Part two: trench warfare 1914-1918 Flashcards
1
Q
What was the ‘Race to the sea’?
A
Following events of First Battle of Marne and First Battle of Aisne, an attempt by the British and French to outflank the northern wing of the German Army and attack its rear, Germans and Allies raced to the North Sea.
2
Q
What were the consequences of the race to the sea?
A
neither side gained a decisive advantage.
resulted in a line of trenches and led to stalemate
3
Q
When did the race to the sea happen?
A
17 Sept – 30 Nov 1914
4
Q
What were trenches?
A
long, deep ditches dug as protective defenses
5
Q
which two points did trenches stretch from and how long?
A
Belgian coast to Switzerland frontier (400 miles)
6
Q
how long did people think the war would last?
A
until Christmas as few people thought a war fought with so many destructive weapons would not last more than a few months
7
Q
What were conditions like in trenches?
A
very muddy, uncomfortable and the toilets overflowed.
Full of water mud in winter, flies in summer and rats.
soldiers contracted trench foot and many diseases. Soldiers were infested with lice.
8
Q
how many British men died in the trenches due to unsanitary conditions?
A
about 200,000 from disease and infection
9
Q
what shape were trenches built in and why?
A
zig zag to prevent the destruction of the whole trench when attacked
10
Q
What was important in trenches?
A
Discipline was important – 3080 were condemned to death for not following orders and 346 actually had the sentence carried out
11
Q
What was the form of attack “Over the top”?
A
Wave of soldiers, bayonets fixed, going “over the top” and marching in a line across no man’s land into a hail of enemy fire. It was rarely successful.
12
Q
what was the tank?
A
1916 somme vehicle that was used to attempt at breaking the stalemate
“tank” so that people would think it was an innocent water tank
13
Q
what are advantages of the tank?
A
were able to cross trenches and wire entanglements whilst giving soldiers protection
14
Q
what were the disadvantages of the tank?
A
1.slow and unreliable (4mph)
2.would frequently get stuck in the mud
3.were not able to cross enemy lines
15
Q
what was a machine gun?
A
lethal guns that could fire 600 bullets per minute. needed 6 men to operate one. aided the stalemate as it made it near impossible to cross no mans land without sacrificing soldiers
16
Q
what were advantages to the machine gun?
A
- could bring down rows of soldiers from a distance
- could be situated onto planes and tanks
- immense fire power
17
Q
what were advantages to the machine gun?
A
- could bring down rows of soldiers from a distance
- could be situated onto planes and tanks
- immense fire power
18
Q
disadvantages of the machine gun?
A
lack of mobility, heavyweight (needed 6 ment to carry one)
19
Q
what was artillery?
A
weapons such as shells, guns and mortars used to dislodge enemy weapons. caused 60% of battlefield casualties. most destructive weapon and could destroy fortified positions.
20
Q
what were advantages of artillery?
A
- caused mass destruction and casualties
- The greatest rate of fire attainable by the British was 48 rounds in 75 seconds
- could fire shells of up to 100 pounds up to 34000 yards
21
Q
disadvantages of artillery in ww1?
A
- expensive
- heavy weight
- demanded lots of time to make
22
Q
what was poison gas?
A
first used by Germans in April 1915 (160 tonnes of chlorine gas). two main types were chlorine and mustard gas.
23
Q
what were chlorine and mustard gas used for?
A
chlorine- green colour. irritated the lung tissue causing a choking effect that could cause death.
mustard- nearly invisible. blistered the skin, eyes, and lungs. slow painful death. could cause amnesia and blind soldiers
24
Q
what were disadvantages of poison gas?
A
1.difficult to control and relied on the direction of the wind and accuracy of the artillery shells
2. scientists created effective gas masks soldiers always had access to
25
what were aircrafts?
were very recent inventions when World War One broke out. For example, France only had 140 aircraft when war began but by the end of it, they had used around 4,500. mainly used to spy on the enemy but were not used frequently for attack.
26
How did aircrafts change from being used for spying to combat?
Anthony Fokker is credited with developing the first synchronized gear for the German army in 1915 and so planes begin being used for air to air combat
27
What were the consequences of developments in aircraft?
They were more used for spotting the enemy and for gathering intelligence. Later in the war, fighter planes were fitted with machine guns. Heavier planes were developed that dropped bombs on the enemy. By 1918, planes had been developed that could drop bombs on Berlin.
28
when was the battle of the Somme fought?
July 1 to November 18, 1916
29
what was the battle of the somme?
a joint operation between British and French forces intended to achieve a decisive victory over the Germans on the Western Front
bloodiest battle in British history
launched to help relieve pressure on French soldiers fighting in Verdun
30
What happened at the Battle of the Somme?
General Sir Douglas Haig ordered a week-long artillery bombardment of more than a million shells starting on June 24 but most shells failed to detonate and german dugouts remained undamaged and their wire barricades remained intact. At 7:30 a.m, expecting little German resistance, soldiers went over the top and were mowed down by German artillery and machine gun fire.
31
Why were the soldiers not able to move quickly at the Battle of the Somme?
were carrying 60 pounds of gear to shore up enemy positions that they believed had been blown out by artillery and abandoned.
32
How many casualties did the British face on the first day of the Battle of the Somme?
57,000
33
how many casualties were there on each side following the battle of the Somme?
British- 420,000
French- 200,000
Germany- 500,000
34
what were the outcomes of the Somme?
French were able to hold their advance without the British and after 5 months the allies had only gained 5 miles.
inflicted serious damage on German positions in France, spurring the Germans to strategically retreat to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 rather than continue battling over the same land that spring.
35
what is verdun?
very important city to the french which is surrounded by strateigc forts. It had a network of concrete infantry shelters, armoured observation posts, command posts and underground shelters between the forts.
36
what were the causes of verdun?
Germans wanted to knock France out of the war. to “bleed france white”. they chose verdun due to its forts
37
when and what was the battle of verdun?
Feb 21st to Dec 1916
Both sides poured mass amounts of soldier and resources into the battle
Germany had to confront both British and Russian at the western and eastern front so it stretched their resources
38
what were the outcomes of verdun?
weakened both sides and led to the early launch of the Somme offensive (France won tho)
39
what was the battle of Passchendaele also known as?
the Third Battle of Ypres and the "Battle of mud"
40
what was the Battle of Passchendaele?
Joint British and Canadian offensive
Haig, following a warning that the German blockade would soon cripple the British war effort, wanted to reach the Belgian coast to destroy the German submarine bases there.
41
when and where did the Battle of Passchendaele take place?
July 1917 to 10th November 1917 in the Ypres Salient
42
What happened at the Battle of Passchendale?
Germans knew an attack was imminent and Allies failed to destroy fortified positions. The infantry attack began on 31 July. Constant shelling had churned the clay soil and smashed the drainage systems. Heavies rain of 30 years turned fields to quagmire ,clogged up rifles and immobilised tanks.
43
How many casualties were there following the Battle of Passchendaele?
A total of 240,000 British and 220,000 German soldiers were wounded or killed.
44
How did the battle of Passchendale end?
The eventual capture of what little remained of Passchendaele village by British and Canadian forces on 6 November finally gave Haig an excuse to call off the offensive and claim success but it was only 5 miles from starting point.
45
why did the Battle of Passchendaele fail?
1. The Germans were aware of the oncoming attack
2. Heavy rains turned the battlefield into a quagmire. Soldiers were knee-deep in liquid mud, making it difficult to move.
46
What were the consequences of the Battle of Passchendale?
The landscape and village of Passchendaele were completely destroyed.
Mustard gas was also used regularly by the Germans in the Battle of Passchendaele and soldiers were blinded, choked, suffocated, developed infections and received severe burns.
47
When did the Battle of Gallipoli happen?
Feb 1915-Jan 1916
48
what was the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915?
Britain tried to knock Germany's ally Turkey out of the war. they planned to launch a sea to land invasion at Gallipoli
49
What was Winston Churchill's plan for the Battle of Gallipoli?
-Capture the Turkish capital, Constantinople, and force Turkey to surrender
-Reopen a supply route to Russia
-Encourage the neutral countries of Bulgaria, Greece and Romania join the war on the side of the Allies.
50
what happened at the Battle of Gallipoli?
1. Winston Churchill (British naval advisor) suggested an attack up the Dardanelles strait towards turkish capital
2. March 1915 the navy faced heavy bombardment upon entering the Strait, the water was also covered in sea mines (only success lay in land)
3. April 1915 British, French and ANZAC troops landed at Gallipoli
51
What was the Battle of Gallipoli?
Western front was deadlocked and less costly attacks through Balkans was discussed.
British wanted to capture Constantinople, join with Russians and knock Germany's ally turkey out of the war.
Bad weather caused delays and attack was abandoned after 6 British ships sunk.
Turks had time to better forces because of British delay who were met with costly attacks on peninsula.
52
What were the casualties of the Battle of Gallipoli?
Turks lost 300,00 men
Allies lost 214,000 men
53
what were the outcomes of the Battle of Gallipoli?
it was impossible to make gains because of rocky terrain, steep cliffs and intense heat. casualties were very high. decision was taken to withdraw in Nov 1915
Turks suffered almost as many casualties as allies, but their victory at Gallipoli rejuvenated the Ottoman war effort.
54
why was the Battle of Gallipoli significant?
first major amphibious battle (sea to land). showed that britain could not break the stalemate
55
what was the Battle of Jutland in 1916?
major naval battle between britain and germanyy on 31st may 1916
56
what were the causes and events of the battle of Jutland?
causes- Germany wanted to break the British Blockade of german ports and weaken the royal navy
events- there was a lot of chaos and confusion during the battle. Germans did the most damage but the British fleet was too large for them. germans sank 14 British ships and lost 11. Germans lost 2,500 sailors whereas British suffered 6,000
57
what were the outcomes of the Battle of Jutland?
both sides claimed to have won. germans because they caused more damage than received. british because the germans went back to port first and never came back to sea. Blockade didnt break.
58
what was the significance of the Battle of Jutland?
only major sea battle of war, only time Germanys battleships left port , stalemate stretched to sea
59
what was the British blockade and German U boat campaign in 1914 to 1918?
many people expected major sea battles during the war however there was only one with no clear winner. britian preferred blockading German ports and Germans relied on their U Boat
60
What were disguised merchant ships?
Q boats were developed to trick U boats to attack. Germany was successfully blockaded and led to their surrender in Nov. 1918
61
what were the causes and events of the british blockade and German U boat campaign?
causes- each side wanted to stop vital supllies, food and weapons getting to the enemy. britains used ships and germans aimed to sink ships with submarines
events- royal navy blockade was successful germans were starved. germany launched a U boat campaign against allied ships travelling across the Atlantic. food shortages were caused in Britain
62
what were the outcomes and significance of the British blockade and German U boat campaign?
outcomes- Britain responded to U boat attacks by organising supply ships into convoys that were protected by the royal navy
significance- played a key role in the surrender of Germany and Germany targeted US ships as well as britian
63
What were the consequences of U boat warfare?
By June 1917, Britain lost 500 000 tons of shipping. At one point, it was estimated that London had only six weeks supply of food left.
64
Why did Russia withdraw from the war?
Because it was in the interest of Russian Communists (Bolsheviks) who took power in November 1917. The Bolsheviks' priority was to win a civil war against their domestic opponents, not to fight in WW1. They also thought that Germany would soon lose the war in any case so they left the war in March of 1918.
65
Why did the USA enter the war?
-Germany resuming unrestricted submarine warfare after pledging to stop in 1915.
-Allies' propaganda campaigns in the United States built support for anti-German sentiments
-publication of the Zimmerman Telegram, which requested that Mexico attack the United States and distract it from the war in Europe.
66
What was the impact of the USA joining ww1?
made the eventual defeat of Germany possible as Allies' military effort against Germany was upheld by U.S. supplies and by enormous extensions of credit.
67
what was the Ludernoff Spring Offensive in 1918?
series of German attacks along the Western Front. planned by Erich Ludernoff (German general)
68
Why was the Ludendorff Offensive launched?
1. USA was sending 50,000 troops each month to the Western Front, along with vast amounts of weapons and equipment.
2. withdrawal of Russia freed up hundreds of thousands of troops from the Eastern Front.
3. British naval blockade meant Germany was running out of food and war materials.
69
when did the Ludernoff offensive happen?
The offensive was launched on 21st March 1918 and ended in July 1918.
70
What happened during the Ludendorff Offensive?
1. 600 German guns began a five-hour bombardment and then mustard gas was released
2. stormtroopers advanced to enemy trenches
3. 10s of thousand brits were captured
4. German infantry soldiers follwed and captured 65km of french territory by July
5. Second Battle of the Marne, 20,000 US troops arrived to reinforce the Allies. This halted the German attack.
71
Why did the Ludendorff Offensive fail?
1. Ludendorff sent too many men into France
2. The supply chain couldn't keep up and soldiers ran out of food and ammunition.
3. created a salient on german lines. Germans were vulnerable to counter-attacks which could break their line.
4. Hungry German soldiers stopped to loot food and wine from captured villages and Allied supply dumps
72
what was the 100 days offensive in 1918?
series of Allied attacks which ended the First World War.
73
What happened during the 100 Days Offensive?
1. At Amiens an artillery attack and creeping barrage broke through the German lines and allowed an Allied advance of 25km. Allied troops also captured 48,000 German soldiers.
2. After breaking the front line at Amiens, the Allies forced the Germans back to the Hindenburg Line which was broken by 8th October
74
When was the 100 Days Offensive?
8th August 1918, and ended officially on 11th November 1918
75
Why was the 100 Days Offensive important?
1. It allowed the Allies to break the Hindenburg Line, a defensive line of three trench systems. Once this was broken, the Germans retreated in huge numbers.
2. The offensive led to the German High Command seeking an armistice which came into effect on 11th November, 1918.
76
How did the war end (6 points)?
1.Russia withdrew in 1917 after communists came to power and signed a treaty with Germany
2. April 1917 Usa joined the war through u-boat warfare
3. March 1918 Germany launched successful offensive that was counter-attacked by allies
4. negotiations of ceasefire in oct 1918
5. Crisis in Germany over nov riots and on the 9th the Kaiser was abdicated and Germany became republic
6. Armistice came into effect on 11th nov and Germany had to surrender
