Delta 7 World Geography: WW1: Tactics, Technology, and Terror

Western Front Germany’s Schlieffen Plan fails, German offensive stalls Both sides dig in for winter Positions become “static”(fixed) for much of war Trench-War begins, trenches stretch from Switz. to English Channel

No Man’s Land Empty space between trenches “moonscape”, packed w/ craters, mud, barbed wire

Tactics Had not changed for decades Reliance on frontal assaults Cavalry charges still used

Weapons Modern weapons Machine guns, tanks, planes artillery Poison gas- tear gas, mustard gas One man could fight/defeat hundreds Enfildaded(to skewer)

Costly Battles Battles of attrition Who would “blink” first Battle of the Somme, July to Nov, 1916 British lose 58,000 men first few hours Total loses from this one battle: 420,000 U.K French 200,000 German 500,000

The Great War Largest war in history up to that point Millions mobilized from dozens of countries. Colonies and territories New war, not like “old” ones

Summary Europe not prepared for the true powers of industrialized warfare Technology had outpaced tactics so that generations of men were lost for yards of territory