WWI Trench Warfare
Jan 21, 2016
WWI Trench WarfareWWI Trench Warfare
Stalemate in the TrenchesStalemate in the Trenches
• When war began most people assumed it would be over in a few months.
• The German army invaded Belgium with the intention of getting to France.
• They were able to reach the Marne River, which was 40 miles outside of Paris.
• When war began most people assumed it would be over in a few months.
• The German army invaded Belgium with the intention of getting to France.
• They were able to reach the Marne River, which was 40 miles outside of Paris.
• Here the French supported by the British met the Germans.
• The First Battle of the Marne, in September of 1914 stopped the German advance.
• Instead of one side quickly defeating the other, the two sides stayed stuck in the mud for three years.
• Here the French supported by the British met the Germans.
• The First Battle of the Marne, in September of 1914 stopped the German advance.
• Instead of one side quickly defeating the other, the two sides stayed stuck in the mud for three years.
• Troops huddled in the bottom of rat-infested trenches.
• They fired artillery and machine guns at each other.
• Lines of trenches stretched across France• For more than three years the battle lines
remained almost unchanged.
• Troops huddled in the bottom of rat-infested trenches.
• They fired artillery and machine guns at each other.
• Lines of trenches stretched across France• For more than three years the battle lines
remained almost unchanged.
• Neither side could win a clear victory.
• In trenches soldiers faced the constant threat of sniper fire.
• Artillery shelling turned the area between the trenches into a “no man’s land” too dangerous to occupy.
• Neither side could win a clear victory.
• In trenches soldiers faced the constant threat of sniper fire.
• Artillery shelling turned the area between the trenches into a “no man’s land” too dangerous to occupy.
• Battles cost thousands of lives, often without gaining an inch for either side.
• The Battle of the Somme, between July and November 1916, resulted in more than 1.2 million casualties, and the allies only gained about seven miles.
• When soldiers left their trenches to attack enemy lines they rushed into a hail of bullets and clouds of poison gas.
• Battles cost thousands of lives, often without gaining an inch for either side.
• The Battle of the Somme, between July and November 1916, resulted in more than 1.2 million casualties, and the allies only gained about seven miles.
• When soldiers left their trenches to attack enemy lines they rushed into a hail of bullets and clouds of poison gas.
New TechnologyNew Technology
• Powerful new technology greatly increased causalities in WWI
• Poison gas• Tanks• Machine guns• Fighter planes • U-boats
• Powerful new technology greatly increased causalities in WWI
• Poison gas• Tanks• Machine guns• Fighter planes • U-boats
Poison GasPoison Gas
• Poison gas was first used by the Germans
• It caused 1 million causalities during the war
• Effects: choking, blistering, attacking oxygen in the blood, attacking the nervous system
• Poison gas was first used by the Germans
• It caused 1 million causalities during the war
• Effects: choking, blistering, attacking oxygen in the blood, attacking the nervous system
TanksTanks
• The British invented the tank
• Called the “iron monster”
• Tanks could smash through barbed wire, cross trenches, and clear paths through no man’s land.
• The British invented the tank
• Called the “iron monster”
• Tanks could smash through barbed wire, cross trenches, and clear paths through no man’s land.
Machine GunsMachine Guns
• Soldiers had machine guns that fired 600 bullets a minute.
• Machine guns were mostly used in the trenches as defense
• Soldiers had machine guns that fired 600 bullets a minute.
• Machine guns were mostly used in the trenches as defense
Fighter PlanesFighter Planes
• This was the first war in which airplanes were used in combat
• Planes were used to drop bombs on the front lines
• Allowed both sides to view opposing trenches
• This was the first war in which airplanes were used in combat
• Planes were used to drop bombs on the front lines
• Allowed both sides to view opposing trenches
U-BoatsU-Boats
• At sea the Germans used submarines which they called U-boats, to block trade.
• They were equipped with guns and torpedoes.
• German U-boats sank over 11 million tons of Allied shipping.
• At sea the Germans used submarines which they called U-boats, to block trade.
• They were equipped with guns and torpedoes.
• German U-boats sank over 11 million tons of Allied shipping.