W: Reasons for Allied Victory

Question 1

Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive

Impact - near victory

Answer 1

• Saw Russia’s withdrawal as an opportunity to break the stalemate before American troops would be felt. Quickly redirected troops to the Western front - although 1 million troops were left to maintain occupation and exploit resources.
• Utilised strong weaponary - flamethrowers, gas, artillery barrage.
• Took more territory in action than the Allies had managed in three and a half years. Broke holes in the line
• April 1918: 100,000 prisoners captured.

Question 2

Failure of Ludendorff’s Offensive

details and the defeat

Answer 2

• Lost Second Battle of the Marne (July 1918) [numbers met with American troops]
• 1 million casualties at this point.
• His gamble had not paid off - resources and men depleting, and American troops were being felt.
• Late July: Allied troops crossed the Somme, Paris was saved. Taking 130 000 German prisoners, 14 000 machine guns. These losses were irreplacable, and Germany was close to defeat.

Question 3

Failure of Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive

why

Answer 3

• General Foch described Ludendorff’s tactics as “buffalo tactics” - strong, agressive attacks but without thought, resulting in eventual exhaustion.
• Ludendorff’s tactics were brilliant, but he had no contigency plans for failure or large-scale strategic plans.
• They broke Allied lines, but paradoxically this exposed armies to greater defeat as they did not secure their terriotry well.

Question 4

Coordination of Allied generalship and the Allied counteroffensive

Answer 4

Allied forces united under French General Ferdinand Foch (including American troops)
* Organisation was essential to stop the incoming German offensive.
* Utilisation of new tactices (All Arms Warfare) and emphasis on tanks to break lines.

• Battle of Amiens (All Arms Warfare) : “8 August was the black day of the German army”
• Sep - Oct: attacking the front line in different locations in quick succession to weaken the exhausted, retreating German army.

Question 5

Other reasons

Answer 5

• Failure of the Schlieffen Plan - forced to fight a two-front war of attrition they were not prepared for.
• Weakness of allies - liabilities who only fought the Eastern front and many internal disputes.
• And conversely, the combined economic and military might of the Allied empires (France, Britain, America)
• Allied blockade of Central Power - severe food shortages - economic harship on the homefront too
• Collapse of German morale - economic crisis, trickling news of failure, mutinies, US troops.
• Technology - Germany did not utilise tanks as the Allied forces did.
• Economy could not supply the battle front

Question 6

German advantages

Answer 6

• Strongest economy in Europe (rapid industrialisation)
• Large well trained and equipped army - modern weaponary
• Centrally located and move troops easily through extensive railway network.

Question 7

Entry of the US into the War

background

Answer 7

Public outrage over:
1. Submarine campaign, sinking 4 ships by 1917
2. Zimmerman Telegram proposing German-Mexican action against the US

Question 8

Entry of the US into the war

Impact - general and army

Answer 8

• 30% of foodstuffs were exported from North America
• However by 1917 Allies were no longer reliant on the US for imports, and Britain sent supplies to support the Allies.
• Selective Service Act (May 1917): 2 million at the front
• Germany no longer had numerical superiority
• Fought the battle of marne

Most significant impact: morale
* Allies: they had fresh troops, and another strong empire to support
* Germany: decrease, up against the strongest economy with fresh troops.

Question 9

Entry of the US into the War

naval impact

Answer 9

• Implementation of convoy system - troop/merchant ships travelling in groups escorted by crusiers and destroyers -> no troop ships sunk after
• 56 000 mines placed through the North Sea, restricting Germany’s submarine campaign.
• Available navy tonnage from 1 - 10 million - transporting high amounts of resources to turn the tide of war.

Question 10

Strains on the German home front

Answer 10

• Inflation
• Shortage of essentials
• Resulting in dissilusionment and war weariness (soldiers began to mutiny and return home)
• Major strikes resulted in weakened war production already impacted by Allied blockade.
• Battlefront was thus poorly supplied.