Fighting WWI – Trench warfare

Enduring Understandings1. Nationalism, imperialism, militarism, and alliances propelled the

industrialized nations into a devastating world war.2. Advancement of technology changed the nature of global conflict and

cooperation.3. Cooperation among nations may not necessarily be fair for all parties.

1. Intro to how WWI was fought.2. Complete page 2 – graphically organize understanding of how the

war was fought.3. Watch the Battle for Verdun and the Battle of the Somme – answer

the questions

As nations mobilize for war, Germany employs the Schlieffen Plan – a strategy to attack France through the flat plains of Flanders – in Belgium

Germany, between the two big powers of Russia and France was afraid of fighting a two front war.

It was thought that Russia—with its lack of railroads—would have difficulty mobilizing its troops so Germany could defeat France, and then focus on Russia.

Violation of Belgian neutrality brings Great Britain into the war

Germany goes on the offensive

The Plan – attack through Belgium, reach the sea and turn towards Paris – defeating France in 6 weeks.

The Fear – Two Front WarThe actual event

Schlieffen Plan fails

Assumptions:1. Russia won’t mobilize for at least 6 weeks2. Belgians can’t fight – so victory will be easy3. Britain will remain neutral4. France will be defeated in 6 weeks and will at

first attempt to go on the offensive in Alsace-Lorraine

Reality:1. Russia mobilized in 10 days – maps of

outbreak of war2. Belgians put up stiff resistance3. Britain entered war quickly when Belgium

was attacked4. France put up stiff resistance and fought hard

- The Allied victory at the Marne breaks

the back of the Schlieffen Plan – the war then turns into……

The Allied victory at the Marne breaks the back of the Schlieffen Plan

Trench warfare and the failure to capture new ground make life on the Western Front an ongoing horror

New weapons of war—machine guns (much improved by the time of WWI), flame throwers, tanks, poison gas, airplanes, submarines, etc.—are used in battles along the Western Front

Despite major battles and horrific casualties, neither side advances far – maps of Western Front

Bloody Stalemate

The first major battle of the war involving trench warfare is the Battle of VerdunGermans conduct a sneak attack on the

fortress city of VerdunThe French thought it was a feint and that the

real attack would come somewhere elseFrance holds and then counterattacksThe German Plan by von Falkenhayn is to

“bleed the French white.” The first example of a war of attrition. Goal - Kill as many Frenchmen as possible.

This is the bloodiest battle of the war – over a million men are killed on both sides combined.

Watch video and answer question sheet.

Trench Warfare

The second major battle of the war involving trench warfare is the Battle of Somme – July 1, 1916 to November 18, 1916France wants Britain to attack Germany to relieve

the pressure on VerdunThe Germans were forced to move troops to

Verdun to defend their positions there.Britain began with a 7 day artillery barrage –

1,738,000 shells were firedThe Germans were protected by deep bunkers and

trenchesThe British then charged right into heavy machine

gun fire, losing 60,000 on the first day.Bad weather and exhaustion end the offensive

with 7 miles gained and 620,000 allied and 500,000 German casualties

Watch video and answer question sheet.

Trench Warfare

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Russians and Serbs battle Germans, Austrians, and Turks along the Eastern Front in 1914

Without modern technology, the Russian army was continually short on food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, and blankets; hangs on through sheer strength of its numbers

Allies are unable to ship war supplies to Russia’s ports

The Russian Bolshevik Revolution leads to a change in government and a demand to end the war

Russia loses and then signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ending their war and giving land to Germany

Eastern Front

The War Spreads to the rest of the world…