WWI History Test Flashcards

Question

Explain the battle of Ypres.

Answer 1

Canadian soldiers were sent to help French and British troops near Ypres, Belgium. The Germans introduced a deadly weapon: chlorine gas ← it burned eyes, and lungs to make people choke, gag and suffocate to death. When the French front line at Ypres was hit with the gas, Canadian troops moved in as reinforcements. Germans pushed the Canadians back but the line held. Both sides had gas attacks and both sides were equipped with gas masks. This method wasn't as effective because it dispersed and if the wind changed the gas would backfire and harm troops who released the gas attack. SUMMARY: where the Germans first used the chemical weapon

Answer 2

- General Douglas Haig, a British commander, believed the Allied forces would break through the German lines at the Somme River. - ← by achieving this. It would draw German troops away from a deadly bombardment of the French near Verdun. - Two weeks before the battle began, Allied artillery bombarded the German line and Haig wanted them to destroy German trenches and barbed wire but it didn’t work. - British and Canadian troops moved into no man’s land, all the Germans were ready and intact. - The Newfoundland Regiment attacked at Beaumoint-Hamel and suffered terrible casualties. - attack lasted 4 months - many casualities, worst loss - despite casualities from Newfoundland, Haig still did the battle - The battle ended in November 1916, the Allies had suffered about 650,000 casualties to gain 545 km of territory. - - Many Canadians were lost. A more professional and effective army emerged from the battle. And the tactics developed there, including the use of tanks and creeping barrages, laid some of the foundations of the Allies' successes in 1918. The Somme also succeeded in relieving the pressure on the French at Verdun. PURPOSE: make sure French aren't bombarded (didnt work), to achieve a decisive victory over the Germans on the Western Front. For many in Britain, the resulting battle remains the most painful and infamous episode of the First World War. CANADA; The great courage and accomplishments of Canadian soldiers there helped confirm their growing reputation as first-rate front line troops who could capture enemy positions in the face of heavy fire.

Answer 3

* Haig ordered Allied troops to try to break through the German lines near Ypres, Belgium. ← became known as the Third Battles of Ypres. The Battle of Passchendaele was part of this larger battle * The Germans held the line at Ypres since 1914 and British, Australian, and New Zealand forces tried to attack with little success. Canadian forces remained under Arther Currie, lieutenant general, and Haig ordered Currie and * Canadians to take Passchendaele Ridge. He feared a big loss but planned well. * Scouts had to locate the German machine gun and artillery placements and rehearsal was performed before the battle. * A creeping barrage was planned to cover soldiers on no man’s land. * The Canadians captured the ridge, but about 16000 soldiers were dead/wounded. * Despite the victory, the Third Battle of Ypres resulted in little significant gain and massive casualties. * Passchendaele has come to symbolize the futility and mud of WWI * Canadians fought over hardships to have gain a victory PURPOSE: The Canadian victory at Passchendaele was truly impressive and added to our nation's growing reputation as having the best offensive fighting force on the Western Front. * It would be a major decisive action to break through the German defences. * This attack, working with the French, would culminate in the conquest of the Belgian coast and would help to alleviate the growing threat of the German submarines operating from Belgian ports. * The British commander, Sir Douglas Haig, launched a drive in Belgium to wear down the German capacity to continue fighting the war while hopefully seizing strategic German railways in the occupied country and capturing the German submarine bases along the coast which were being used to menace Allied shipping - There was no breakthrough, and the German railways remained out of reach.

Answer 4

The Canadian forces had taken more guns, ground and prisoners than any previous British attack. They won 4 Victoria crosses and a new identity was forged. It gave new hope to the allies and gave a better image to the canadian force. A turning point in canadian history

Answer 5

The plan had soldiers going underground where many wires were placed with telephone cables. Creeping barrage where the guns continued to fire as the Canadins left the trenches. ← allowed enemy soldiers to stay in their trenches This attack occurred during a snowstorm allowing minimal visibility for Germans.

Answer 6

Was put in charge of the Vimy Ridge mission with the Canadians He made sure the soldiers are well rested, prepared and informed He wanted his soldiers to be well trained and prepared for the plan rather than just running across the battlefields He had to train well to perform the creeping barrage tactic well to avoid soldiers being killed by the bombs in front

Answer 7

AIRPLANES Mainly used to observe enemy movements Guns were attached into cockpit or used where shooting at enemy planes ← when machine guns were placed it could have hit plane’s propellers Not allowed parachutes Average lifespan of a pilot was 3 weeks “flying coffins” GAS Germans released a deadly new weapon ← chlorine gas, mustard gas which made soldiers suffocate to death Gas could disperse or follow the wind to the side that released the gas Cleared enemy forward positions MACHINE GUNS World War I popularized the use of the machine gun—capable of bringing down row after row of soldiers from a distance on the battlefield. This weapon, along with barbed wire and mines, made movement across open land both difficult and dangerous. TANKS The invention of the combustion engine led to tanks, armored vehicles, carrying soldiers and supplies to the front line. Machine guns were improved to be used on tanks Designed to blow through trenches and barbed wire First tanks were slow making them stuck in mud but they improved They were used to destroy German machine gun posts

Answer 8

If the German's were successful, then their navy could blockade. Britain's ports and stop shipments of food and ammunition arriving. This could lead to starvation in Britain and weaken the nation's ability to wage a war against Germany.

Answer 9

Shipping Canadian troops, food and weapons to Europe ← Germans wanted to stop this To defend against U-boats, ships have to travel in armored convoys (DEFINITION: a group of vehicles or ships that travel together, especially for protection) Mine-laying, heavier depth charges and zig zagging defeat U-boats ← more than half German U-boats were sunk or captured

Answer 10

U-boat torpedoed this place that carried supplies and passengers from America ← these accidents helped shift American public opinion in favor of joining Allies, making US join war in April 1917, the “Sussex pledge” is where Germans agreed to not attack passenger ships

Answer 11

Halifax Harbour filled with convoys of ships, shipping between Canada and Europe 2 Allied ships collided in the harbor where one ship carried many explosives making the ship catch fire and explode destroying the city and killing many people A blizzard came after, making the repairs on pause but a ship from Boston with lots of supplies came to help the repairs of the city ← importance of ships

Answer 12

A campaign where Canadian forces participated in the Hundred Days that broke the back of the German military effort. Canadian forces with tanks and aircraft smashed German lines. Germans call this day as “the black day of the German army”. For 6 weeks, Canadains served as the leaders of the Allied advance, it was to be the last great offensive of the war. They seized many prisoners, machine guns but lots of casualties occurred. On November 11, 1918 war ended but fighting continued till the minute opposing sides made a truce

Answer 13

1. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare. 2. The Zimmerman Telegram UK control over seas caused problems for Germany ← blocked German waters preventing supplies So Germany declares submarine blockade on UK and Ireland ← destroying goods going to UK Germany violated the Sussex Pledge as they believe the German navy can defeat the UK in five months as the US could no longer be a neutral party after supplying the Allied forces. They resumed their submarine warfare and had secret negotiations with Mexico to invade US but when US found out, they joined war against germany

Answer 14

The Sussex Pledge was a statement by the Germans that they would not sink passenger ships without warning during World War I. The significance was that the Germans were limiting their use of submarine warfare during World War I, which kept the United States a neutral country.

Answer 15

Returning soldiers had a virus Influenza was one of the great mass killers and its most lethal; version was Spanish flu epidemic More people were killed by the flu than the war Villages were wiped out It was a serial killer that seemed to its victims to be some form of course Medical facilities were swamped It struck quickly and people would go to bed healthy and never wake up

Answer 16

People wore face masks and it was a criminal offense to shake hands Gatherings were banned and schools were closed. Railways demanded certification that they were free of the flu

Answer 17

Armistice: the agreement between Allies and Germany which ended WWI fighting Marked victory for the Allies and defeat for Germany, not completely a surrender. The terms included the withdrawal of German troops from behind their borders, preservation of infrastructure, exchange of prisoners, the promise of reparations, and conditions for extending the armistice.

Answer 18

Decisions made by “Big Three” ← Georges Clemenceau, premier of France, David Lloyd, PM of Britain and Woodrow Wilson, PM of the US FRANCE: wanted revenge and crush Germany, having Germany pay back damage, weaken Germany to prevent further wars US: wanted a fair peace, believed defeated nations should be treated justly so no revenge BRITAIN: had a middle position, wanted revenge but not to crush it, RESPONSIBLE OF THE COMPROMISE THAT MADE THE PEACE TREATY POSSIBLE

Answer 19

Germany was forced to accept the independence of Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland Gave up overseas colonies Lost 12% of pre-war territory France took back lost territory France gained control of Saar coal region for 15 years Germany's western border with France was to be demilitarized The army was reduced by a lot with no tanks Their air force disbanded The Navy had no submarines Germany expected to pay damages with billions for F, GB, and Bel Germany was expected to accept full responsibility for causing the war

Answer 20

British and French thought it was fair Germany disagreed The reparations would crush their fragile economy Thought war guilt was unfair and untrue Myth: Germany was stabbed in the back by civilians (Jews), but they had not been defeated on the field of battle

Answer 21

- Many argue that the treaty was a mistake due to its harsh terms imposed on Germany, which some believe contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the outbreak of World War II. - The terms of the Treaty were very damaging to Germany: territory was taken from Germany - depriving it of valuable industrial and agricultural income. - The Versailles Treaty did little to shape any sort of long-term peace from the results of World War

WWI History Test Flashcards

(45 cards)