Lecture 4

1915 -1916

World Wide War War spreads to Asia &

Africa with Colonial forces and other allies (i.e. Japan allying with the Entente) fighting

Japan seizes control of German Sphere of influence in China

German colonial forces fight successful defensive campaign against British colonial forces in East Africa (now Kenya)

A Plan to knock the Turks out Winston Churchill

proposes plan in late 1914 to invade Ottoman Empire near capital city of Istanbul, knocking them out of the war

Churchill’s plan has some supporters, many enemies

Gallipoli A pril 1915 – B ritish land

A NZA C forces on Gallipoli peninsula

Turks in much greater strength than reported

B attle turns into a stalemate

B ritish forces evacuated in January 1916

Despair in the East Russia continues losses

from Tannenburg November 1914 –

Russians defeated by Austria at Battle of the Masurian Lakes

Germans launch successful offensive into Poland in 1915

America nearly enters the war May 1915 – British liner

Lusitania sunk by German submarine off coast of Ireland

Over 100 Americans die US demands apology, and

receives one from Germany, who pledges to stop Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

A Different kind of Naval War German Navy kept in

harbor by British blockade German naval activity

mostly done by submarines (U-Boats)

1916 – German Navy gets out of port to confront British fleet off coast of Denmark

Battle of Jutland is a draw, but German fleet returns to port and does not threaten battle again

Russia in Turmoil Tsar Nicholas goes to the

front to take personal command in 1916

Tsarina Alexandra takes over day-to-day running of Empire

Alexandra under the influence of Siberian Mystic, Grigori Rasputin, who was able to control Hemophilia of Heir to Russian throne, Alexei

Alexandra hated for her background (German) and her reliance on Rasputin

Italy Joins the War 1915 – Italy joins the war

on the side of the Entente, against her former allies Germany & Austria

Italian Army fights Austrians in the Alps

Serbia Defeated 1916 – Austria launches

full-scale attack on Serbia Serbia conquered,

Government forced to flee

New Weapons 1915 – Poison Gas first used

by Germans at Ypres, Belgium – Devastatingly effective until the development of Gas Masks

1916 – Battle of the Somme – British first use armored, tracked vehicles, still known by their code name – “(water) Tanks”

Prone to breakdowns, very short operational range & too few numbers to be effective

“THEY SHALL NOT PASS” 1916 – Germany launches

offensive to capture forts surrounding French city of Verdun

German intent – “To Bleed France White”

French Commander, Henri Petain, leads resistance, famous quote

Total casualties for 11-month battle – 750,000 men

The Somme British anxious to take

pressure away from French at Verdun

Late June – British shell German lines for 1 week

July 1 – British lose 60,000 men on the first day of battle - Commander refuses to adjust strategy

Total casualties for 4 ½ month battle – over 1 million men

British gain only 2 miles of territory – 2 men lost for every centimeter