first world war. breakdown and reformation of alliance 1890: wilhelm dismisses otto von bismarck end...
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First World War
Breakdown and reformation of alliance
• 1890: Wilhelm dismisses Otto von Bismarck• End of Russo-German Alliance
Industrialization and a new alliance
• Germany replaces Britain as leading industrial power
• France has inferiority complex• Treaty with Russia
Relationship status: it’s complicated
1907 — Triple Entente 1882 — Triple Alliance
Climate of Hate
• State power grew• Nationalism grew• State was able to raise armies of millions, not
just thousands• Social Darwinism
The Arms Race
“Weltpolitik”
The demand for a German share in world domination
German foreign policy changed to reflect this idea
The masses took up the idea of weltpolitik and support it
Plans for War
• Germany knew it would have to eventually fight a war on two fronts
• Adopted the “Schlieffen Plan”• Named after Count Alfred Von
Schlieffen, chief of the German General Staff, 1891-1906
• France had to be defeated in six months
• Germany would invade France through Belgium
Joseph Jacques Cesaire Joffre
• Created Plan 17 for the French
• He was the commander of the entire French army (1911 – 1916)
• Believed in the fighting spirit of the French man
Plan 17
• After the loss of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany in 1870 France adopted a defensive strategy
• This changed in 1900 and the French wanted revenge, revenge, revenge
• They would attack Germany and re-capture what they lost
• The French believed it was not the French way to sit and wait
• They would attack, attack, attack• The French would send 4/5 of their soldiers
against the fortified positions in Alsace Lorraine
• The only tactic the French had was to use élan
British Plans
• Britain was not obligated to fight with France
• But they did have plans to send a small expeditionary force to the continent if France was attacked
• Britain's main goal was to control the seas and provide a naval blockade of Germany
Short Term Causes
1. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
2. Austria-Hungary declaration of war
3. Mass mobilization
Bang bang – Franz is dead
• JUNE 28, 1914
• THE “SPARK”
• Serbian Independance
Black Hand
• Serbian nationalist gang• Gavril Princip• Blame placed on Serbia
HOLD ON!! THIS IS WHERE IT GETS CRAZY
Assassination of Franz Ferdinand (June 28, 1914)Germany vows to help Austrai-HungaryBlank cheque given (July 5-6, 1914)Austria-Hungary declares war on SerbiaRussia defends Serbia, declares war on AHGermany declares war on RussiaFrance declares war on GermanyGermany invades France and Belgium (August 4, 1914)Britain declares war on GermanyColonies support BritainAmerica is neutralJapan declares war on GermanyItaly neutral
Mobilization
Germany attacks
• The Schlieffen Plan is put into effect
Battle of Liege (5-16 of August, 1914)
• First land battle of the First World War• The Germans attacked the city of Liege• The city was surrounded by 12 forts• Germans finally destroyed the forts on Aug. 16
Forts
Big Bertha
Battle of the Frontiers
• A series of five battles in August, 1914• Over 1,000,000 soldiers involved• Where the Schlieffen Plan meets Plan XVII• Battles:• Mulhouse, Lorraine, Ardennes, Charleroi,
Mons
Frontiers
Battle of the Marne
• September 6 – 10, 1914• German Army stopped 25 miles away from
Paris• France had to decide whether to attack or
retreat
Taxi Cab Battle
Battle of the Marne
• 2 million soldiers involved
• France won because they accepted a high number of casualties
• The end of the Schlieffen plan and German advancement
Marne
• French had 250,000 casualties
First Battle of Ypres
• Ypres was strategically located along the roads leading to the major ports on the Belgian coast
• The British Expeditionary Force held this position
• Germans launched an attack on the 20th of October
• British held off the attack until winter ended the fighting
Ypres II (Apr 22 – May 25)
• Only major German offensive of 1915• 5700 canisters of gas released (Apr. 22, 1915)• Germans managed to break through the allied
lines• Gas used again against Canadian troops• Allies retreated closer to the town of Ypres• A trend of gas warfare emerges
Trench Warfare
• Developed because defensive firepower was greater than offensive firepower
• Characterized by a row of trenches from the North Sea to Switzerland
• Entirely unexpected by the millions of men who volunteered for the army early in the war
Life in the trenches
• Death was a constant companion
• Rat infestation
• Frogs, lice and worse
• Front line, rest, reserve, Front line
Trench Life
• Daily routine
• Rum, rifles and the breakfast truce
• Inspection and chores
• Boredom
Germans and the Rat problem
Weapons of the War
• Bayonet – used for close, hand to hand combat
• Rifle – the infantrys greatest asset
Machine Guns• In 1914, the gun was extremely heavy and
primitive
• A formidable defensive weapon
Tanks
Verdun (Feb 21 – Dec 18, 1916)
• The Germans were going to “Bleed the French white”
• The Germans wanted to win the war before the British could build their strength
• Wanted to destroy the French army• Picked Verdun because he knew the French
would defend it to the last man
Sir Douglas Haig
• Controversial figure
• Commander of the British army from December 1915 onward
• “The machine gun is a much over rated weapon”
Somme
• July 1, 1916 to November 18, 1916• Designed to help the French at
Verdun• British military was untested and
comprised of civilians
Creeping Barrage
The War in 1917
• 1917 would be a year characterized by previously unimaginable suffering and misery
• Britain faced peril, and to win they would need unity
• Germany was content to remain on the defensive and let the enemy break their heads and spirits against overwhelming fortifications
What did the Somme teach the allies?
• That a greater level of information must be given to troops about objectives and terrain
• The creeping barrage must be used more effectively
• Counter-battery artillery work becomes more important
• Coordination between infantry and artillery
Allied Offensive of 1917
• April 9-16 1917
• British would attack at Arras
• French attacked at Aisne
• Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of this plan
Vimy Ridge• 9-12 of April, 1917
• This ridge protected the mines and factories of Germany
• British and French had previously failed to capture ridge
Vimy Ridge
Planning Vimy
• Canadians commanded by Julian Byng
• Meticulous preparation and reconnaissance
• Massive artillery bombardment preceded the attack
• Canadians toyed with the German psyche
Tunnels
The Battle
• Canadians attacked behind the creeping barrage
• German front line captured in 30 minutes• 2nd line captured in 1 hour• Entire ridge captured by April 12, 1917• 3598 Canadian dead• Germans suffered 20,000 casualties
French Mutiny
• Sparked by the failure of the Nivelle Offensive
• French suffered 187,000 casualties
• Soldiers protested the slaughter, trench conditions, disregard for life and the constant offensive operations
Passchendaele
• The last Battle of attrition
• Haig wanted to break the will of the German army
• 3000 guns and 4 millions shells pounded the Germans for 10 days
The Mud
• Heaviest rain in 30 years
• A giant mud field, guns, tanks and men got stuck
• Soldiers had to walk on duck boards and wooden planks
End of the mud
• Battle ended with the capture of Passchendaele by the British on Nov. 6
• British suffered 310,000 casualties
• Germans suffered 260,000 casualties
The War in 1918
• Characterized by two main offensive actions
• German Spring Offensive, Allies Last Hundred Days
• The end of the war was not in sight until late 1918
Americans enter the war
• America entered the war on April 6th, 1917
• Unrestricted submarine warfare was the primary cause for the Americans to join the war
• Gave the allies a numerical and psychological advantage
German Spring Offensive
• Made possible by the surrender of the Russian Army
• Germany had to break the deadlock of the war, they were in trouble
• Total war was taking its toll on Germany
German Spring Offensive
• Germany was suffering due to labour shortages, naval blockade, commitment to war
• American entry into War
• Had to be a completely decisive battle
Planning for Michael
• Artillery bombardment would be massive (6,608 guns and 3,534 mortars)
• Surprise, concealment
• Storm troops would be well trained and used to break the British
Operation Michael
• March 21, 1918
• Was the first foggy day of the spring
• Germans unleashed hell on the British
• Germans broke through the front lines and gained 8,000 yards
The Black Day of the German Army
• Battle of Amiens (August 8, 1918)
• Finally, something that resembled the breakthrough and push the allies were looking for
• Surprise, confidence and professionalism won the day
Deception
• Deception of the enemy as to the allies intentions was critical to success
• Canadians were stationed elsewhere until the days leading up to the attack
• Soldiers would march at night, so as not to be seen
A symphony of destruction
• At 4:20 am the battle of Amiens began
• Thousands of guns bombarded the German positions
• Artillery, tanks and infantry all attacked together
Last Hundred Days
• Continuous series of battles
• Allied troops continuously advance
• Set piece battles characterized by creeping barrage and well defined objectives
• Massive casualty numbers
Mons
• Captured by Canadian troops on November 11, 1918
• Controversial battle
• Saw the last casualties of the Great War
November 11, 1918
• The First World War officially ends
• 863 British soldiers died
• Fighting continued while people in London, Paris and New York celebrated
• George Ellison and George Price
End of the war (Armistice)
Why the Germans ultimately surrendered?
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