War Consumes Europe WWI – The Beginning

The Alliance System Collapses O Nearly all the nations of Europe at war O Schlieffen Plan – Germany’s military plan at the outbreak of WWI, according to which German troops would rapidly defeat France and then move east to attack Russia O in the event of a two-front war General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen called to attack France then Russia O Speed was crucial to implement this plan

Schlieffen Plan O French had troops along the border with Germany O In order to bypass, Germany wanted to go through Belgium O Who’s side is Belgium on??? O Germany invaded Belgium regardless O OVERALL EFFECT: brings Britain into the war – declare war on Germany on August 4

WHY WAS SPEED SO IMPORTANT TO THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN???

Alliances CENTRAL POWERS O Ottoman Empire would later join ALLIED POWERS O Japan joins within weeks O Italy denounces old ally claiming Germany made an unprovoked attack on Belgium

The Western Front O region of northern France where the forces of the Allies and the Central powers battled each other O Schlieffen Plan working great UNTIL… O intelligence allowed the French to know the exact direction of the German army O First Battle of the Marne – one of the single most important events of the war O pushed Germany further back – the plan was no longer effective O settled into a stalemate

Trench Warfare O form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battlefield O during stalemate on the Western Front miles of parallel trenches dug to protect from enemy fire O swarmed with rats O sleep was impossible O living conditions = horrendous

“No Man’s Land” O space between the opposing trenches O stepping on to this part almost ensured death O stretched nearly 500 miles

New Weapons of War O poison gas- introduced by the Germans but used by both sides O machine gun – advanced by the start of the war O how did it create a stalemate?? O tank – armored combat vehicles that moved on chain tracks – introduced by the British

O airplane – 1 st time planes used in a combat role – used to take pictures of enemy but later to drop bombs O submarine – introduced by the Germans (U- boats) were used to wage unrestricted warfare on Allied ships – primary weapon was the torpedo O OVERALL EFFECT: kill huge numbers of people more effectively

The Eastern Front O stretch of battlefield along the German and Russian border O Russia was having a tough time O not industrialized O constantly short on food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, and blankets O death toll steadily rising but Russia’s huge population was the only asset it had

WHY WAS RUSSIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE WAR SO IMPORTANT TO THE OTHER ALLIES???