WW1 Flashcards
How dId Belgium’s response help stop the Schlieffen Plan?
They refused to let German troops march through, forcing Germany to invade on 3rd August. This brought Britain into the war. Belgium put up more of a fight than the Germans expected, delaying the Germans and not falling until 20th August. This allowed the BEF to arrive and the French to organise.
How did Britain’s response help stop the Schlieffen Plan?
They declared war on 4th August. The BEF of 125000 men arrived quickly in France. They were a professionally trained army and met the Germans at the Battle of Mons.
How did Russia’s response help stop the Schlieffen Plan?
Russia invaded Germany on 17th August, far quicker than the six weeks the Germans expected Russia would take to mobilise. This meant von Moltke had to split his army and send some forces to the Eastern Front after all. This weakened the ability of the main army to advance and ruined the objective of the Schlieffen Plan.
What was Plan 17?
France had been aware of the Schlieffen Plan since 1913 and had developed Plan 17 in response. They would invade Germany via the Alsace-Lorraine frontier, then attack its capital Berlin, while Germany was trying to get through Belgium. Germany had no Italian support on the border, but France failed to invade. They wore red and blue uniforms and German machine guns had massacred them, killing 300000 French soldiers.
What was the Battle of Mons?
On 23rd August, as the Germans had almost passed through Belgium, they were met by the BEF at the town of Mons. The Germans were surprised as they were not expecting to see British soldiers yet. The smaller British force held the Germans back long enough to allow France time to retreat and reorganise. The British, though, had to retreat, which was a blow to British morale, who were expecting an easy war.
What was the Battle of the Marne?
French soldiers who survived the Plan 17 assault regrouped with the retreating French army at the Marne. The Germans had planned to head to Paris but lacked the power so were forced to face the French at the Marne. It lasted four days. General Joffre brought in additional manpower from Paris. The Germans lost contact with the right wing, attempting to flank the Allied army, which overextended and found itself surrounded, forcing them to retreat to the Aisne River. It was a decisive Allied victory, ending the Schlieffen Plan.
How did trenches start?
After the Germans retreated to the Aisne River, soldiers began to dig small pits, in which a single soldier could hide. These proved of such value that they were soon extended. The Allies followed their example and dug down as well.
How did Britain expand its army in 1914?
It had a professional army - the BEF of 125000 men - but needed more men. Recruiting posters made people feel they had a duty to sign up. Women gave out white feathers to men who had not volunteered. Propaganda gave people a rosy picture of the war and exaggerated the cruelty of the enemy; censorship denied them the real news from the front. ‘Pals battalions’ were made up of people from one town or group. By September 1914 there were half a million volunteers; another half a million had joined by February 1915.
What was the Race for the Sea?
Both sides knew how important sea access was and pushed north, extending their trenches. Germany captured some important cities like Antwerp, while the Allies held Dunkirk and Calais. The Germans wanted the Channel ports to stop British supplies and soldiers arriving. At the First Battle of Ypres the Allies were pushed off the high ground but dug trenches in winter, ending the war of movement. By the end of 1914, trench lines stretched 470km. Stalemate was reached.
What were trenches like?
They were about 10 feet deep and heavily fortified. They were dug in a zigzag formation. Behind the front line, communication trenches allowed troops to move forward and back. Soldiers were rotated between the lines. Saps were dug into no-man’s land to allow listening posts to be set up. They were supported with wood, corrugated iron and sandbags. Machine guns and lines of barbed wire defended them. Sentries spotted enemy attacks.
What was trench warfare like?
Generals were not used to trench warfare. They tried using artillery to break through barbed wire, but it warned the enemy of an attack and was not very successful. Soldiers then had to climb out of trenches and try to run across no-man’s land, often thick with mud. The enemy would fight back with machine guns and cannons. Soldiers would then climb into the enemy trench and ‘take’ it, armed with rifle and bayonet.
What was life in the trenches like?
There was constant bombardment from the enemy. Trenches were full of rats, lice, fleas and mud. The ground was churned up, making deliveries difficult. Soldiers suffered trench foot, while some developed gangrene and had to had feet amputated. Frostbite was common. Trenches were unhygienic. Soldiers had to stand to at dawn and dusk.
How was poison gas used in WW1?
It was for the first time by the Germans at the Second Battle of Ypres, in 1915. Chlorine was used first, then phosgene and mustard gas. Initially the Allies had no protection, but eventually proper gas masks were used. Allied governments condemned the attacks, but they used it too later. There were 1.3m casualties from gas attacks but only 90,000 fatalities. They had a terrifying psychological impact and removed soldiers from the front line from 6-8 weeks to be treated.
What was the Battle of Verdun?
In February 1916, the Germans attacked the French fortress of Verdun. They used a massive artillery barrage, followed by advancing infantry, using gas shells and flame throwers. Huge losses were suffered by both sides and the French were forced to retreat. The French commander, Philippe Petain, ordered them to retake the lost ground. He was harsh but provided plenty of supplies and brought in reinforcements. The battle went on for months, but by November the French were beginning to win.
What was the Battle of the Somme?
In order to help the French at Verdun, the British ordered a counter-attack at the Somme. They aimed to make the Germans fight two major battles at once. The British took months to prepare, building up huge stores of ammunition and examining enemy trenches. It continued despite them discovering the Germans were reinforcing dugouts with concrete. For six days before the attack there was an artillery barrage to clear barbed wire. It failed, but commander Sir Douglas Haig ordered an advance regardless. On 1st July 1916 soldiers were sent over the top. Although some successes were seen, most were lost by the evening. There were 57000 British casualties on the first day. The battle lasted until November, with British advances of 15km in some places. More than 1m soldiers were killed, 400,000 of whom were British. The Germans were not defeated but they were worn down.
