Causes and Events of the First World War, 1890–1918--THE WESTERN FRONT Flashcards
Why did the race to the sea lead to the war getting bogged down in the trenches?
As each side tried to outflank the other while heading north towards the sea (and resources that could win them the war) they become more spread out so less concentrated and weaker. This gave them a lower chance of being able to defeat each other. Therefore, they took up a more defensive position resulting in the stalemate.
Why did the battles of Mons (23 August 1914) and Marne (5-12 September 1914) lead to the war getting bogged down in the trenches?
The battle of Mons (where British forces first fought) was the first major German setback, while the battle at Marne (lasting 6 days before troops moved into trenches) was the first allied victory. These both served to weaken the Germans and boost the allied morale evening both sides and forcing them instead to take up defensive positions (trenches); which after 6 days fighting at Marne, wasn’t such a repulsive thought…
Why did the failure of the Schlieffen plan lead to the war getting bogged down in the trenches?
The time and troops lost to Russia and unexpected attacks meant Germany took too long in France. This allowed them to be overstretched (in the race to the sea) and to use up their quick-attack resources. The battles thereafter only weakened them (eg 200m retreat over 2 weeks) making a winning offensive harder and leading them to take a more defensive, safer position.
Why did the defensive mentality and necessity lead to the war getting bogged down in the trenches?
Both sides had the same defensive weapons such as machine guns and heavy artillery making them more evenly matched and both being stronger in defensive positions in trenches (weapons suited and thick mud and heavy weapons made movement hard)
Germany had also lined their deeper trenches with concreate and already had gains of land in France meaning they didn’t need to attack and were stronger in their defensive positions.
What was a soldier’s life like?
- humour: soldiers and civilians produced many humorous news sheets and other publications like cartoons (eg Brainsfather’s cartoons) keeping up morale.
- rations: generally good (although mainly the same food) they were better off than French soldiers and French civilians and German soldiers. The average working-class soldier put on 10 kilograms in weight being better fed in the army.
- discipline:
- adventure: men enjoyed the chance to travel and visit new places, the risk and thrill of war and the challenge where men achieve the impossible.
- comradeship: battalions were made up of close friends who signed on together into pals battalions. New friends were also made form across the commonwealth.
- letters: men received regular letters and parcels keeping the morale high. A letter could take two days to get from England to the men or back.
- respect: soldiers had respect for their leaders; officers went OTT with their men suffering higher death rates of 17% to the ordinary troops 12%. Of the senior British commanders above the rank of brigadier-general, 78 were killed and 146 wounded proving they were not that far behind the line.
- patriotism: soldiers believed there was job that needed doing and was worth doing well
- leisure time: Mostly, soldiers spent around 60% of their time in the trenches and only 3 days in the most dangerous front line positions; but during major assaults such as the Somme, this was not the case. When off, many went sightseeing, played football and other sports and saw a concert party usually on every week.
- care: British soldiers suffered less disease than other armies and received luxuries such as chocolate, cigarettes and alcohol.
Did Field marshal Haig mismanage the battle of the Somme?
- Did wear down German army
- gained a mile at Montauban
- German morale depleted (use of tanks and death rate)
*Achieved aim of relieving pressure on the French at Verdun
- Tactics were flawed
- old ideas of using horses and walking across NML
- artillery bombardment didn’t work making wire in a “worse tangle than before”
- false information from John Charters
- Too many own casualties for no gain
- allies lost 620 000 men
- German deaths: 500 000 to 420 000 British death
- only a few miles gained and not “big break” hoped for
- Haig to blame?
- fed false information by John Charters
- often worked 18 hours a day with only a brief stop for meals and no holidays; so suffered illness from overwork
- 78 generals killed too
How important were new development of tanks and why?
Tanks
- first used in the battle of the Somme - at first pretty useless as slow, unreliable and not very strong - 1918 German forces used armour piercing bullets - cleared a way through the barbed wire for the infantry - intense psychological impact in morale
How important were new development of machine guns and why?
Machine guns
- 8 bullets per second and devastating to troops
- 1914, there were as many guns as troops, 1918 each platoon had its own machine guns
- later, they got sub-machine guns which were more portable
How important were new development of aircraft why?
Aircraft:
- 1914, very primitive: new invention was unreliable and highly dangerous; used for scouting enemy positions (reconnaissance and surveillance.)
- 1915, successfully fitted with machine guns
- 1819, air battles conmen and German advance was slowed (more valuable at sea)
- numbers went from 37 to 23000 aeroplanes
- at the battle of Marne, saw fatal gap in defences
How important were new development of gas and why?
Gas
- 1915 first used to disable/immobilise troops with coughing, retching, blindness and breathing problems
- then used as a lethal killer (disastrous if the wind changed and own troops were caught)
- huge psychological impact (only 3000 British troops died from gas)
- Artillery bombardments
Describe the importance of America’s entry into the war:
German targeting of the American merchant and passenger ships in unrestricted submarine warfare led to America declaring war in April 1917. Although 100s ad 1000s strong, their men were inexperienced and useless “dough boys.” By June 1918 they were ready to join in the war and fought on the 6 June in Bellow wood stopping the German advance to Paris and suffering 10 000 deaths over the 6 assaults; this was a huge physiological blow to the enemy that destroyed morale. Their entry marks the beginning of the end.
Describe the effects of the naval blockade on Germany:
*Discontent and low morale spread:
-people went hungry…
=800 000 died from starvation (260 000 civilians died in 1917)
=blamed the Kaiser and government in the food riots of 1918 crippling industry.
=from shortage of starch, made bread with sawdust.
=disease spread: Spanish fever took 1722 lives in one day in Berlin.
-The navy mutinied…1918 late October refused to go out
- There was a limit to how long they could last without new supplies:
- killed 1/3 of all their pigs
- people queued for potato peelings
- morale on the military front was affected
- added to this Bulgaria, Austria and Turkey surrendered on the 4th November
What was the Ludendorff Offensive and why did it fail?
After defeat of Russia, Germany could redeploy troops. In the spring of 1918, they launched an offensive with all they had to end the war.
How did the new technology lead to the armistice?
NOT DONE YET…
How important was the use of artillery bombardments and why?
Artillary bombardment:
- caused the most casualties of all other weapons
- destroys positions, defences and guns
- 1914, not very accurate and could misfire on own troops
- by 1918 it was more powerful, accurate and sophisticated and used often in the creeping barrage
- guns were defensive so moving them was a heavy, slow job
