WWI Flashcards
What was the phrase often used to describe the war?
‘the war to end all wars’
Why were the German’s slowed down in Belgium?
August 4th: German army walked into belgium August 14th: German soldiers entered Brussels capital Germany advanced up the river Marne but the French + British launched a counterattack
Why was the Battle of the Marne so important? What happened in the meantime?
Turning point of WWI as German advance was stopped ‘The miracle of the Marne’ saved France Meanwhile, the Serbs had driven Austria out of Serbia, and the Russian army quickly entered Austria and Eastern Germany August 26th: Battle of Tannenberg, German defeated Russia
What were the conditions of the trenches by the end of 1914? What battle started this system?
Battle of Ypres: particularly bloody and so trenches were made. This brought a 3 year stalemate. Drainage was terrible, water up to soldier’s thighs, mice and rats were everywhere.
What was the nature of fighting on the Western Front? Consequences? Weapons?
- Demoralising, trench warfare meant that soldiers died for very small advances
- Terrible consequences: shell shock, green skin from chlorine gas, trench fever and dyssentry.
- Weapons: mortars, machine guns, snipers
Why could neither side break the stalemate?
- Poor communication - ‘runners’ carried messages, may take hours to receive information over 100 yards, often died - German push of Spring 1915 was demoralising for Br + Fr - As a result, Kitchener recruited more individuals to the British Army - Haigh, the new British commander, said that huge improvements in armaments was needed - Women were recruited in factories
What was the ‘war of attrition’? How does the Battle of Verdun illustrate this tactic?
- Using everything they had to reduce the enemy’s strength; wearing them down relentlessly
- 21st February 1916: Germans attacked at Verdun, French would not stop resupplying troops, 350,000 casualties by Novemer
What opinion does S.A.R. have on the Battle of Verdun?
“I think that in the total war, the battle of Verdun was a total battle”
Why was the Somme offensive unsuccessful?
- June 1916 - 19,000 British soldiers were killed in the disastrous first day
- General Haig’s tactics were contraversial - planned for both Br + Fr to advance through German lines on the 1st July 1916
- Needed to advance to take pressure off Verdun
- 600,000 casualties for the allies to advance only 7 miles
- ‘Pals’ Battalions (men from the same town who enlisted together) were slaughtered -> moral damaged
Haigh’s plans of 1917?
- Haigh planned for an attack at Maseen Ridge - 7th June 1917: 20 mines exploded, hugely successful - He then planned for the 3rd battle of Ypres but the mud was too deep -> called off, disaster
Battle of Passionburg?
- November 1917, British introduced Tanks and predicted artillery fire, the enemy were terrified. - 11,000 Germans taken prisoner at the battle of Cambrai (Nov 1917) - Huge success- now mobile warfare (turning point!)
Why did Italy enter the war?
- Declared war on Austria-Hungary in May 1915 - Declared war on Germany on 28th August 1916 - In 1861, they did not get the lands they wanted in Austria, the Treaty of London (signed in 2015 with Br + Fr) promised these lands - Nationalism - French organised street protests in Italy, Italy wanted to prove they were a great power
Why did Turkey enter the war?
- Entered War in August 1915
- Ottoman Empire was in decline- wanted to side with victors (G were doing well at this point)
- Britain stole 2 Commissioned Dreadnoughts from them, Germany replaced them -> friendship
Why did Japan enter the war?
- Declared war on August 22nd 1914
- Wanted to gain economic strength, hoping to gain German Colonies in South Asia
- Rivalry with China
- Germany were easy to attack (had only 6 ships, 6000 mn, no reinforcement)
- Also already friendly with Britain
Why did people think it would be ‘over by christmas’?
- History of short wars (Franco-Prussia 1870-71), First and second Balkan Wars (1909 and 1912)
- Developments in technology, railways and ariel communications gave false hope
