The Great War: WWI The War Years: 1914-1917. Lecture 4 A: The Western Front.

The Great War: WWIThe Great War: WWI

The War Years: The War Years:

1914-19171914-1917

Lecture 4 A: The Western Lecture 4 A: The Western FrontFront

August, 1914August, 1914

Ger use Schlieffen Plan against Fr Rus attacks Ger on Eastern Front

to force Ger to split troops and arms to fight on two fronts.

September, 1914September, 1914

Battle of the Marne Fr force Ger back to the Marne

River Key Allied Victory: Ger knew

that they would not be home by Christmas

Autumn 1914Autumn 1914

The Race to the Sea Ger stopped by Br at Ypres Stabilized western Ger advance Trench Warfare and “No Man’s

Land” : and ineffective defensive strategy for next 2 years.

1916 Stalemate1916 Stalemate

By end of year 2 million DEAD Verdun: 11 month battle Dead: Fr: 300,000 Ger: 330,000 Somme: 1,100,000 casualties Both symbolize the gross

destruction of modern warfare with little to no gain.

Other FrontsOther Fronts

Middle EastMiddle East

1915-19161915-1916

Br v. OE at Gallipoli to capture Dardinelles Straits

Br needed to get to Istanbul Unsuccessful. Br withdrew with

heavy casualties

Other FrontsOther Fronts

Northern Africa and into the Northern Africa and into the Arabian PeninsulaArabian Peninsula

1915-19161915-1916

T.E. Lawrence organized Arab nationalists for guerilla warfare against OE

Very successful in stopping the Berlin to Baghdad RR

Lecture 4 B: Eastern FrontLecture 4 B: Eastern Front

1914-19181914-1918

19141914

Aug 1914: Rus invade E. Prussia at Tannenberg and draw Ger to Eastern Front

Ger victory 2 Rus armies defeated

19151915

AH & Bulgaria defeat Serbia and Central Powers occupy it.

OE starts Armenian Genocide, continues until 1918: 1.5 million die

http://www.ibiscom.com/w1frm.htm

By end of 1915By end of 1915

Central Powers control Eastern Europe from Berlin to Istanbul

19161916

Rus launches massive assault against CP in Ukraine

Capture 500,000 AH troops but lost 1,000,000 Rus troops. Victory???

19171917

Lenin and the Bolsheviks overthrow Tsar Nicholas Romanov

Rumors are that Central Powers are financing Lenin to hasten the close of the Eastern Front.

March 3, 1918: Rus-GerMarch 3, 1918: Rus-Ger

Treaty of Brest-LitovskGer will leave Rus alone if Rus

gives… 25-35% of people (Poland) 90% of all coal mines all the oil fields

Eastern Front SecureEastern Front Secure

All Ger troops moved to Western All Ger troops moved to Western Front…Front…

Is it too late???Is it too late???

Lecture 4 C: Naval Warfare: Lecture 4 C: Naval Warfare: 1914-19171914-1917

Ger damages Allied shippingGer damages Allied shipping

19151915 Ger declares water around Br “war

zone” all Br enemy ships will be attacked

Br retaliates by blockading Ger and seizing all goods headed for Ger

Ger declares all ships going to Br as enemy ships

19151915

Ger sinks the Lusitania: 1100 civilians, 128

Americans die

19161916

Ger face severe food shortage because of Br blockade

Ger build more U-boats to run blockades

Br warship perfect the “depth charge” to sink U-boats

19171917

Ger declare Unrestricted submarine warfare on all ships including neutral countries heading for Br or Fr

Activity against US merchant ships increases….

Lecture 4 D: U.S.A. Lecture 4 D: U.S.A. InvolvementInvolvement

From Isolationist to World From Isolationist to World LeaderLeader

19141914

President Woodrow Wilson declares US neutrality

Ger start attacking supply ships going to Br and Fr

US continues to supply all parties in the war, but US citizens are influences by Fr anti-Ger propaganda and Lusitania

March 1917: Zimmerman March 1917: Zimmerman TelegramTelegram

Br intercept telegram from Ger (A. Zimmerman) to Mex

Ger offer to help Mex recover TX, NM, AZ and parts of CA if Mex will join the CP and attack US

http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/zimmermann/zimmerma.html

April 2, 1917April 2, 1917

Pres. Wilson asks Congress to declare war on Ger

Wilson gives famous “…make the world safe for democracy..” speech (Primary Source reading)

June 1917June 1917

General “Black Jack” Pershing goes to Fr to lead Allied forces

Vows “No Trench Warfare” and “Drive Hard and Fast to Berlin.”

Ger sustain heavy losses.

Jan 1918Jan 1918

Wilson publishes 14 Point Plan for Peace (see Primary Source)

League of Nations suggested as 14th pt.

US rejects it. Wants to go back to being isolationists.

July 18 Second Battle of the July 18 Second Battle of the Marne (Fr)Marne (Fr)

Ger army exhaustedGer army exhausted More than 2 million Amer. Troops More than 2 million Amer. Troops

foughtfought Allied forces began to advance Allied forces began to advance

toward Germanytoward Germany CP alliance crumbles.CP alliance crumbles.

Aug 8, 1918Aug 8, 1918

Allied forces break through Ger lines

Weak Ger army pushed back to Ger

Nov 9, 1918Nov 9, 1918

Ger only remaining Central Powers Ger troops mutiny, Kaiser Wilhem

II abdicates and flees to Netherlands

Ger declares a Republic

November 11, 1918November 11, 1918

THE WAR IS OVERTHE WAR IS OVER

GERMANS SURRENDERGERMANS SURRENDER

Nov 11, 1918Nov 11, 1918

Armistice Day11:00 am Ger sign agreement in

railroad car in Compiegne forest in Fr. Only request is that the peace settlement be based on American Wilson 14 point plan.

(Look at Primary Source)

CostsCosts

In LivesIn Lives

LivesLives

43,000,000 Killed/Wounded43,000,000 Killed/Wounded 10,000,000 Troops killed in battle10,000,000 Troops killed in battle 20,000,000 wounded in battle20,000,000 wounded in battle 13,000,000 civilians die of war-13,000,000 civilians die of war-

related causesrelated causes

Total $ Cost of the WarTotal $ Cost of the War

$350,000,000,000$350,000,000,000

in destruction of propertyin destruction of property