WWI UNIT 5: WWI

THE FIGHTING BEGINS Germany begins its offensive on August 4, 1914  Violated Belgium’s stance of neutrality The Germans pillaged, burned, and attacked civilians as they passed through Belgium This violated the rules of war established by the Hague Convention in 1907

THE RAPE OF BELGIUM: PROPAGANDA

RAPE OF BELGIUM: PROPAGANDA One of the most recognizable pieces of propaganda From WWI

SCHLIEFFEN PLAN So…why Belgium?? The German’s had the Schlieffen Plan  Created in 1905 Problem is, the Schlieffen plan is extremely inflexible and is outdated!  WWI had to fit into these plans

SCHLIEFFEN PLAN A Two Front War:  Western war against France (1 st step)  Eastern war against Russia (2 nd step)  Germans believed Russia could not mobilize quickly France had to be defeated before Germany to defeat Russia

SCHLIEFFEN PLAN Germans in the east would hold off Russia Germans in the west would quickly march through Belgium to Paris  Paris would fall (and all of France with it) The Germans in the west would march to Russia where they would join forces and defeat Russia and the czar

PLAN XVII The French also had a plan! (Made in 1913) France wanted back the area of Alsace- Lorraine  Lost it during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and 1871!

PLAN XVII It was an offensive strategy along the Franco- German border  An advance by four French Armies into Alsace- Lorraine  capture the fortresses from the Germans They needed Britain to win!

BEGINNINGS OF THE STALEMATE & TRENCH WARFARE Unable to save Belgium, the British and French retreated to the Marne River in France  Stopped the Germans there in September 1914  By the spring of 1915 the war had come to a standstill Both sides dug trenches to protect themselves from open fire  Land in-between called “no-man’s land”

START OF TRENCH WARFARE Battle of the Marne (Aug. 23 – Sept. 1914)  Massive casualties  Start of the stalemate on the western front Both sides building trenches as they “race” to the sea 400 miles of trenches by December 1914

STALEMATE ON THE EASTERN FRONT: RUSSIA VS. GERMANY Russia mobilized in ten days Defeats Germany by sheer numbers BUT…they run into woods and marshes as they advance  lose supplies and communication

STALEMATE ON THE EASTERN FRONT: A-H VS. SERBIA Austria-Hungary is not defeating Serbia as they assumed By Christmas 1914  stuck in a stalemate The eastern front is over 1,000 miles  this is NOT trench warfare

MAJOR BATTLES Battle of Verdun (Feb. – Dec. 1916)  Battle was won by the French Battle of the Somme (July – Nov. 1916)  More than 1,000,000 men were wounded or killed  No one really won, British/French gained some ground

MAJOR BATTLES Gallipoli Campaign  April 1915 – January 1916  Fought in Turkey  British and French vs. Ottoman Empire  Ottoman Empire victory 2 nd Battle of the Marne  July 15 - Aug. 16, 1918  Last Germany offensive of WWI  Won by the French and the U.S.  This changes the tide in the war!

New Firepower:  Machine guns  Better bullets  Cannons/shells Chemical Gas:  Chlorine Gas  Mustard Gas  Gas masks for soldiers New Technology:  Tanks  Planes  Submarines TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS Camouflage created in 1917