World War I 1914-18 Flashcards
Describe the five key features of the Schlieffen Plan.
- The Grand Alliance consisted of Austria and Germany and the Triple Entente was Britain, France, and Russia. The British army numbering 100,000 was well organised but the French only wanted to regain Alsace-Lorraine.
The Germans were well organised but let down by the Austria-Hungarians who were made to fight in the empire.
The plan was set in 1905 due to being surrounded from both sides and a sweep through the Netherlands, Luxemburg, and Belgium was planned. The Germans commenced war on 3 August and the plan’s intentions were that Paris could be seized, lowering French morale, as the Belgiums would have poor resistance and the BEF and Russians would be too late.
Why did the Schlieffen Plan fail?
Belgian resistance - there were forts at Antwerp, Namur, and Liege and heavy guns had to tear these down, Antwerp did not surrender.
French - The French were given time by the BEF and moved from Alsace-Lorraine to Paris.
The Germans were exhausted.
The plan was ammended and the right wing was left with too few men while Paris was not encircled.
The Battle of Mons on August 23rd slowed down the German approach.
Describe the Battle of Marne and the Race to the Sea.
- Battle of the Marne commenced on 5 September and the French soldiers travelled to Paris to reinforce troops there.
- A gap between von Bulow and von Kluck was spotted by the British and filled, a week of fighting made Germans retreat 60 km.
- In October the Germans wanted to stop the Allies from reaching the sea and wanted to reduce reinforcements.
- British reached Ypres first and 4 weeks of fighting in the forest ensued, 20,000 Germans were killed and the BEF destroyed.
What was the situation by the end of 1914?
- Both sides had lost over 1 million men and a deadlock was reached. Both agreed to pause fighting until 1915.
- Trench networks extended to Luxemburg.
- On Christmas the shooting ended and the sides played cards.
Describe trench warfare features.
- Soldiers lived in deep dugouts and zig-zag shapes prevented a whole troop being knocked out while V shaped trenches absorbed the bomb impact.
- People ate bully beef and chloride of lime was added to water, giving it a gross taste. Many suffered shell shock.
- Life was dull and monotonous. Diseases such as typhus and cholera were rife.
- The extreme weather caused 30cm bodies of water to develop.
- There was a threat of being shot over the parapet by snipers.
- Poisonous gas.
- Communication trenches.
Why was there a stalemate?
Trench system - barbed wire and sandbags made infantry and cavalry charges impossible.
New weapons : flame throwers were often explosive and unreliable, heavy guns made a mess of no man’s land though were effective, gas masks prevented poison, tanks broke down, the Maxim gun caused 90% of deaths at the Sommes and machine guns could shoot 600 a minute.
Both sides had no clue how to break the stalemate, Sir John Haid didn’t know trench warfare and liked old methods, he believed in attrition, wearing down the enemy no matter the cost.
Why did the Somme battle break out?
100,000 new recruits from the 1915 Call of Arms from the colonies.
The French were captured at Verdun.
Fulfil attrition and fight German defences.
Describe the features of the battle of the Sommes.
After a week of bombardments commenced July 1, the Germans emerged from dugouts and 60,000 casualties were made.
In September, tanks were used and the creeping barrage stole Beaucort and Beaumont-Hamel. Fighting ended in November and the Germans were pushed back a little.
