intro to ww1 - lesson 1

8/10/2019 Intro to WW1 - Lesson 1

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Introduction to WW1

Prior to the study of War Horse


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WW1

World War 1 was stated to be

the war that 'would be over by

Christmas.'However it

dragged on for fourlong years

of bloody stalemate. Look atthe photo to the right and

consider how young many of

these men were.


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The War in Brief -1914

Germany invadesBelgium.

Britain declares war onGermany.

Japan joins the Alliedforces: Ottoman Empiresoon joins the CentralPowers.

War spreads to the seas.


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1915

Women take up men's jobs.

Stalemate continues on the

Western Front.

The Lusitaniapassenger liner

is sunk, with 1,200 lives lost.

London attacked from the air

by German Zeppelins.


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1916

Conscription for men agedbetween 18 and 41.

A million casualties in tenmonths: Germany aims to'bleed France white'.

At sea the Battle of Jutlandtakes place.

Armed uprisings in Dublin: theIrish Republic is proclaimed.


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1917

German Army retreats to theHindenburg Line.

United States joins the warand assists the Allies.

Tank, submarine and gaswarfare intensifies.

Royal family change theirsurname to Windsor to appearmore British


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1918

Germany launches majoroffensive on the Western Front.

Allies launch successful counter-offensives at the Marne andAmiens.

Armistice signed on November11, ending the war at 11am.

In Britain, a coalition (union)government is elected andwomen over 30 succeed ingaining the vote. (It was probablythe Labour Government as they

fought for the lower class workingman.)


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The trenches

Trenches dug from English

Channel to Switzerland

6,250 miles

6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both sides

for 4 years


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The Trenches


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Life in the Trenches

Elaborate systems of

defense.

barbed wire

Concrete machine gunnests

Mortar batteries

Troops lived in holes

underground


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Boredom

Soldiers read to pass the

time

Sarah Bernhardt came out

to the front to read poetry

to the soldiers


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Death is everywhere

We all had on us the

stench of dead bodies.

Death numbed the

soldiers minds.

Shell shock

Psychological devastation
http://www.greatwar.ie/ir-batt_gfx/trenches.jpg


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Death is everywhere

Mustard gas

Carried by the wind

Burned out soldiers lungs

Deadly in the trencheswhere it would

sit at the bottom


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Trench warfare baffledmilitary leaders Attempt a breakthrough

Then return to a war ofmovement

Millions of young mensacrificed attempting thebreakthrough


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Trench equipment

Machine GunsSuch as the British Vickers or the German Maximwere one of the most deadly weapons on the Western Front. Operatedby a two-man crew, the guns fired 400-500 bullets every minute.

Gas masksGermany first used poison gas in 1915. Released fromcylinders or fired from shells, gas killed men without protective masks.

Gas masks were always very uncomfortable to wear.

PeriscopesBecause it was dangerous to stick your head above theparapet of the trench, troops in the front line used periscopes to peerat the enemy in the trenches opposite.


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The changes of war

New weapons crippledthe frozen front

Poison gas (mustard gas)

Hand grenades

Flame throwers

Tanks

Airplanes

Tanks

Subs


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The changes of war

Airplanes

Dog fights in the air

Bombing inaccurate

Romanticized the

battlefields

Paris and London bombed

Pilots fired pistols and

threw hand grenades


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The Home Front

Women took war factory

jobs

Received lower wages

than males Food shortages made

running a household

difficult


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The Home Front

Censorship

Not told about high death

toll

Romanticized the

battlefields

soldiers have died a

beautiful death, in noble

battle, we shall rediscover

poetryepic andchivalrous


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The Home Front

Censorship

Newspapers described troops asitching to go over the top.

Government reported to the

press that life in the trenches

promoted good health and

clear air
http://www.hackmatack.ca/2003/Poppies.jpg


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The Home Front

Impossible to hide death

Women in mourning

Badly wounded soldiers

returned home

Opposition began to

emerge


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Social Impact

Men lost limbs and were mutilated

Birthrate fell markedly

Invalids unable to work Ethnic hostility

Influenza epidemic


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Psychological Impact

Never such innocence again

Bitterness towards aristocratic officers whose

lives were never in danger

intro to ww1 - lesson 1

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