Europe at War

Central Powers vs. Allies By the end of the war, the two sides were: Central Powers Austria-Hungary Germany Bulgaria Ottoman Empire Allies Russia France Great Britain Japan Italy U.S.

The Western Front 1914 - Stalemate along the border of France This was the Western Front

*The Schlieffen Plan* Germany’s plan to win the war It was: Germany planned a long war. Attack & defeat France FIRST Then rush East to fight Russia In order for this to work, what had to happen? What actually happened?

The First Battle of the Marne Germany was on track to defeat France Made it almost all the way to Paris The First Battle of the Marne September 5th French armies regrouped in the Valley of the Marne 600 taxicabs rushed French soldiers from Paris to the front lines Finally Germany had to retreat

Effects of the First Battle of the Marne Any guesses? Destroyed the Schlieffen Plan Russia had already invaded Germany Germany was going to have to fight a war on two fronts after all

Trench Warfare Stalemate on the Western Front Troops dig trenches to protect themselves from fire Trench Warfare They then fight from those trenches Why does this make war last longer?

Experiences of Trench Warfare Some soldiers lived in the trenches for weeks or months Lived with rats, dead bodies, disease, starvation Led to huge loss of human life for little land gain

Trench facts British Army treated 20,000 soldiers for trench foot To boost morale, there was a trench rotation. A week at the front, a week in support, and a week on reserve. 1/3 of all casualties on the Western Front may have been killed or wounded in a trench Daytime was mostly safe. Raids attacks, and eavesdropping near enemy lines occurred at night or early morning. Soldiers in the trenches often drank impure water causing dysentery New weapons created a “no-man’s land” between enemy lines. Soldiers would fight days , and many would die, for little or no gain in land

Machine Guns, Poison Gas, Tanks & Submarines Poison Gas – Some caused blindness, others caused death by choking Machine Guns – Defining feature of WWI, main cause of the huge death toll, made it difficult for troops to advance Tanks – Could cross any type of terrain Submarines – Changed naval warfare forever

War on the Eastern Front Meanwhile, troops were also battling between the German and Russian border

Russia Struggles By 1916, Russia’s army was on life support Short on food, guns, ammunition, supplies The one thing Russia did have: a huge population Though the Russian army was not strategically sound or well-equipped, they tied up German forces in the East Suffered massive death tolls

Timeline 1914 – WWI begins 1917 1915 1918 – WWI ends June 28, 1914 – Franz Ferdinand shot 1915 Stalemate on the Western front Gallipoli Campaign 1916 Feb – Dec – Battle of Verdun July – Battle of the Somme Russia struggles 1917 U.S. enters WWI Russia withdraws from the war 1918 – WWI ends 1919 – Treaty of Versailles signed