First World War

Breakdown and reformation of alliance

• 1890: Wilhelm dismisses Otto von Bismarck• End of Russo-German Alliance

Industrialization and a new alliance

• Germany replaces Britain as leading industrial power

• France has inferiority complex• Treaty with Russia

Relationship status: it’s complicated

1907 — Triple Entente 1882 — Triple Alliance

Climate of Hate

• State power grew• Nationalism grew• State was able to raise armies of millions, not

just thousands• Social Darwinism

The Arms Race

“Weltpolitik”

The demand for a German share in world domination

German foreign policy changed to reflect this idea

The masses took up the idea of weltpolitik and support it

Plans for War

• Germany knew it would have to eventually fight a war on two fronts

• Adopted the “Schlieffen Plan”• Named after Count Alfred Von

Schlieffen, chief of the German General Staff, 1891-1906

• France had to be defeated in six months

• Germany would invade France through Belgium

Joseph Jacques Cesaire Joffre

• Created Plan 17 for the French

• He was the commander of the entire French army (1911 – 1916)

• Believed in the fighting spirit of the French man

Plan 17

• After the loss of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany in 1870 France adopted a defensive strategy

• This changed in 1900 and the French wanted revenge, revenge, revenge

• They would attack Germany and re-capture what they lost

• The French believed it was not the French way to sit and wait

• They would attack, attack, attack• The French would send 4/5 of their soldiers

against the fortified positions in Alsace Lorraine

• The only tactic the French had was to use élan

British Plans

• Britain was not obligated to fight with France

• But they did have plans to send a small expeditionary force to the continent if France was attacked

• Britain's main goal was to control the seas and provide a naval blockade of Germany

Short Term Causes

1. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

2. Austria-Hungary declaration of war

3. Mass mobilization

Bang bang – Franz is dead

• JUNE 28, 1914

• THE “SPARK”

• Serbian Independance

Black Hand

• Serbian nationalist gang• Gavril Princip• Blame placed on Serbia

HOLD ON!! THIS IS WHERE IT GETS CRAZY

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand (June 28, 1914)Germany vows to help Austrai-HungaryBlank cheque given (July 5-6, 1914)Austria-Hungary declares war on SerbiaRussia defends Serbia, declares war on AHGermany declares war on RussiaFrance declares war on GermanyGermany invades France and Belgium (August 4, 1914)Britain declares war on GermanyColonies support BritainAmerica is neutralJapan declares war on GermanyItaly neutral

Mobilization

Germany attacks

• The Schlieffen Plan is put into effect

Battle of Liege (5-16 of August, 1914)

• First land battle of the First World War• The Germans attacked the city of Liege• The city was surrounded by 12 forts• Germans finally destroyed the forts on Aug. 16

Forts

Big Bertha

Battle of the Frontiers

• A series of five battles in August, 1914• Over 1,000,000 soldiers involved• Where the Schlieffen Plan meets Plan XVII• Battles:• Mulhouse, Lorraine, Ardennes, Charleroi,

Mons

Frontiers

Battle of the Marne

• September 6 – 10, 1914• German Army stopped 25 miles away from

Paris• France had to decide whether to attack or

retreat

Taxi Cab Battle

Battle of the Marne

• 2 million soldiers involved

• France won because they accepted a high number of casualties

• The end of the Schlieffen plan and German advancement

Marne

• French had 250,000 casualties

First Battle of Ypres

• Ypres was strategically located along the roads leading to the major ports on the Belgian coast

• The British Expeditionary Force held this position

• Germans launched an attack on the 20th of October

• British held off the attack until winter ended the fighting

Ypres II (Apr 22 – May 25)

• Only major German offensive of 1915• 5700 canisters of gas released (Apr. 22, 1915)• Germans managed to break through the allied

lines• Gas used again against Canadian troops• Allies retreated closer to the town of Ypres• A trend of gas warfare emerges

Trench Warfare

• Developed because defensive firepower was greater than offensive firepower

• Characterized by a row of trenches from the North Sea to Switzerland

• Entirely unexpected by the millions of men who volunteered for the army early in the war

Life in the trenches

• Death was a constant companion

• Rat infestation

• Frogs, lice and worse

• Front line, rest, reserve, Front line

Trench Life

• Daily routine

• Rum, rifles and the breakfast truce

• Inspection and chores

• Boredom

Germans and the Rat problem

Weapons of the War

• Bayonet – used for close, hand to hand combat

• Rifle – the infantrys greatest asset

Machine Guns• In 1914, the gun was extremely heavy and

primitive

• A formidable defensive weapon

Tanks

Verdun (Feb 21 – Dec 18, 1916)

• The Germans were going to “Bleed the French white”

• The Germans wanted to win the war before the British could build their strength

• Wanted to destroy the French army• Picked Verdun because he knew the French

would defend it to the last man

Sir Douglas Haig

• Controversial figure

• Commander of the British army from December 1915 onward

• “The machine gun is a much over rated weapon”

Somme

• July 1, 1916 to November 18, 1916• Designed to help the French at

Verdun• British military was untested and

comprised of civilians

Creeping Barrage

The War in 1917

• 1917 would be a year characterized by previously unimaginable suffering and misery

• Britain faced peril, and to win they would need unity

• Germany was content to remain on the defensive and let the enemy break their heads and spirits against overwhelming fortifications

What did the Somme teach the allies?

• That a greater level of information must be given to troops about objectives and terrain

• The creeping barrage must be used more effectively

• Counter-battery artillery work becomes more important

• Coordination between infantry and artillery

Allied Offensive of 1917

• April 9-16 1917

• British would attack at Arras

• French attacked at Aisne

• Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of this plan

Vimy Ridge• 9-12 of April, 1917

• This ridge protected the mines and factories of Germany

• British and French had previously failed to capture ridge

Vimy Ridge

Planning Vimy

• Canadians commanded by Julian Byng

• Meticulous preparation and reconnaissance

• Massive artillery bombardment preceded the attack

• Canadians toyed with the German psyche

Tunnels

The Battle

• Canadians attacked behind the creeping barrage

• German front line captured in 30 minutes• 2nd line captured in 1 hour• Entire ridge captured by April 12, 1917• 3598 Canadian dead• Germans suffered 20,000 casualties

French Mutiny

• Sparked by the failure of the Nivelle Offensive

• French suffered 187,000 casualties

• Soldiers protested the slaughter, trench conditions, disregard for life and the constant offensive operations

Passchendaele

• The last Battle of attrition

• Haig wanted to break the will of the German army

• 3000 guns and 4 millions shells pounded the Germans for 10 days

The Mud

• Heaviest rain in 30 years

• A giant mud field, guns, tanks and men got stuck

• Soldiers had to walk on duck boards and wooden planks

End of the mud

• Battle ended with the capture of Passchendaele by the British on Nov. 6

• British suffered 310,000 casualties

• Germans suffered 260,000 casualties

The War in 1918

• Characterized by two main offensive actions

• German Spring Offensive, Allies Last Hundred Days

• The end of the war was not in sight until late 1918

Americans enter the war

• America entered the war on April 6th, 1917

• Unrestricted submarine warfare was the primary cause for the Americans to join the war

• Gave the allies a numerical and psychological advantage

German Spring Offensive

• Made possible by the surrender of the Russian Army

• Germany had to break the deadlock of the war, they were in trouble

• Total war was taking its toll on Germany

German Spring Offensive

• Germany was suffering due to labour shortages, naval blockade, commitment to war

• American entry into War

• Had to be a completely decisive battle

Planning for Michael

• Artillery bombardment would be massive (6,608 guns and 3,534 mortars)

• Surprise, concealment

• Storm troops would be well trained and used to break the British

Operation Michael

• March 21, 1918

• Was the first foggy day of the spring

• Germans unleashed hell on the British

• Germans broke through the front lines and gained 8,000 yards

The Black Day of the German Army

• Battle of Amiens (August 8, 1918)

• Finally, something that resembled the breakthrough and push the allies were looking for

• Surprise, confidence and professionalism won the day

Deception

• Deception of the enemy as to the allies intentions was critical to success

• Canadians were stationed elsewhere until the days leading up to the attack

• Soldiers would march at night, so as not to be seen

A symphony of destruction

• At 4:20 am the battle of Amiens began

• Thousands of guns bombarded the German positions

• Artillery, tanks and infantry all attacked together

Last Hundred Days

• Continuous series of battles

• Allied troops continuously advance

• Set piece battles characterized by creeping barrage and well defined objectives

• Massive casualty numbers

Mons

• Captured by Canadian troops on November 11, 1918

• Controversial battle

• Saw the last casualties of the Great War

November 11, 1918

• The First World War officially ends

• 863 British soldiers died

• Fighting continued while people in London, Paris and New York celebrated

• George Ellison and George Price

End of the war (Armistice)

Why the Germans ultimately surrendered?