Year 9 WW1 History Revision What were the Long Term Causes? Assassination in Sarajevo Trench Warfare The Battle of the Somme Lusitania and Total War

Long Term Causes Militarism- Glorifying Military Power Keeping a large standing army prepared for war Arms race for military technology Nationalism- Deep Devotion to One’s Nation Competition and Rivalry developed between European nations for territory and markets (Example France and Germany- Alsace-Lorraine)

Long term Causes Imperialism- European competition for colonies Quest for colonies often almost led to war Imperialism led to rivalry and mistrust amongst European nations Alliance System- Designed to keep peace in Europe, instead pushed continent towards war Many Alliances made in secret By 1907 two major alliances: Triple Alliance and Triple Entente

Causes of the War

The Schlieffen Plan

Trench Warfare

Both sides dug long trenches that faced each other. The trenches ran from Switzerland to the English Channel. One side would attempt to cross the “No-Man’s Land” the area in between the trenches and capture the enemy trench. Trench warfare extended WW1 from a few months of fighting to four years of fighting

Many of the soldiers had lice. They would live in their woollen uniforms. It was nearly impossible to get rid of them! The trenches often flooded. If soldiers didn’t change their socks and boots, they would usually get ‘trench foot’. Their feet would get swollen in their boots and the skin would peel off. The trenches were infested with rats that would feed on dead soldiers. Thousands of horses, unwashed men and a battlefield littered with dead bodies meant a trench would have a terrible smell.

Battle of the Somme

In July 1916, the French army was close to collapse. After the high casualty rate at the Battle of Verdun many troops were refusing to fight. If the Germans attacked again then the French Army would be defeated and the allies would lose the war. General Haig was ordered to divert the Germans away from Verdun by launching an attack on the Somme.

Positives The Allies captured 70 square miles of land. The battle bought the French enough time to re-organise their army. Inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans. The Allies did not loose the war New tactics were learned and used. Negatives Bloodiest battle in the history of the British Army. Limited land gained. War no closer to an end.

The battle lasted from 1 July – 18 November Took place in France and was one of the most significant battles of the First World War. 60,000 British casualties on first day of battle alone. 11 Cambridgeshire Battalion sent 750 ‘over the top’ and 691 became casualties of war. 1,738,000 shells were fired at the Germans in the initial bombardment.

Total War

Lusitania

At 1.20pm on 7th May 1915, the U-20, only ten miles from the coast of Ireland,Ireland surfaced to recharge her batteries. Soon afterwards Captain Schwieger, the commander of the German U-Boat,U-Boat observed the Lusitania in the distance. Schwieger gave the order to advance on the liner. The U20 had been at sea for seven days and had already sunk two liners and only had two torpedoes left. He fired the first one from a distance of 700 metres. Watching through his periscope it soon became clear that the Lusitania was going down and so he decided against using his second torpedo. After a second, larger explosion, the Lusitania rolled over and sank in eighteen minutes. A total of 1,198 people died (785 passengers and 413 crew). Those killed included 128 US citizens.