Depth studies A: The First World War, 1914-1918

Question 1

How long was the First World War?

Answer 1

From the 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918.

Question 2

Why did World War 1 begin?

Answer 2

World War I began on July 28, 1914, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This seemingly small conflict between two countries spread rapidly: soon, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, and France were all drawn into the war, largely because they were involved in Treaties that obligated them to defend certain other nations.

Question 3

What happened during the first month of combat?

Answer 3

The first month of combat consisted of bold attacks and rapid troop movements on both fronts. In the west, Germany attacked first Belgium and then France. In the east, Russia attacked both Germany and Austria-Hungary. In the south, Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia.

Question 4

World War 1 consequences is?

Answer 4

World War 1 led almost directly to World War II and set the stage for many other important events in the twentieth century.

Question 5

What Events lead to the war?

Answer 5

June 28, 1914 - Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo
July 5 - Austria requests and receives Germany’s “blank check,” pledging unconditional support if Russia enters the war
July 23 - Austria issues ultimatum to Serbia
July 25 - Serbia responds to ultimatum; Austrian ambassador to Serbia immediately leaves Belgrade and France promises support to Russia in the event of war
July 28 - Austria declares war on Serbia
July 30 - Russia orders general mobilization of troops
August 1 -Germany declares war on Russia. France and Germany order general mobilization
August 3 - Germany declares war on France
August 4 - Britain declares war on Germany

Question 6

The Allied powers consisted of?

Answer 6

Britain, France, Russian Empire, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, Japan and later Italy, Portugal, Romania, Greece and the US

Question 7

The Central Powers consisted of?

Answer 7

Germany, Austria- Hungary and later on The Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria

Question 8

What conclusions can be drawn when assessing the first months of the war?

Answer 8

The bold, risky steps that Germany and Russia took in the war’s opening month had a profound effect on the dynamics of the rest of the war and provided early hints that the war might last much longer than expected. Even in the first days of the war, Germany’s much-touted Schlieffen Plan began to unravel, as Russian troops arrived at the German borders faster than anticipated. Although Germany successfully thwarted the Russians, it was forced to divert armies from its advance to the west. Meanwhile, the stiff resistance from Belgium during that western advance indicated that the conquest of France might likewise be more difficult than expected. On the other side, the massive losses that Russia suffered in the first month offered a similar warning sign of how costly and difficult the war might turn out to be.

Question 9

Who created the Schlieffen Plan and when was it created?

Answer 9

The plan was created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen in 1905.

Question 10

Why was the Schlieffen Plan created?

Answer 10

It was created because Germany wanted to avoid war on two fronts, France in the west and Russia in the east, at the same time.

Question 11

How was the Schlieffen Plan supposed to work?

Answer 11

The plan was to attack and defeat France before Russia could mobilize. Schlieffen assumed Russia would take eight weeks to mobilize.
10% of the German army was kept to defend against Russia on the Eastern front. 1.5 million men (90% of the army) were to move through neutral Belgium and invade France, where they were to defeat the French army and encircle Paris in 6 weeks.
2 divisions were to be sent to Alsace and Lorraine
The plan started to go wrong when Russia mobilized in support of Serbia on 30th July.

Question 12

What are the reasons the Schlieffen Plan failed before the Germans invaded Belgium?

Answer 12

Changes to the plan:
Von Schlieffen dies in 1906 and plan altered by new Chief of Staff (von Moltke). So the plan was not implemented by the creator which led to misunderstandings. The German army was smaller than when the plan was made.

The plan was outdated:
Changed and finalized in 1906. Implemented only in 1914. This didn’t account for the changes and improvement in enemy machinery and tactics. Plan relied on a professionally trained army, not conscript.

The plan resulted in what they wanted to avoid; a war on two fronts.

Question 13

How important was Belgium’s reaction to the Schlieffen plan?

Answer 13

As Belgium was a neutral place, Germany did not expect them to fight back, but Germans were slowed down by the Belgian army and did not reach Paris in the expected six weeks It took 2 weeks to capture Brussels and the fortress town of Liège. This had a great effect as the plan relied on speed.
German soldiers weakened due to exhaustion, supply problems and casualties.
Belgian defence gave time for British forces (the BEF) to arrive to help. Germany did not know about the Treaty of London, as it was a secret treaty; nor did they expect Britain to honour it.

Question 14

Why did the Schlieffen fail at Belgium?

Answer 14

The Schlieffen Plan failed because: BRB

1. Belgium refused to let the German army through to attack France and slowed down the Germans.
2. Russia mobilizes quicker than Germans had expected. Which meant Germany had to transfer troops to the east. They did not expect this as Russia was going through a crisis and had poor transportation. This was a miscalculation on the German part.
3. Britain had signed treaty with Belgium to protect it as a neutral country therefore sending its forces to stop German advances.

Question 15

Why did Britain honour their Treaty with Belgium?

Answer 15

One of the reasons Britain helped was to protect themselves and their empire because if the French were defeated the British would be next. So when Belgium asked Britain for help, Britain sent the BEF immediately to fight the Battle of Mons (August 1914)

Question 16

Who was the BEF?

Answer 16

The British Expeditionary Force was well trained and professional, albeit small compared to the large German conscript army.

Question 17

When was the Battle of Mons?

Answer 17

Battle of Mon started in August 23rd, 1914

Question 18

How did the battle of Mons start?

Answer 18

After completing their occupation of Belgium on August 20, 1914, German forces moved quickly upon France with two armies. Although fighting between French and German forces had taken place in the region of Alsace-Lorraine in southeastern France, the first joint French-British encounters with Germany occurred near the town of Mons along the Franco-Belgian border on August 23, 1914. This was the first major battle ofWW1.

As French and British armies tried to halt the advancing Germans, they found themselves under heavy fire from long-range German artillery. With the German troops still well outside the range of their own guns, the Allied Powers were quickly forced to retreat. The allied retreat continued for two full weeks, allowing the Germans to advance over 120 miles to the river Marne, on the outskirts of Paris. For the Germans, the advance was not an easy one. As they retreated, the French and British armies took every opportunity to fight back and to hold each piece of ground for as long as they could.

Question 19

Why didn’t the German army retreat after the Schlieffen plan failed?

Answer 19

Despite the Schlieffen plans failure German Chief Moltke believed the war was almost won as the Belgians were defeated, British were retreating and the French Plan 17 of reclaiming Alsace-Lorraine failed.

Question 20

What did German Chief Moltke do when he realised his forces were no longer strong?

Answer 20

When Moltke realized his forces were no longer strong enough to encircle Paris, he sent troops South-east; where the Battle of Marne was fought when they encountered the French army returning defeated from Alsace and Lorraine.

Question 21

How long was the Battle of Marne?

Answer 21

From the 5th-12th September 1914. The battle lasted 5 days.

Question 22

How did the Battle of Marne start and how did it end?

Answer 22

The BEF and French counter attacked the Germans, which started the Battle of Marne. The Germans had almost won when Parisian taxis brought in 6,000 reserve soldiers to the front line. Allied troops managed to save Paris and forced Germans to pull back to the river Aisne. This battle was a strategic victory for the allies, even-though it ended in stalemate, as the Germans were pushed back to the River Aisne.

Question 23

How long was the First battle of Ypres?

Answer 23

From the 19th of October to 22nd November 1914

Question 24

How did the First battle of Ypres start and how did it end?

Answer 24

1. Both sides wanted access to the French ports. So they advanced towards the coastline to stop the other side gaining control of it.
2. The Allies aimed to take back Lille in France and Brussels in Belgium. The Allied troops managed it with an immense loss of life on both sides.
3. This meant the BEF was almost wiped out and had to rely on volunteers. Which caused the Stalemate to continues.

Question 25

Why did both sides introduce trenches?

Answer 25

1. When the Germans were pushed to River Aisne, they dug defensive trenches, and set up machine guns.
2. The Allied armies were unsuccessful in pushing the Germans back further. Soon after the Allied forces began digging trenches
3. Over time the trenches stretch for 470 km from the Belgian coast down to Switzerland.
4. Trench warfare was an indicator to all nations the war would not be ending soon.
5. Exhausted armies could regain their strength in trenches
6. The Germans wanted to capture the Channel Ports (Dunkirk, Calais and Boulogne) to cut off supplies (reinforcements, ammunition and food supplies) for the BEF and achieve a breakthrough in northern France.
7. And German General Falkenhayn wanted to keep control of land they already acquired.

Question 26

Why did the war become bogged down to the trenches?

Answer 26

1. This is because the war of movement changed into a war of attrition. Trench warfare developed as both sides dug trench to protect themselves from enemy fire.
2. German trenches were deeper and stronger than allied trenches, as they had already captured a lot of territory. Whereas the Allies dug shallow trenches as they needed to push the Germans back.
3. The British believed cavalry (soldiers on horseback) breakthroughs could win the war, but climbing out of the trenches meant walking straight into enemy fire.
4. Neither side really understood trench warfare. New machinery and weapons were defective or misused.

Question 27

Explain the stalemates in Europe

Answer 27

By 1916, all of the initial fronts of the war had reached stalemates, with both sides embedded in trenches and neither side gaining or losing much ground. All while, soldiers were dying in massive numbers, simply for the sake of maintaining the status quo. The conflict was becoming a War Of Attrition, a gruesome contest to see which country could afford to lose the most soldiers. It was made all the more horrible by the fact that Britain, France, and Germany relied heavily upon their Colonies to bolster their supplies of fighting men. Of the major participants, only Russia and later the United States relied solely upon their own populations to fight the war.

Question 28

What was the primary reason World war 1 become a war of attrition?

Answer 28

The primary reason that World War 1 became a war of attrition was the use of Modern Weapons. Machine guns made it easy to cut down large numbers of men quickly if they came out into the open to fight. Once opposing armies became entrenched, long-range artillery, aerial bombs, and poison gas were used to try to force the other side to abandon its shelters and retreat.

Question 29

How long were soldiers in the trenches for?

Answer 29

Soldiers were organized in platoons of 60 men. In theory, each platoon would spend 4 days in the front line then 4 days in the reserve trench line and finally 4 days resting. In reality, soldiers spent more than 2 weeks on the frontline. Each platoon replaced another in a cycle

Question 30

How was it living in the trenches?

Answer 30

1. Rats: thrived in discarded food and other waste, spread disease.
2. Lice: tiny insects that lived in soldiers clothing and sucked their blood.
3. Disease: low hygiene levels, limited toilet facilities, little fresh water which meant disease was very common.
4. The weather: wet conditions brought trench foot and gangrene. Winter brought frost bite. Summer made the stench of decaying bodies, and latrines (field toilets) unbearable.
5. Shell Shock: Term used for those who suffered from mental breakdowns, caused PTSD
6. Boredom: During stalemate and waiting for battles, there was nothing much else to do. Their daily routine was also generally repetitive.

Question 31

How was it fighting in the trenches?

Answer 31

1. Artillery bombardment was used to penetrate enemy trenches, but this was often unsuccessful as shells did not explode.
2. Barbed wire, and German bunkers which were later reinforced with concrete, were not destroyed.
3. Artillery only made the barbed wire more tangled, making it harder for soldiers to get through. This often-reduced morale of the survivors.
4. Cavalry became less important. Trench Warfare marked the end of cavalry as a weapon. Infantry became more important.
5. Even if they got into enemy trenches, reinforcements arrived slowly, so ground had to be abandoned or recaptured.

Question 32

How important were developments such as tanks to the the war?

Answer 32

1. Tanks were developed in secret by the British, and First used in the battle of Flers (Sept 1916).
2. Advantages
   - Caused panic among the German forces.
   - Was able to break through barbed wires and cleared the way for infantry.
   - The tank was crucial to Allied victories in 1918.
3. Disadvantages:
   - Of the 59 tanks in France only 49 were serviceable.
   - 17 of these broke down before reaching the battlefield.
   - They were unreliable and slow, becoming an easy target for German machine gunners.
   - Frequently got stuck
   - Not bulletproof.
4. Later tanks became more reliable and faster.

Question 33

How important were developments such as machine guns to the the war?

Answer 33

1. Most important defence weapon of the war.
2. Each gun could fire 400-600 rounds per minute.
3. Lethal, at a range of over a kilometre. Caused 1/3 of the battlefield casualties.
4. Early models were large and heavy and needed 3-6 men to operate and were used as defensive weapons.
5. Overtime they became more mobile and were used as offensive weapons.

Question 34

How important were developments such as aircrafts to the the war?

Answer 34

1. Used mainly for reconnaissance and surveillance of enemy trench lines and reinforcements, e.g. In the Somme, Germans were prepared as their aircraft reported much activity on the front lines of the Allies
2. In 1915 machine guns were mounted on the wings.
   Soon after, Germans developed machine guns at the propeller of the biplane, aided accuracy. However, aircrafts were too small and lightly armed to damage major targets. and larger planes could not carry enough bombs.
3. Used in air raids.
4. Helped select and coordinate artillery targets.
5. Overall fighting in the air had no significant impact on the war.

Question 35

How important were developments such as gas to the the war?

Answer 35

1. Poisonous gas was first used in Ypres in April 1915 and proved itself as a deadly weapon. Although it only caused 4% of total deaths, it was fatal.
2. It was used throughout the war. Gas would be released from canisters and allowed to drift towards the enemy, if the wind blew in their direction. Gas shells broke open when they hit the ground.
3. Gas masks got more effective overtime.
4. There were three types of poison gas:
   Chlorine gas: vapour destroyed the respiratory organs.
   Phosgene gas: caused less coughing so more was inhaled
   Mustard gas: the most lethal. odourless and burned and blistered internally and externally.
5. Disadvantages:
   - Wind could blow the wrong way
   - Gas masks reduced visibility and movement.

Question 36

When was the Battle of Verdun?

Answer 36

February to December 1916

Question 37

What was the significance of the Battle of Verdun?

Answer 37

1. Longest Battle in the war
2. General Falkenhayn chose to attack Verdun as he believed the French were close to breaking point in early 1916; as the fortress city was a symbol of nationalist pride. If Germans won, French would lose morale and surrender. It might have also led to Britain withdrawing from the war
3. Although it was the strongest part of French defences before the war, generals removed all artillery from the fort to supply at the front.
4. Germans wanted to elicit as many casualties on French soldiers as possible. They wanted to ‘bleed France white’.
5. German forces advanced quickly claiming French Forts.
6. Germans called off their offends mid-July, diverted by battle of Somme.
7. The French retook their forts and pushed back the line.
8. Both sides were left with more than 600,000 casualties.
9. There was much public pressure from the people to save Verdun, although not a very strategic military advantage would be provided
10. To relieve the French, the British launched the battle of Somme to divert the Germans from Verdun.

Question 38

When was the Battle of Somme?

Answer 38

July to November 1916

Question 39

What was the significance of the Battle of Somme on the war?

Answer 39

1. On July 1st the British commander, Sir Douglas Haig, launched a massive attack on German trenches at the River Somme.
2. His plan was to open a gap in German defences by artillery bombardment, then cavalry would enter and defeat the Germans. This was to cut the Germans off from their supplies and would be forced to surrender.
3. The attack failed disastrously. The British army suffered 57,410 casualties in just the first day.
4. The British population were shown the battlefield for the first time, in the film, The Somme.

Question 40

What was Sir Douglas Haig’s plan for the Battle of Somme?

Answer 40

1. Heavy shelling for 7 days, to destroy German trenches and clear barbed wire. 5 large mines beneath German trenches, so that ‘not even a rat would be left alive’
2. And On 1 July 1916, Allied forces walk slowly across no man’s land to clear remaining Germans from trenches.
3. Cavalry as second wave of attack

Question 41

Why was the Battle of Somme a failure for the British?

Answer 41

1. The bombardment failed to destroy German barbed wire. German trenches were well supplied and re-enforced and were not majorly affected by the artillery bombardment.
2. Once the shelling had stopped the Germans knew the British were coming. The British moved slowly making for easy targets.
3. When Haig ended the attack only seven miles had been gained. Battle claimed over 1 million casualties in total.

Question 42

What was Sir Douglas Haig’s mistakes?

Answer 42

1. Haig’s planning was poor, and tactics were costly.
2. He allowed the Battle to continue even when defeat was evident adding to the casualties.
3. He repeated his mistakes in 1917 with the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).
4. He was stubborn and refused the idea of a unified army. He only gave way to Foch in 1918, as he knew he couldn’t win.
5. Thought cavalry would win the war, failed to appreciate new technology.
6. The war was won on the western front, not because of Haig’s attack tactics, but due to surprise attacks without massive artillery bombardment — tactics learned from the Germans.

Question 43

Was Haig correctly termed the ‘Butcher of the Somme’?

Answer 43

1. Only given half forces he believed he needed at Somme.
2. Battle tactics were planned on short notice due to German attack on Verdun.
3. Other generals had also used the same tactics as Haig.
4. Did help wear down German forces and morale.
5. Changed tactics at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 1917. Tunnels were dug to allow attackers to get closer to enemy lines, and soldiers had maps, so attack could continue even if officers were killed
6. His private papers showed he was a caring man and felt deeply sorry for the loss of his men.
7. Asked men to walk slowly so that they would not be blown up by the mines they planted for Germans

Question 44

How strong was the British Navy?

Answer 44

1. It was the strongest navy in the world. Britain needed a strong navy to protect its empire.
2. British priority was to keep open supply lines with its trading partners and to blockade Germany

Question 45

What did the German Navy use?

Answer 45

1. Before 1914, Germany’s naval construction program sparked an arms race— with both sides building as many Dreadnoughts they could.
2. The German High Seas Fleet (German navy) used U-boats (submarines) more than their Dreadnoughts as they were too valuable.

Question 46

What were the series of minor navy battles in 1914-1915?

Answer 46

1. German fleet bombed Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool in December 1914
2. Battle of Heligoland Blight (august 1914), British navy bombed the Heligoland German naval base killing 700 people
3. Battle of Coronel (Nov 1914), Battle of Falkland Islands (Dec 1914)

Question 47

When was the Battle of Jutland?

Answer 47

31 May to 1 June 1916

Question 48

What caused and ended the Battle of Jutland?

Answer 48

1. This was the only major sea battle during WW1.
2. Britain was able to intercept the German plan as a German soldier with radio codes washed up on a Russian beach.
3. Germany’s von Scheer wanted to tempt the British fleet from its base and trap them by destroying as many ships as possible. This would reduce their number and would end the naval blockade on Germany.
   ‎‎4. Since the commander of the British Fleet knew about this and waited at the German rendezvous point with a small fleet. The Germans were lured in where the rest of the British Navy was waiting. The British fleet outnumbered the German fleet.
4. The naval battle lasted three days.
5. Scheer sailed back to Germany when the bombing had stopped.
6. But the British claimed they had won, since the Germans ‘fled’, although more British ships had been sunk.
7. After 1916, the British put a naval blockade on Germany which caused severe food and supply shortages for the German people.
8. Germany tried to blockade Britain but failed.

Question 49

How important was the war at sea?

Answer 49

1. The range and power of the warring nations’ naval fleets, along with their ambition to control the world’s waterways, were major reasons that World War I spread so quickly.
2. Naval warfare had always been unpredictable (because of the role of weather and other factors), but new technologies made it even more so.
3. Mines, torpedoes, and submarines introduced new threats that made even the greatest warships vulnerable.
4. Compared to giant dreadnoughts, which took years to build and were manned by hundreds of men, submarines were cheap and generally used a crew of fewer than two dozen. Mines were cheaper still and, once laid, required no crew at all
5. However, both Britain and Germany were still deciding how best to use these new naval forces, and both were reluctant to commit their main fleets to heavy battles.
6. The Battle of Coronel, the Battle of the Falkland Islands, and other early sea battles quickly made it clear how naval warfare could be used to project power over long distances.
7. In World War I, naval power was more often used to maintain control of trade routes than to capture new territory.
8. As it turned out, great sea battles between large surface fleets were rare in the war; instead, the submarine came to own the seas, and Germany became the undisputed master at employing this new technology.

Question 50

How did Germany start submarine warfare?

Answer 50

1. At the beginning of the war Germany didn’t target: civilian ships, and ships from neutral nations.
2. When German attempt to blockade Britain (1915) failed, Germany implemented a campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare — where Germany targeted military and civilian ships around Britain.
3. this caused food shortages in Britain, as they imported 60% of their food, leading to food rationing.
4. In 1917, 2.7 million tonnes of shipping were sunk by the Germans

Question 51

What were the British strategies to counter the Germans unrestricted submarine warfare?

Answer 51

1. Q ships - military boats disguised as merchant ships, lured U boats to surface so they were could be attacked. Could be argued if it was successful, as many were sunk by U boats.
2. Mines - laid across the sea bed to attack German U-boats. Could be cleared by minesweepers.
3. Convoy system- (idea by Lloyd George) Battle ships would sail in groups called convoys with merchant ships across the Atlantic.
4. Depth charges - dropped by aircraft, would explode when they reached a certain depth. Didn’t have to be aimed accurately as the hydraulic force popped rivets in U- boats.
5. Unrestricted U-boat warfare pressured USA into joining the war after the Germans sinking of the Lusitania. (British ship with Americans on board)

Question 52

What was the Gallipoli campaign?

Answer 52

1. The Gallipoli campaign was intended to force Germany’s ally, Turkey, out of the war; and open the Dardanelles strait for a supply route to Russia.
2. Churchill persuades British government to ploy a naval attack which would be followed by a major offense on the Turkish capital in the East. He believed the victory would force the Ottoman empire to surrender.

Question 53

Why did the Gallipoli campaign fail?

Answer 53

1. Turkish troops were aware of the coming offense by the Allies a month in advance and had troops to defend themselves.
2. Lord Kitchener granted only half the men required.
3. Ian Hamilton who led the campaign planned it poorly.
4. The British did not know the area as well as the Turks, nor did they have adequate maps provided.
5. Inexperienced troops from Australia and New Zealand (the Anzacs) deployed were ineffective.
6. The Allies took time to prepare which gave the Ottoman forces time to prepare.
7. Turkish machine gunners had a direct line of fire as the Allied troops landed.
8. The landing of the Anzacs was also a failure, as strong currents carried the boats they were in, away from the drop off point.
9. The Turkish army was well trained by a German general
10. Poor communication, as Hamilton was in a boat away from the front.
11. The Allies underestimated the Turkish forces
12. Severe weather conditions and shortages in food weakened the soldiers
13. Later Hamilton was replaced, and the new commander pulled the forces out of Turkish lands in January of 1916.

Question 54

What were the results of the Gallipoli campaign?

Answer 54

1. The plan failed and over one third became casualties on both sides.
2. The expedition’s failure led to some political consequences: Head of the Royal navy resigned,
   Churchill resigned from government. (He was not the Prime minster at the time) Lloyd George was appointed as Prime minster.

Question 55

How was the war costly for Russia?

Answer 55

1. Over the first two and a half years of the war, Russia had experienced heavy defeats against Germany but at the same time had significant successes against Austria-Hungary.
2. however, the war had become hugely unpopular at home. The Russian death toll was enormous, Russia was continuously losing territory, and the war had sparked food shortages throughout the country.
3. most Russians felt that the country had little to gain in the war and much to lose.
4. the Russian advances initially showed promise against Austrian forces in Galicia, the Russian troops fled quickly when German reinforcements arrived.
5. Sporadic fighting along the eastern front continued throughout July and August, but growing desertions, infighting, and general disorder throughout the Russian military greatly diminished its effectiveness over time

Question 56

What was the impact of the war on Russia?

Answer 56

1. War reflected badly on the royal ­­family as the Tsar commanded the army.
2. In 1917, due to the Russian Revolution Tsar Nicholas II and the provisional Government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks.
3. The Bolsheviks signed an armistice with Germany, which withdrew Russia from the war (Dec 1917).

Question 57

What was the impact of Russia laving the war on Germany?

Answer 57

1. With Russia’s withdrawal from the war, Germany was able to transfer troops to the Western Front.
2. This gave them a advantage however:
   The British Naval Blockade caused food shortages.
   Shortages caused German public to go against the war effort.
   The USA joined the war in the side of the Allies

Question 58

When was the treaty of Brest-Litovsk signed and how was it with?

Answer 58

March 1917 and it was with Russia

Question 59

What were the terms of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk?

Answer 59

1. Lost 90% of coal mines
2. Lost 25% of both industry and population
3. Lost Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine
4. Lost Turkish lands gained in Russo-Turkish war of 1877–78, to be returned to the Ottoman empire.

Question 60

What was The Fallout from Russia’s Exit from the war?

Answer 60

Russia’s departure from the war posed a serious danger to the Allied forces, for it effectively closed the eastern front and thus meant that the Allies would soon face some 900,000 additional German troops on the western front. In addition, the large quantities of Russian equipment that the Germans captured would also now be used on the Allies.

On the whole, one might argue that Russia’s pullout, rather than bring the world closer to peace, likely extended the conflict by enabling Germany and Austria-Hungary to focus their entire attention on the west and south.

Question 61

How many deaths at the home front during the war?

Answer 61

1. 940,000 civilians died due to military action
2. 5.9 million died due to malnutrition, disease and accidents
3. Arrival of Spanish flu at last stages increased the death toll by 20 million people

Question 62

What employment opportunities for women were they because of the war?

Answer 62

1. Farms : Women’s Land Army - 1915
2. Munitions factories
3. Public transport
4. Russia - all women’s battalion - ‘Amazon’

Question 63

What happened to women’s opportunities after the war?

Answer 63

1. Right to vote after the war ended
2. Not many joined the workforce, most women in lowly paid jobs moved up into better paid jobs
3. Public pressure forced women out of new jobs back into old ones after war ended
4. Lloyd George had to ensure men higher pay after war

Question 64

What was the Defence of the Realm ACT in Britain?

Answer 64

DORA (Defence of the Realm ACT) in Britain imposed:

1. Press censorship
2. Daylight Saving Time (DST) / British Summer Time
3. Food rationing
4. Reduced licensing hours for pubs
5. Imprisonment without trial

Question 65

What was the impact of war on civilian populations?

Answer 65

1. 1917 Espionage act - USA
2. Sedition act - USA
3. All countries except Britain introduced conscription in 1914
4. Conscription was introduced for all single men between ages 18 - 41 in Jan 1916. Extended to all men aged 18 - 41 in May 1916.
5. Germany had Ersatz, substitute food, e.g.: acorns and beechnuts instead of coffee, Turnips used in place of potatoes after drought in 1916 - Germany.

Question 66

What were the causes of food shortages?

Answer 66

1. Conscription of farm workers

2. Submarine warfare

Question 67

Why did the U.S enter the War?

Answer 67

Although Wilson tried hard to keep the United States neutral, by the spring of 1917, the situation had changed significantly, and neutrality no longer seemed feasible. 1. Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare was taking its toll, as American ships, both cargo and passenger, were sunk one after another.

2. The exposure of the Zimmermann telegram - telegram to Mexico, which was intercepted by the British. It said if Mexico attacks the USA, US territory would be given to Mexico once Germany had won the war.
3. The USA lent money to the Allies which be lost if Germany won.
4. Finally, on April 2, Wilson appeared before Congress and requested a declaration of war. Congress responded within days, officially declaring war on Germany on April 6, 1917.

Question 68

When the US declare war on Germany?

Answer 68

They officially declaring war on Germany on April 6, 1917.

Question 69

How did the USA affect the war?

Answer 69

1. The American soldiers were slow to mobilize.
2. Initially only 300,000 soldiers were sent to France and did not have a major impact.
3. American soldiers not prepared for trench warfare. so Had high casualty rates.
4. General Pershing (US general) had disputes with his French and British counterparts.
5. They did provide Britain and France with additional manpower and economic resources as well as a psychological boost.
6. Arrival of the US troops was just in time to plug the gaps caused by the German Ludendorff offensive.
7. Allowed experienced troops to be transferred away from the quieter parts of the Western Front
8. General Jon Pershing made a crucial contribution in the ‘Hundred Days’ campaign.

Question 70

What was The Ludendorff Offense?

Answer 70

1. German Spring Offensive was The Ludendorff Offense
2. The Germans launched 4 major attacks between March and July of 1918 such as:
   A. 21-30 March — The Germans attacked at Somme and inflicted major casualties on allied soldiers.
   B. 9-30 April — Germany attacks Belgium. Casualties on both sides. American soldiers step in and Germans unable to break through and conquer Paris.
3. By August, Germany had lost many experienced soldiers whose replacements were not nearly as experienced.
4. The Allied forces were unified under General Foch

Question 71

Why did The Ludendorff offensive failed?

Answer 71

1. Germans left their defensive positions at the Hindenburg line.
2. Allies were gaining men; Germans were losing men.
3. As German attacks pushed further into France, keeping men supplied became harder.
4. Troops from the Eastern front were not prepared to fight at the Western front. Not used to the trench system. They were also extremely exhausted and were not given time to rest.
5. Low German morale after the defeat at Amiens (Aug 1918). Was called the Black day of the German army.
6. there was Influenza epidemic in Germany.
7. Shift in Allied tactics there was Surprise attacks

Question 72

Why did revolution break out in Germany in October 1918?

Answer 72

1. British blockade on Germany caused many civilian deaths in Germany.
2. Rationing and Food shortages were a major problem in Germany
3. Working and living conditions worsened.
4. Inflation affected the German economy.
5. By October 1917 many people attended peace demonstrations and the war effort was very unpopular.
6. Taxes were not enough to cover the costs of the war and Germany was in debt.
7. People went on strikes, demanding political reforms.
8. In September 1918, German generals—Hindenburg and Ludendorff, who had a silent dictatorship; persuaded the Kaiser to create a civilian government under Prince Maximilian von Baden.
9. On November 9th Prince Maximilian handed over control to Friedrich Ebert, who immediately asked for a ceasefire.
10. This was done in hopes the Allied leaders would be more lenient towards a German government that APPEARED to be democratic. This would also deflect blame for defeat on the new government.

Question 73

Explain Kiel Mutiny and the German revolution

Answer 73

The German revolution occurred in two stages:

1. The Political stage (3-26 October): Prince Maximilian asked President Wilson for an armistice. Which he denied as he wanted to negotiate with the true representatives of Germany, not the Kaiser. Power was then transferred from the elite to the Reichstag, which was the civilian government under Prince Maximilian.
2. The Military Stage (28-9 October): The Kaiser ordered the German fleet to launch a huge major assault. German sailors at Kiel were angered as the war was clearly being lost and did not want to sacrifice any more lives. They mutinied. Protests and strikes followed by the German population. Following this the Kaiser abdicated and fled to Netherlands.

Question 74

What was the term of the armistice were?

Answer 74

1. Germany would evacuate all occupied territories.
2. Germany would hand over military equipment.
3. German warships would go to Britain.
4. Eventual reparations. The amount was not fixed at the time of the Armistice.

Question 75

When was the armistice signed?

Answer 75

11 November 1918.

Question 76

Why was the Armistice signed?

Answer 76

1. The German government wanted to stop the fighting as it was clear they were not winning.
2. Morale had completely collapsed.
3. Bulgaria was defeated at Monastir-Doiron
4. Many Germans thought the terms were harsh, but the treaty was signed anyway for the sake of the German government, who wanted peace.

Question 77

What was the armistice?

Answer 77

The Armistice was an agreement to stop the fighting and was signed between the Allies and the Germans.