World War I Mr. Mizell, Humanities

Essential Question How did the Western and Eastern Fronts differ?

Recall our WWI Map

The Western Front: Beginning Germany and A-H vs France and Great Britain Germans invaded Belgium to attack France – Part of the Schlieffen Plan

What is the Schlieffen Plan? Schlieffen Plan – if Germany had to fight on two fronts (against France and Russia), hit France first then go after Russia

German Advance Germans get within a few miles of Paris but French and British counterattack – Both sides lose over 200,000 men

Stalemate in Trenches Settles into a stalemate – Both sides dig trenches – War becomes defensive, not mobile

The Eastern Front Russia vs A-H, Germany, Ottoman Empire Covered greater distance – More mobile, not use trenches as much

Russia’s Problems Russia is severely undersupplied – Did not have the industrial economy that other European countries had – Suffers heavy casualties Russian Revolution (1917) – Drops out of the war Video clip from WWI in Color – Eastern Front

The Eastern Front: Middle East Fighting within the Ottoman Empire – Today: Turkey and the Middle East British work with Arabs to defeat the Ottoman Empire – T.E. Lawrence leads Arab troops – Uses hit and run tactics

T. E. Lawrence & the “Arab Revolt”,

Lawrence of Arabia Video clip from Lawrence of Arabia – Notice how the armies are quite different from the ones in Europe

How did the two fronts differ? What is Russia’s problem?