The Course of the War

The Schlieffen Plan

• The Original Schlieffen Plan was to encircle Paris.

• Didn’t happen since the Belgians put up a good fight

• British Expeditionary Force (BEF) met the Germans at the Mons on the 23rd of August

• Retreated to the River Marne

German Retreat to Aisne

• Germans were overstretched and tired

• French and British drive them back to the Aisne River.

• Both sides dig in and trench warfare begins.

Race to the Sea

• Both sides tried to outflank each other.

• Which is termed a race to the sea.

• Luckily the Allies had control of the sea lanes.

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1st Battle of Ypres

• Germans attack at Ypres but were held off by the British.

• The British had to rely on the last reserves and help from the Indian army.

• German attack died and both sides settled in for winter

• Casualties Brit 58000 Fra 50000,

• Ger 130000

Neuve Chapelle

• Allies actually took this position but lost it while waiting for orders from the officers

• Germany took it back

2nd Battle of Ypres

• Germany on the offensive

• Used Chlorine gas for the first time

• Lasted a month

• 95000 casualties

Battle of Verdun

• New strategy from Germany

• Through all troops at Verdun to take French troops from other parts.

• Artillery destroyed the French defenses

• Germany was about to break through but the allies launched the offensive at the Somme.

Verdun

• French push back to the original boundary.

• The battle lasted almost a year.

• The French lost nearly 400000 and the Germans 350000.

• All for about 4 miles of land.

The Somme

• To relieve the Verdun Battle the Somme was launched

• Was meant to end the war.• 7 days of Bombardment• Unsuccessful 20000 British died in the first

day.• In 4 months the allies captured ground at

the cost of 420000 brit troops, 195000 French, 600000 Germans

Hindenberg Line

• Germany wanted to hold on to gains so they build a defensive position that was superior to anything.

• 100 yards deep of barbed wire