Overview of the war: Western Front

 The Schlieffen Plan was created by General Count Alfred von Schlieffen in December  The attack in August 1914 nearly succeeded and was only defeated by the first Battle of the Marne.Battle ofthe Marne  Schlieffen's speedy attack and expected defeat of France never occurred - it's failure did usher in the era of trench warfare that is so much linked to World War One.trench warfareWorld War One

 The British tried at Neuve Chapelle and Loos.  The french lost thousands of men in an unsuccessful offensive in Champagne.  The Germans were driven back from Ypres in April.  It was at this second battle of Ypres that poison gas was first used.

VERDUNTHE SOMME  In February 1916, the German (Commander Erick von Falkenhayn) launched a massive attack against this French fortress town.  General Philippe Pètain held out at a huge cost.  The casualties eventually (more than 800,000) broke all previous records for killing and destruct ion.  The Battle of the Somme is famous chiefly on account of the loss of 58,000 British troops (one third of them killed) on the first day of the battle, 1 July 1916, which to this day remains a one-day record.  The aim of this attack was to take pressure off the French at Verdun.  The first attack was the most intensive preliminary artillery bombardment ever made.  A second major attack was made in September, tanks were used for the first time.

 In February 1917, the germans withdrew behind the heavily fortified Hindenburg Line fortifications in north- eastern france.  During the rest of the year the British and French continued with no major breakthroughs.  In the battle of Cambrai, British and Australians using tanks broke through, but the Germans were able to counter- attack successfully.  In early 1917, German submarines began attacking American supply ships and passenger ships.  Following the success of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, an armistice was signed between the Bolsheviks and the Germans.  Germany had a war on only one front.  In the sping of 1918, the Germans launched a massive attack against the Allies but were not defeated.  By fall, the German military was weak.  Germany agreed to an armistice on November 11, 1918.