany• Germany stages a

surprise attack on the French forces at Verdun

• General Henri Philippe Petain in charge “They shall not pass”

• France holds firm and Germans eventually withdraw

• One of the bloodiest battles of the war

General Petain

Why the Somme?

• England needs to attack the German lines to take the pressure off of the French at the battle of Verdun

• This was to be the major push to win the war

The Plan

• The British thought that they could use artillery shells to destroy the enemy.

• A massive one week bombardment would be used to smash the German trenches

New WeaponNew Weapon

• Tanks will be used for the first time in the Battle of the Somme

• 18 out of 36 tanks make it to the battlefield

Over the topOver the top

• After a week of bombarding the Germans with millions of shells the British climbed out of their trenches to attack the Germans.

• The Germans have deep shelters that have protected them.

• The Germans rip them with machine gun fire• G.B. loses 58,000 troops58,000 troops in one day• Despite the loss of life, Allies push Germany

back 7 miles

America Gets InvolvedAmerica Gets Involved

In 1918, allies are reinforced by the U.S. (turning point in war)

led by General JohnGeneral JohnPershingPershing and A.E.F.- A.E.F.- AmericanAmerican Expeditionary Expeditionary ForcesForces

or “doughboys”“doughboys”

General Pershing

Reasons for Reasons for American Entrance American Entrance

into the Warinto the War

Unrestricted Submarine WarfareUnrestricted Submarine Warfare

• Germany’s interference with freedom of the Seas

• Sinking of passenger liners such as the Lusitania and the Sussex as well as other merchant ships

Allied PropagandaAllied Propaganda

• Most news about the war came from Great Britain

• Exaggerated German atrocities against defenseless citizens (especially in Belgium)

“It should be America’s duty to help us subdue the mad dog of Europe”

Hostility toward GermanyHostility toward Germany

• Invasion of Belgium• Unrestricted sub-

warfare

• Zimmerman Zimmerman telegramtelegram

Economic InterestsEconomic Interests

• U.S. private banks/corporations lent money to both sides until…

• U.S. begins to trade more & more with Great Britain because of blockade of Germany

• Many goods bought on credit – wanted to insure repayment

Idealism Idealism

• “The world must be made safe for democracy”

-Woodrow Wilson

• The world would be a much better place if the allied nations won

Security Security • If Germany were to win, they would replace

Britain as the dominant nation in Europe

or

The Eastern FrontThe Eastern Front

Russia’s War EffortRussia’s War Effort

• Russia is not industrialized- as a result the Russian army is continually short on weapons, food, guns, clothes, etc.

• GermanGerman blockade on Baltic SeaBaltic Sea and OttomanOttoman control of the MediterraneanMediterranean kept Allies from supplying Russia

• The only thing Russia had going for them was numbers (2 million killed, wounded or captured in 1915 alone, but still kept building ranks)

Battle of TannenbergBattle of Tannenberg

• 1914 (Russia v. Germany)

• Disastrous loss for Russia, led by General Samsonov who killed himself in the retreat

• 92,000 Russians captured- 30,000 killed

• Germany lost 13,000

– General Samsonov

The Gallipoli CampaignThe Gallipoli Campaign

• 1915- Australia, New Zealand and G.B. V. Ottoman Empire

• Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill (head of the British Navy) favored an offensive on the Dardanelles StraitDardanelles Strait hoping to take ConstantinopleConstantinople and put the Ottoman Empire out of the war (the straight was a way to supply Russia)

• Campaign failed as did the next battle on the Peninsula

• This is the last effort in the east and the Allies withdrew their troops

Treaty of Brest- Treaty of Brest- LitovskLitovsk

• Ended war between Russia and Germany

• Germany gains lands from Russia (Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania)

• Even though the treaty became invalid after the war, these nations still gained their independence

And The Revolution And The Revolution Begins....Begins....