1. Chapter 13 Section 2 Europe Plunges Into War
Objective: Examine military actions on the Western & Eastern fronts
Vocabulary: Central Powers, Allies, Western Front, Schlieffen Plan, Trench Warfare, & Eastern Front

2. Setting the Stage By 1914, Europe was divided into two rival camps
On one side was the Triple Entente – Great Britain, France, & Russia
On the other side was Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria- Hungary, & Italy
As a result of alliances, nearly all of Europe soon joined what would be the largest, most destructive war the world had ever seen

3. The Great War Begins
Russia expected Germany to join Austria & they mobilized along the German border
On August 1st, the German government declared war on Russia
Russia rushed to France for support
Two days later, Germany declared war on France & shortly after, Great Britain declared war on German

4. Nations Take Sides
Central Powers – nations of Germany & Austria-Hungary
Allies – nations of Great Britain, France, & Russia, along with a few other nations
Italy switched sides to the allies accusing their former allies for unjustly starting a war
In 1914, millions of soldiers marched happily off to battle, convinced the war would be short

6. A Bloody Stalemate Western Front – region in Northern France
Germany developed a battle strategy to fight a war on two fronts
Schlieffen Plan – Germany’s military plan which German troops would rapidly defeat France & move east to attack Russia

7. The Conflict Grinds Along
Germany swept into France & days away from taking over Paris
600 taxicabs rushed soldiers from Paris to the Western Front, causing the Germans to retreat
The German’s Schlieffen Plan was in ruins after retreating Paris & Russia already began their invasion
The Western Front turned into stalemate between Germany & France

8. War in the Trenches
Trench Warfare – form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battle field
Life in the trenches was pure misery with rats, no fresh food, & very little sleep
Space between the trenches was known as “no man’s land”
New tools of war included machine guns, poison gas, armored tanks, & larger artillery
Thousands died in the trenches to only gain a few inches of land
300,000 men were lost in war for Germans to gain 4 inches while the British gained 5 miles

11. The Battle on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front – region along the German- Russian border
Russia forces launched an attack on both Germany & Austria
Germans were able to crush the Russians while the Russians were originally victorious against the Austrians

12. Russia Struggles Russia wasn’t industrialized unlike Western Europe
Russia’s army was short on food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, & blankets
The army was able to rebuilt its ranks because of the country’s enormous population
Even though Germany was winning the Eastern Front they couldn’t put its full focus on the Western Front