Part 2 Flashcards
1
Q
The schlieffen plan
- count von schlieffen
- main aims
- first plans
A
- head of GER army 1891, devised plan but was adapted several times after his death in 1913 and retirement 1906
- to not fight war on two fronts, attack france first, assumed russia would take 6 weeks to mobilise army
- small army to enter through less defended FR regions, most troops invade through LUX, BEL, NET as lacked military forces, then troops head to paris, assumed france wouldnt expect through these countries and would be outflanked, predicted would take 40 days to beat
2
Q
The schlieffen plan
- changed ideas
- plans problems
A
- generals felt it was too risky so when schlieffen retired plan was changed so that General von Mothe took netherlands out the plan and downsized
- russia took quicker than assumed
Britan had treaty with belgium form 1839 (didnt think would honour)
Planned for large scale contact but france may not even have stuck to treaty
3
Q
Failure of the schlieffen plan
- Belgium
- Battle of Mons
- Russia
A
- had strong resistance, slowed down by 5 days, had strong forts and powerful guns
- BEF pinned large number of troops in Belgian city mons, delay meant had to change plan to not surround Paris
- took 10 days to prepare not 6 weeks, get got 100,000 troops to leave France and fight Russians, now fighting on two fronts
4
Q
The Battle of the Marne
- advancement
- General Von Kluck
- General Jeffre
- retreat
A
- had reached river Marne, weak and hungry but 40km from Paris
- 11 divisions moved from Belgium to fight Russia under kluck, gave BR and FR chance to attack
- BR and FR attacked on 6 September kluck forced to stop and turn west to attack, leaving 50km gap between to GER armies
- forced GER to retreat to river aisne, schlieffen plan failed and trenches dug from both
5
Q
The race to the sea
A
As both sides dug trenches in 1914 September
Neither side could go forward so both tried to go round and outflank (dug trenches moving north)
Battle in Belgian city Ypres 120,000 FR and BR died trying to stop German outflanking
In November both reached English Channel, situation didn’t change for 4 years
6
Q
Trench warfare
- ger compared to fr
- layout
- attacking
- attrition
A
- Germans would dig deeper with more comfort as expected longer however BR and FR would dig much less comfortable ones as thought it was quick
- usually had multiple lines of trenches (supplies etc), long ranged artillery guns10km from front line
- fire shells to blow holes in barbed wire and run, soldiers go over the top to attack, soldiers jump into enemy trenches and shoot (rarely worked)
- a war to wear down opposition
7
Q
Trench Life
- everyday life
- illness
- stand to
- jokes
- mental health
A
- used rotas 33% on front line, 33% repaired trench and got supplies, 33% rested
- many got ill: tb, pneumonia, bronchitis, diarrhoea, trench foot
- some soldiers get up at dawn and dusk and be on guard for attack
- some soldiers made newspapers 1916 Ypres, disguised jokes about commanders
- shell shock was common from constant fear
8
Q
Trench life
- monthly routine
- luxuries
- hygiene
- food
A
- 4 days front line, 4 i support trench, 8 in reserve and remainder to chill
- sent parcels with tobacco, toiletries, sweets, wouldn’t mentions horrors in letters
- most had lice, rats ate food and dead corpses, bucket for toilet
- water very chlorinated, food basic
9
Q
New Technology
- artillery
- gas
- bayonets and flamethrowers
A
- long range powerful guns used on enemy trenches, explosives, gas and shrapnel created 60% of wounds in 1915 400,000 used in western front each month
- first use April 1915 created 6km gap in French line but didn’t stay, unreliable due to wind, not many died after may 1915 but 6,000 brits died
- for hand to hand combat, wall of fire could reach 15 metres
10
Q
New Technology
- machine guns
- tanks
A
- 200,000 french losses in first two weeks, reliable and efficient, 40% injuries on Brit troops, needed a crew to carry
- first used 1916 but unreliable, made lots of impact later, BR- 2600, FR- 3800, GER- 20
11
Q
Verdun - when - Plan - events - - results
A
- longest battle of war 21 feb to 18 dec 1916
- FR defended against GER, GER wanted to attack as had historic significance, regarded as strongest city, FR did anything to protect wanted to bleed french white
- shelled french trenches, 1 mil Germans attacked 200k french, french retreated to trenches and by 24 feb were in 3rd line of trenches, 8km from verdun
- french sent counter attacks and GER advance came to halt, GER advanced 3km more in march but FR attacked in April, GER took a fort early June but FR took back and pushed GER back
- 315,000 FR killed, 280,000 GER, Verdun demolished, no military gains
12
Q
The Somme
- when
- reason
- results
A
- largest battle 1 July- 18 November 1916
- BR and FR wanted to break stalemate and push GER back, meant GER forces weakened at Verdun allowing to get forts back
- Gained land 25km long and 6km wide allies lost 620,000, GER 500,000
Haig critics as misjudged sending men into battle however Verdun was saved and GER weakened
13
Q
The Somme
- preparing
- problems
- attack
A
- 24 June huge artillery bombardment to destroy front lines so troops could walk across
- GER planes spotted it coming so pulled troops back and took cover in concrete dugouts and put barbed wire out so shells made it worse, then brought machine guns to front line
- 1 july, soldiers went over the top and thought all GER dead, GER shot down 60,000 casualties and 20,000 dead most casualties in a single day, some gains were made as he continued to send men but no breakthrough, creeping barrage used
14
Q
Passchendale
- when
- reason
- results
A
- July to November 1917
- BR vs GER for control of Ypres, attacks tried before but never completely successful, mutiny had started in FR army, Brit filled hill with explosives in Messines and detonated on 7 June, blast felt in London
- BR lost 30,000 in a week, artillery didn’t destroy German positions, fighting carried on, by October reached passchendale, 8km from starting then captured village but called of in November as weather, 400,000 BR and empire injured/killed, GER lost 300,000, haig rep ruined, officer inspected ‘did we really send men to fight in this’
15
Q
Passchendale
- attack
- events
A
- after messines haig ordered army to Ypres for quick breakthrough and capture Belgian city ports being used as GER sub base, haig felt right time to attack with fear of Russia leaving and america joining so more supplies
- 18 July attacked, sent millions of shells but ground turned to mud from heavy rainfall, 31 July ground attacks, people drowned in mud
