WWI AND TOTAL WAR OVERVIEW OF THE WAR The war was fought in different fronts. - The most important was the western front (stretched from the English Channel to the Swiss Alps) - Eastern front (Germany’s eastern border including Austria-Hungary and Russia) - Diversionary fronts: Balkans, Italy and Middle East

WESTERN FRONT (Failure of the Schlieffen Plan) - Von Schlieffen plan followed the assumptions that a strong opening attack and rapid mobilization would be the key elements for a victory at war. - The first move would be to use the bulk of German forces to win a speedy victory over France, and then be transferred to the east to deal with Russia. - Germany would move into northern France through Belgium (neutral) and then advance west to Paris. - Finally they would go back eastwards to defeat the main French forces that were fighting in the German border. - Then German forces would be able to move freely to the eastern front to fight Russia.

KEY REASONS OF THE FAILURE - The Belgian resistance was strong and this was unexpected by Germany. It took them two weeks to take Brussels. - Britain was a guarantor of Belgian neutrality and got in the war to defend the. - Britain had enough time to get organized and left Belgian ports free for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to land. - Russian mobilized faster than the Germans expected. This made Germany deploy troops to face the Russians in the East – weakening their forces. - Germany also had trouble maintaining supplies which weakened their forces too.

The Kaiser commits atrocities In Belgium, New York World, 1914, artist unknown

- Because of this Germany didn’t approach to Paris from the west. They had to act faster and made it from the east of the city. - In Paris, reservists were sent to meet the Germans. - The Germans were slowed down by exhaustion and lack of food and ammunition. - German forces were halted by British and French troops at the battle of Marne on September 9 th. This marked the failure of the Schlieffen Plan.

MARNE The Battle of Marne was followed by a “race to the sea” as each side tried to outflank the other army to get behind them. - This resulted in the building of a continuous line of trenches from the Alps to the Channel coast. - This determined the type of warfare that was to exist during the war in the Western Front. - At that point (end of 1914) there was a situation of stalemate in which no one could win the war.

STALEMATE – The British tried at Neuve-Chapelle and Loos but failed, and the French lost thousands of men in Champagne. The Germans were finally driven back from Ypres in April. - In this second battle of Ypres poison gas was first used by the Germans. It cleared the British trenches but also prevented the Germans from making any progress.

VERDUN AND THE SOMME Verdun and the Somme were two key battles of Both failed to achieve their aims and both were horrific in terms of loss of life. - In February 1916 the Germans launched a massive attack against Verdun (an important French fortress town). - German commander Erick Von Falkenhayn planned it. (see page 41) - The French counter-attacked. - General Philippe Pétain in charge of the French troops held out but lost 315,000 men.

VERDUN AND THE SOMME The Germans lost 280,000 but had nothing to show for it. - Falkenhayn was sacked in August but his policy at Verdun continued for 4 more months. - Overall, the battle broke all previous records for killing and destruction. - The Battle of the Somme was a series of attacks led mainly by the British. - They began on July 1 st 1916 until November. - The aim of these attacks was to take the pressure off the French at the Verdun, and ensure German commitment so that they couldn’t send reinforcements to the Eastern Front against Russia.

- Intensive bombardment was used intended to break the forward defenses. A second major attack was made in September and now tanks were used. - But once again, there was no breakthrough and by the end of this battle the Allies had made limited advances. - Losses on both sides were appalling: - British killed/wounded 418,000 - German casualties 650,000 - French casualties 194,000