World War 1 Flashcards
How important were new developments such as tanks, machine guns, aircraft and gas?
World war 1 popularized the use of machine guns. This weapon, along with barbed wire and mines, made movement across open land both difficult and dangerous. Thus, trench warfare was introduced. The British introduced tanks in 1916, they were used with airplanes and artillery to advance the front. Poison gas was first used by the Germans in Belgium, and it was soon considered so inhumane that chemical warfare was banned for future wars from 1925. Tanks were largely ineffective due to mechanical issues for most of the war. Airplanes were largely used for scouting seeing what the artillery were hitting.
What was living and fighting in the trenches like?
Trenches were long, narrow ditches dug into the ground where soldiers lived. They were very muddy, uncomfortable and suffered from sanitation problems. These conditions caused some soldiers to develop medical problems such as “trench foot” There were many lines of German trenches on one side and many lines of the allies trenches on the other. In the middle was no man’s land, which soldiers crossed to attack the other side.
How successful was the BEF?
Their purpose was largely to aid the French by preventing a breakthrough by the Germans on the Western Front. In the Battle of the Somme, they arguably achieved the goal as they spread the German army further, reducing the pressure in Verdun. In addition, land, albeit little, was gained. That being said, the perhaps avoidable and reckless deaths were large in number and displayed inefficiency in their operations. While they were relatively successful on paper, the many lives lost provide a sizeable counterargument.
How was the Schlieffen Plan intended to work?
Germany wanted to defeat France, especially before the Russian army fully mobilized. The hope was that if the support of the French was lost, Britain and Russia would withdraw. So, they were going to send a majority of their troops to attack France largely through Belgium and seemed to target Paris as a main objective.
How important was Belgium’s reaction to the Schlieffen Plan?
Belgium did its best to defend itself against German invasion. It was not very successful as the forts it expected to be able to hold back the Germans were obliterated by modern artillery. However, at Antwerp and in the country to Belgian army fought hard. These forced the Germans to keep a few troops back and since the Battle of the Marne was close it may have helped save France.
Why did both sides introduce trenches?
Both sides introduced trenches since they were one of the few ways to keep their troops alive in an age of machine guns and artillery. They gave cover but since trenches cannot move they made sure the war stayed in one place.
What was the significance of the battles of Verdun and the Somme?
Verdun and the Somme proved to be large, bloody stalemates that proved to both sides that the war could not be won quickly or with a low cost. It led both sides to adopt strategies of attrition in 1917 i.e. German Bleeding Out and Allied Bite and Hold. The names are remembered as a symbol of the pointless carnage of the First World War in European popular culture.
Why did the war become bogged down in the trenches?
The war became static because the military technology of the time made attacking hard. Artillery and machine gun fire made it very dangerous to be out in the open. Engines were not yet powerful enough to move tanks, bombers or supply trucks effectively. Railroads were the best way to move supplies, and they cannot be build fast enough to support an attack. Attackers had to use horses to bring supplies to the front.
Why did the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915 fail?
The Gallipoli campaign failed for 3 main reasons. First the British failed to break through the straights with their warships due to several being destroyed by Turkish mines. Churchill wanted to push through but was overruled.
Second, the Allied commanders made several mistakes. They landed on the wrong beach to a navigational error and tried to fight up a steep hill with Turkish guns looking down on it at a place now called ANZAC cove.
Finally, Turkish resistance was more effective than they expected. The British had a low opinion of non-Europeans military effectiveness but were proved wrong here as the Turks fought well and stubbornly, forcing them to withdraw.
What was rationing and how did it impact civilian populations?
Rationing is when the government allows people to get a certain amount of something, in this case food, and no more. It was used to try to make sure there was enough food for everyone during the war. Many people tried to get around this in black markets. In the UK it actually meant the poor ate better than before the war, but in the Central Powers and Russia rations were not enough to keep people alive.
How did the war impact political rights?
All powers severely restricted civil liberties during the war. Everyone but the US and UK adopted ‘Martial law’ giving the military full power to censor the press and speech. The government also took full control of railroads, factories and the food supply. In the US this was done with the Espionage and Sedition Acts and DORA (Defense of the Realm Act) in the UK.
What countries had food shortages during the war and why?
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and the Ottoman Empire all had major food shortages during the war. This was not caused by farmland being destroyed but because too many men were in the army and factories were busy making weapons and equipment for the war to make things like fertilizer and farm equipment. France and the US/UK had no major food shortages as they could import food by sea, or were the main food producer like the US.
4-4-4
Soldiers did not spend all their time fighting in the trenches. On paper they spent 4 weeks on the front, 4 in reserve away from the front and 4 resting.
What is Poison Gas ?
There were several types, the most most common being chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas. Chlorine stops people from breathing but is easily stopped by gas masks, which many people used. Later in the war Phosgene was developed, which can go through masks but takes a day to take effect. Mustard gas burns the skin and eyes, often causing blindness but not death. As a % of war deaths it was small but horrified people more than most other weapons
Who won the war at sea?
Germany sank a lot of Allied shipping with unrestricted submarine warfare in 1915 and 1917. It also sank more ships than the Allied navies at Jutland. However, the Allies controlled the sea trade throughout the war and Germany failed to cut off the UK’s trade from the US and the colonies, so the stronger case is that the British won.
