Lesson 7

WW I: 1916 – Attrition Warfare

Lesson Objectives

•  Understand the issues involved with the shift in prospects from a short war to a long war.

•  Understand the rationale for each side to move to attrition warfare on the Western Front.

• Describe the outlooks for each of the Allied and Central powers as a consequences of the 1916 Western Front battles of attrition.

2

Review of the War

August 3, 1914 Germany invades Belgium; war begins

“Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion haltedSept 5-10, 1914

October 1914 Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front

1915 Sea blockades established around UK and Germany

Feb 1915-Jan 1916 Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli)

Beginning of 1916 Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun

1

Phases of World War I

1914 - Maneuver and Frustration

1915 - Search for New Solutions

1916 - Attrition

The War in 1916

Battle of VerdunFeb - Dec 1916

• German attempt to force French capitulation by inflicting massive casualties *

• Targeted key position French could/would not surrender (Verdun)

* Controversial interpretation

• French generals had all but abandoned Verdun

• Preferred to defend in plains to west

• Politicians said “Hold at all cost!”

(Attrition Warfare)

Why Verdun?

Traditional “Gateway to France”

Vulnerable from three sides

Close to German railhead

French had reduced garrison, weak logistics prospects

• Relied on single 75 km road for supply

Battle of Verdun

La Voie Sacrée

21 February - 18 December 1916

Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

(The Sacred Way)

French convoy on La Voie Sacrée (1916)

Battle of Verdun

Battle began with huge artillery attack

Germans made initial gains but condition of battlefield stalled advance

21 February - 18 December 1916

Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

• 1,000,000 rounds in nine hours

No Man’s Land

Verdun 1916

Battle of Verdun

Battle began with huge artillery attack

Germans made initial gains but condition of battlefield stalled advance

French able to re-enforce

Bloody battle of attrition followed for both sides

21 February - 18 December 1916

Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

• 1,000,000 rounds in nine hours

Battle of Somme (July) relieved pressure on French

Battle of Verdun

Final French offensive 11 December

Germans driven back to initial starting point

Horrific casualties:

French: 163,000 dead 215,000 wounded & missing

21 February - 18 December 1916

Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

German: 143,000 dead 190,000 wounded & missing

Battle of Verdun21 February - 18 December 1916

Significance

German losses were more telling • Fighting two-front war

• Fighting alone on Western Front

Germany realized unrestricted submarine warfare might be the only hope for ending the war

The Battle of Verdun exhausted our forces like a wound that never heals.

Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg

Battle of Verdun21 February - 18 December 1916

Significance

Verdun became a rallying point for French people

They shall not passGeneral Robert Nivelle

Commander, Second French Army at Verdun

Ils ne passeront pas

Battle of Verdun21 February - 18 December 1916

Sidelights

Air superiority became a key factor in denying opponent reconnaissance capability

Germans had air superiority: the “Fokker scourge”

Fokker E.1 “Eindecker”

Fokker’s Synchronizer Gear

Anthony Fokker 1912

First confirmed victory 1 August 1915

Fokker E.1 “Eindecker”

Battle of Verdun21 February - 18 December 1916

Sidelights

Crucible of Future French Leadership

Marshall Phillippe Pétain Charles de Gaulle

Battle of the Somme1 July - 18 November 1916

Initial Forces:

British Empire: 15 divisions

France: 11 divisions

Germany: 10 1/2 divisions

Became an attempt to take pressure off French at Verdun

Frontal assault across 25 mile front

Planned as a major offensive to retake Channel ports

A

Battle of the Somme1 July - 18 November 1916

Initial Forces:

British Empire: 15 divisions

France: 11 divisions

Germany: 10 1/2 divisions

Battle began with five-day artillery preparation

• 1.7 million shells

• 17 mines under German positions

Barrage was ineffective

• Germans had dug in

• Too few heavy guns

• 2/3 of shells were fragmentation

British first-day losses very heavy

• 19,240 dead

• 38,230 wounded, missing, POW

Hawthorn Ridge

Battle of the Somme1 July - 18 November 1916

Initial Forces:

British Empire: 15 divisions

France: 11 divisions

Germany: 10 1/2 divisions

First two weeks:

• French advanced 10 km south of Somme River

• British advances minimal

• Poor organization & communications

Germans halted Verdun offensive (July 12th)

Developed into battle of attritionFinal Forces:

British Empire: 51 divisions

France: 48 divisions

Germany: 50 divisions

Battle of the Somme1 July - 18 November 1916

Final Forces:

British Empire: 51 divisions

France: 48 divisions

Germany: 50 divisions

First use of tanks

• British: Battle of Flers-Courcelette • 15 September 1916

Not decisive (no follow-up)

British Mark I tank

Animated Map of Somme & Flers-Courcette

Battle of the Somme1 July - 18 November 1916

Final Forces:

British Empire: 51 divisions

France: 48 divisions

Germany: 50 divisions

General Paul von Hindenburg became German Army Chief of Staff (Aug 1916)

• General Erich Ludendorff operational commander

Von Hindenburg (l) & Ludendorff

The Cost of 1916

VERDUNFrance UK Germany

Total Casualties

Killed

378,000

163,000

330,000

143,000

SOMME

Total Casualties

Killed

Total Casualties

Killed

204,000

50,000

420,000

96,000

465,000

164,000

582,000

213,000

420,000

96,000

995,000

307,000

2,000,000 Casualties* - 616,000 Dead

* Casualties = killed, wounded, missing, sometimes POWs

No Man’s Land

Somme 1916

The Battle of the SommeThe Movie

Released 1916

The Battle of the SommeMovie Excerpt

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo© Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013

The Battle of the Somme – YouTube – 3:14

Germany’s Dilemma

Hindenburg realized Germany could not win the war

German chancellor, Bethmann, appointed Hindenburg in hope the field marshal would back peace

• Advocated unrestricted submarine warfare as only hope

Bethmann feared this would bring US into war

Hindenburg advocated strong defense

• Hoped to wear down, knock out one of the Allied Powers

Prestige of Hindenburg prevailed over chancellor

Von Hindenberg’s Strategy

Germany needed to drive Britain from the war to have any chance against France

Proposed to initiate unrestricted submarine warfare against Britain to starve population, weaken military

Realized this risked bringing US into the war

Gambled that Britain could be defeated (6-12 months) before US intervention would become effective

Built, then withdraw to strong defensive positions (Hindenberg Line) to hold along Western Front until sub blockade become effective

Hindenburg Line

Allowed for prepared defenses in depth

Shortened German lines by 50 km

Freed 13 divisions for a reserve

Germans decimated vacated land

Construction began September 1916

Western Front – December 1916December 1914

Review of the War

August 3, 1914 Germany invades Belgium; war begins

“Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion haltedSept 5-10, 1914

October 1914 Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front

1915 Sea blockades established around UK and Germany

Feb 1915-Jan 1916 Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli)

Beginning of 1916 Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun

1

Review of the War

Battle of Verdun (German Offensive)Feb - Dec 1916

Battle of the Somme (Allied Offensive)Jul - Nov 1916

German announces decision for unrestricted sub warfare

1 Feb 1917

Germans withdraw to Hindenburg LineMar 1917

2

Sep 1916 Germany begins construction of Hindenberg Line

Phases of World War I

1914 - Maneuver and Frustration

1915 - Search for New Solutions

1916 - Attrition

1917 - Desperation and Anticipation

Lesson 8

WW I: 1917 Desperation & Anticipation -America Enters The War

Lesson Objectives

•  Understand the role of the US in the war to 1916.

•  Understand the concept of unrestricted submarine warfare and discuss its impact on the war.

•  Understand how and why the U.S. entered World War I.

•  Understand the impact of the war on British and U.S. society.

•  Be able to describe the efforts made to mobilize the American public in World War I.

End

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