Outbreak of WWI

Question 1

July Crisis?

Answer 1

Archduke and wife Sophie shot at close range by a gunman as they drove through the streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia - Herzegovina 28th June 1914

Question 2

Intention of July Crisis?

Answer 2

Intended to promote the cause of Serbian nationalists.

Question 3

Consequences of July Crisis?

Answer 3

• consequence: period of threats, bluffs and failed negotiations
• Tensions in Balkans in the years prior to 1914 meant that Austria - Hungary blamed Serbia - 10 ultimatums.
• Serbia could not comply - Austria - Hungry declared war on Serbia 28th July 1914.

Question 4

What is the Schlieffen Plan?

Answer 4

German Plan in case of the outbreak of war, Germany would attack France first and then Russia.
- Took Form in 1905
- A Plan that if done successful avoided a war on two Fronts

Question 5

What happened when Schlieffen Plan Failed?

Answer 5

The War became a war of attrition and lasted longer than expected.

Question 6

Why did the Schlieffen Plan Fail?

Answer 6

• Casualties couldn’t be replaced
  Germany outnumbered 3 to 5
• Relied heavily on trains that were destroyed by Britain
• Belgium did not comply
• Plan misinterpreted Russia mobilising quicker than expected
• Communications out dated, no flexibility

Question 7

Why was there a Stalemate on the Western Front?

Answer 7

• Belgian resistance was greater than expected, British expeditionary Forces arrived to defend Paris - delayed Germanys advance.
• Schlieffen Plan failed - Germany caught in a two front war.
• “Race to the sea”
• By the end of the year a line of trenches stretched from the sea to the Swiss alps, movement ended and war was at a stalemate.

Question 8

How big was the Eastern Front?

Answer 8

Stretched from the Baltic sea in the North to the Black Sea in the South

Question 9

Nature of Eastern Front?

Answer 9

Trenches were largely ineffective and didn’t really develop
- This was because the greater length of the front ensured that the density of soldiers in the line was lower so the line was easier to break.
- training and mobility of German troops proved to be effective.

Question 10

Course of Eastern Front?

Answer 10

• Russian troops suffered defeats in 1915 and 1916.
• March 1918 - German troops were within of Russian Capital (Petrograd)
• Bolsheviks concluded the treaty of Brest - Litovsk - withdrew Russia from the war and ended the war on the Eastern Front