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World War I: The Great War
Battles to 1917
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The Trenches
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TRENCH WARFARE Trench Warfare: Terrible Living conditions Trench foot
Over the top No Man’s Land
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New Weapons Bayonet Barbed Wire Flamethrower Mortars
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New Weapons Machine Gun Poison Gas Tanks Zeppelins Airplanes
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The Schlieffen Plan The Schlieffen Plan:
Germany’s plan to deal with a TWO-FRONT war The German army DID NOT want to fight the war on BOTH fronts at the SAME time
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The Schlieffen Plan Germany believed that the Russian army was slow
Believed they could defeat FR on the Western Front in 5 to weeks
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The Schlieffen Plan Planned to invade Belgium & encircle Paris
They would then be able to fight Russia on the Eastern Front
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Expectations Both sides thought that the war would be a quick ordeal…
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Expectations “You’ll be home before the leaves have fallen from the trees…” Both sides underestimated the role that industrialization would play during World War I
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Why did the Schlieffen Plan Fail?
Belgium did NOT give up! Stopped the German advance for 3 weeks Russia attacked Germany before it was ready; Germany was forced to send troops east…
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Why did the Schlieffen Plan Fail?
The German army was unable to encircle Paris French and British troops regrouped & met German troops Northeast of Paris Result? Stalemate on both fronts!!
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Western Front 1st Battle of the Marne (1914):
Trenches from the North Sea to Switzerland Battle of attrition Allied victory GR abandons the Schlieffen Plan
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Western Front Battle of Verdun (1916): Longest & bloodiest battle
Battle of attrition Stalemate; no clear winner
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At Sea GB immediately blockaded the North Sea with ships & mines
Blocked the German navy in… Engaged in minor skirmishes until 1916
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At Sea Battle of Jutland (1916):
British “victory” even though Great Britain lost the greatest # of ships William II withdrew the German fleet to Baltic sea for the rest of the war
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At Sea Germany depended on submarines
Targeted ships coming from the US President Wilson NO!
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Eastern Front Russia entered the war before it was ready
Battle of Tannenberg (1914): Russia lost to German troops under General Hindenberg
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Eastern Front Russian Commander Samsonov committed suicide when he realized that his army had been surrounded
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Eastern Front Battle of Gallipoli:
Western Allied powers attacked at the Dardanelles Wanted to get communications & aid to Russia The Great War . Maps & Battles . Gallipoli | PBS Australians and New Zealanders
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Eastern Front Conditions worsened for Russia
Injured soldiers returned from the frontlines & discussed the truths of the war
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Eastern Front Unrest increased at home, especially in St. Petersburg
Czar Nicholas was blamed for the problems
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Until 1917 – Stalemate on all fronts
Then….1917
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