World War I The Battles

World War I Truly a Total War: nations devote multitude of resources to effort, including those not directly involved with fighting. German “Schleiff

No advantages Eastern Front Austria-Hungary Germany Russia and Serbia 8/17/1914: Russia invaded E. Prussia German Schlieffen Plan: avoid two-front war Germany: counter offensive, pushback Attack/Counter-attack continues for 2 years Allies: poorly prepared No advantages Austria-Hungary Germany Russia and Serbia

Relatively small area due to trench warfare The Western Front Britain France Germany Relatively small area due to trench warfare

Soldiers being taken to the Western Front by Military Buses

Key Battle #1: The Battle of Marne 483, 000 Casualties (7th deadliest) September 4th – 10th, 1914 Allies stop Germans from marching on Paris. Germany digs trenches to avoid losing ground Allies can’t break, build own trenches No more than few miles gained gains more than a at any point by either side

Key Battle #2: The Battle of Verdun 976,000 Casualties (4th) February 21st – December 18th, 1916 Symbolizes German strategy of “Bleeding France White.” Verdun: linked to important Allied traveling road Germany tries everything, gets close, retreat and surrender Led to major allied offensive at Somme

Key Battle #3: The Battle of Somme 1.2 Million Casualties (3rd--)* July – November, 1916 25 mile battle line (*Deadliest Single Battle-- our class: 3rd)

Battle of Somme 7:20 am 40,000 pounds of explosive under German machine gun at Beaumont Hamel. Barbed wire not destroyed

Battle of Somme End day 1: 60,000 British soldiers dead Tanks 1st used

Peronne during the Battle of Somme 1916

Battle of Somme British Advancement: 8 KM (about 4 miles) British casualties: 1 Million

Key Battle #4: Battle of Passchendaele 848,614 casualties, (#5) July – November 1917 (AKA the Third Battle of Ypres) Represents: grinding/bloody misery of trench warfare Goal: wear down German line / outflank German army Small territory gains

Key Battle #5: The Battle of Cambrai 80,000 Casualties November 20th – December 7th, 1917 British launch first mass tank attack – 324 total No pre-attack bombardment, only wall of smoke British advances far in short time, only losing 4,000 German uses “stossstrupen” (storm troopers) to counter attack 10 days later, drive Britain back to starting lines Overall, Allied success because proved tanks could overcome trench defense.

German Strategy after Cambrai Germany: Spring attack in West only way to victory Russia’s exit frees German troops and raises morale Allies: no unified leader, low morale and manpower Germany plans major offensive Take advantage of new weapons: planes, tanks, machine guns and poison gas

Key Battle #6: Spring Offensive 1 Key Battle #6: Spring Offensive 1.5 Million Casualties (2nd) Spring 1918 Operation Michal: First German offensives, almost splits allies Furthest German advance (shelling distance of Paris) Allies agree on unified system of command American troop arrival Offensive fails, sets up final push by Allies

Key Battle #7: The 100 Days Offensive 1 Key Battle #7: The 100 Days Offensive 1.8 Million Casualties (1st) July - November 1918 Germans in weak position Fresh US troops German lines eventually broken, retreat Germans want peace Armistice signed November 11, 1918