Early World War IThe Western Front in 1914

Germany Activates the Schlieffen Plan

Germany attacked France through Belgium immediately after war began

Allied forces in France were forced to retreat backwards almost to Paris

For a month it looked like Germany was making good progress on the Western Front

First Battle of the Marne September 1914 near the Marne

River in France Allies won and stopped German

progress into France Forced Germany into a two front war Ended hopes of a quick war 2,000,000 (two million) men fought in

this battle 500,000 died

Taxicabs of the Marne 600

Parisian taxicabs transported 6000 French troops to the battle

Trenches The First Battle of the Marne signaled the

beginning of trench warfare on the Western Front

Elaborate system of trenches kept soldiers “protected” and isolated from the enemy, lined with barbed wire

Between enemy lines was called “no man’s land” and was a dangerous place—the instant a soldier approached it, he was exposed to enemy fire

TrenchesBritish lines, top left.

German lines, bottom right.

Trenches

Trenches

Life (Death?) in the Trenches

Primitive medical services and no antibiotics (not yet invented)

Germans reported that 15% of leg wounds and 25% of arm wounds resulted in death through infection

Head wounds… 50%. Abdomen… 99%.

Communication in the Trenches Stalemate: no one

moved more than a few feet at a time. For 4 years.

Communication was a major problem—wireless still unreliable: used telegraph, telephone, signal flares, runners, and homing pigeons

Battle of Ypres After the Marne, Allies

and German forces raced north to reach the North Sea to be able to go around enemy trench lines

It was so awful that many soldiers said you weren’t a soldier until you’d been there

More than 50% of soldiers there died.

The British “won”

Quiz Time! 1. Who won the First Battle of the

Marne?• A. Germany• B. Allies• C. Central Powers• D. Italy

Quiz Time! 2. The purpose of the Battle of Ypres

was• A. to get to the North Sea• B. to push German forces back into German

land• C. to sack Moscow• D. to protect London

Christmas Truce 1914 Near Ypres, spontaneous “truce” as

soldiers from both sides sang Christmas carols, exchanged cigarettes, showed each other photos of family

Read the article and answer the questions on your page—finish for homework.