World War One

Question 1

Before the war (1914) there were six great powers:

Answer 1

Britain
France
Germany
Russia
Austria-Hungary
Italy

Question 2

To be considered great you had to have…

Answer 2

• a large population
• a large overseas empire
• a large European empire
• a great army
• a great navy
• wealth (trade and industry)

Question 3

What countries were involved in the triple alliance?

Answer 3

Germany
Italy
Austria-Hungary

Question 4

What countries were involved in the triple entente

Answer 4

Britain
France
Russia

Question 5

What is the rivalry over the balkans?

Answer 5

• The Black Sea is Russia’s entry to the Mediterranean.
• an enemy could access Russia through the straights of the Black Sea
• Russia must control this area

Question 6

Name 7 reasons why World War One started

Answer 6

• Austria and Russia competing fir influence in south east Europe.
• naval rivalry between Germany and Britain
• arms between Germany and France
• French unhappiness at the loss of Alsace and Lorraine in 1887
• two alliance systems in existence
• Germany attempts to gain colonies which annoys and frightens France, Britain and Russia
• the assassination at Sarajevo sparked off World War One

Question 7

By the end of 1914, from where to where were the trenches and how many miles was that?

Answer 7

The channel coast to Switzerland

over 370miles

Question 8

How were trenches linked?

Answer 8

By communication trenches

Question 9

For every 1 and a half kilometres of front how many miles of trenches were there?

Answer 9

30

Question 10

What was in front of the trench?

Answer 10

Barrier of barbed wire (15m thick)

Question 11

How close might 2 enemy trenches be?

Answer 11

Two trench lines could be as much as 800m apart, in a few places the enemy was just 20m away.

Question 12

What was the area that was being fought for?

Answer 12

No mans land

Question 13

What did the ordinary soldier carry?

Answer 13

A bayonet and a rifle which fired up to 25 shots per minute. These were no match for machine guns which fired 600 rounds per minute.

Question 14

How many miles of trenches were there?

Answer 14

400

Question 15

What were the trenches like?

Vermin + disease

Answer 15

Rats in particular were a problem as they ate soldier’s food as well as the actual soldiers while they slept, they were the size of small cats from feeding of dead soldiers. Lice also caused a disease called Trench Fever that made the solders’ itch terribly and caused a disease called Trench Fever that made the solders’ itch terribly and caused fever, headache, sore muscles, bones, and joints. Many soldiers living in the trenches suffered from Trench Foot.

Question 16

What were the trenches like?

Food

Answer 16

The bulk of their diet in the trenches was bully beef (caned corned beef), bread and biscuits. By the winter of 1916 flour was in such short supply that bread was being made with dried ground turnips.

Question 17

What were the trenches like?

Weather

Answer 17

Many soldiers died from simply being exposed to the cold, as the temperature was often below zero within the trenches in winter. Soldiers would sometimes lose fingers and toes due to exposure to extreme cold. The rain often filled the trenches; sometimes, the trenches would fill with water up to the soldiers’ waists. The sustained exposure to the wet, muddy conditions could cause Trench Foot, which sometimes would result in the foot being amputated.

Question 18

What were the trenches like?

dangers

Answer 18

•The sustained exposure to the wet, muddy conditions could cause diseases like Trench Foot, which sometimes would result in the foot being amputated.
•Gases were a big problem, they came in 3 basic varieties.
-lachrymator caused temporary blindness
-asphyxiate, these are the main gases. (Chlorine, phosgene and diphosgene)
-blistering agent, dichlorethylsulphide, the most dreaded chemicals In ww1 - mustard gas. It burnt the skin
•if you peaked over the trench you would most likely get shot in the head.