War in the Trenches

Generals Hindenburg and Lundendorff Hindenburg Line General Hindenburg, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and General Lundendorff review battle plans Generals Hindenburg and Lundendorff The Hindenburg Line proved to be a formidable barrier to Allied advances on the Western Front. The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defenses in Northern France constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916-17. It ran from the area around Arras all the way to beyond St. Quentin, and consisted of deep and wide trenches, thick belts of barbed wire, concrete machine-gun positions, concrete bunkers, tunnels, and command posts. It was considered virtually impregnable by the Germans. The British offensives of 1917-1918 were to prove otherwise. The line provided a crucial stronghold when the German commanders Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff could not successfully pursue an attack on the Western Front in 1917. The initial retreat to the line, Operation Alberich, proved to be a shrewd maneuver by the Germans. Despite fears that the troops would be demoralized when forced to relinquish hard-won ground, the move actually strengthened the German position and consolidated forces, allowing Germany to rest in a defensive position while conducting submarine attacks against the British supply line. British forces breeched the line in early October of 1918, and a month later the Great War came to close. Crucial stronghold Formidable barrier to Allied advances Operation Alberich British forces breeched the line in early October of 1918

Key 1 Communication Trench Machine Gun Nest Underground Bunker Traverse Wire Break Listening Post + Trench Block

Nurse and wounded French soldier Symptoms Shell-shocked soldiers first viewed as cowards; many were executed Treatment improved once the condition was identified Shell Shock The relentless conditions of trench warfare and fighting on the front lines resulted in a new challenge to soldiers—“shell shock” or battle fatigue. Long periods of shelling and the mental stress of living in constant danger in the trenches could sometimes produce psychiatric trauma. Those afflicted usually demonstrated symptoms such as trembling, tearfulness, and damaged memory. Initially, soldiers suffering from shell shock were thought to be exhibiting cowardice and many were executed. Treatment improved once the condition was identified, yet most veterans still ended up suffering long-term effects. Nurse and wounded French soldier

Eastern Front Line of fighting on eastern side of Europe Germany and Austria-Hungary vs. Russia Attack and counter-attack for over 2 years 1917 Russian revolution-Bolsheviks took over, stopped fighting in WWI

Ruins of a French town after German troops retreated through it, 1918 Tactic implemented by the Russians, borrowed by the Germans Retreating armies would burn buildings, ravage crops, cut down trees, and force inhabitants to flee Goal was to leave nothing of value behind that opposing forces could use Scorched Earth So-called “scorched earth” tactics employed by both sides during World War I devastated the countryside and left civilians (especially peasants) homeless and desperate. First used by the Russians on the eastern front and later adopted by German troops on the western front, “scorched earth” involved soldiers leaving a trail of destruction as they retreated. Armies would burn buildings, ravage crops, cut down trees, and force inhabitants to flee their homes. The goal of the tactic was to leave nothing of value behind that opposing forces might be able to use. Ruins of a French town after German troops retreated through it, 1918

Italian Front Italy had an alliance with Central Powers Switched sides in hopes of gaining back land Fighting in mountains vs. Austria-Hungary

Gallipoli Need to send supplies to Russia on the Eastern Front Water route through the Black Sea-through the Dardanelles Mission was a failure More to come!