World War I Anatomy of a stalemate

Initial expectations v. realities: A short war: belligerents would run out of men and materiel Failure of initial offensives Inadequacy of mass rushes Shortages of supplies Digging in on the western front: offence gives way Trench warfare Tunnelling Movement on the eastern front

Reasons for stalemate Machine guns Trenches as only defence Artillery Trenches as only defence Ease of filling gaps Limits of known military tactics Dense railway network Industrial capabilities put to work Supply of men…

Western Front, 1916

Battle of Somme-1

Battle of Somme-2

Costs in human life Total for WWI 9,000,000 Battle of the Somme Allies: 600,000 July 1 alone: 60,000 Germans: 615,000

Casualties

Failure of peace initiatives Desire of France and Germany to maintain buffer states on borders Incorporation of new allies with demands on territory of belligerents

Determining factors: Supply of food and raw materials Exhaustion of combatants Success of British naval blockage American entry (triggered by German submarine warfare)

Changes in government as result of the war Need to plan and manage domestic economies Intensive regulation Incorporation of trade unions and business associations in Britain, Germany Effective military takeover by 1917 in Germany Growing indebtedness

Changes in societies Recourse to propaganda, demonization of the enemy Extensive mobilization Massive disillusionment, disaffection

Consequences: an initial view Toppling of multinational empires Revolution in Russia Widespread disillusionment Economic dislocation: Shifts in trade patterns Indebtedness of European countries to the United States