1. Stalemate
The Western Front

2. “The lamps are going out all over Europe
“The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.”
Do you agree or disagree with this quote? What is this quote saying?

3. First Battle of the Marne (September 5-12 1914)
German Schlieffen plan led by Moltke the Younger is stopped by mostly French troops led by Joseph Joffre
Even though it is early in the war, could be considered the most decisive
Lines would become “static” for the next 4 years
Moltke the Younger

4. “Race to the Sea”
After the Battle of the Marne, armies fall into Trench Warfare
Both sides attempt to turn the northern flank of the other army by building trenches
Eventually, the lines on the western front go all the way to the North Sea

5. Erich Von Falkenhayn
After the failure of the Schlieffen plan, Germany sacks Moltke and puts Falkenhayn in charge
New plan: divert troops from the Western Front and send them east
Fight defensive warfare against France/Britain
France and Britain would continue to launch offensives to little gain
Falkenhayn

6. Verdun and The Somme: The futility of 1916
Germany’s only real offensive is in the Battle of Verdun, which lasts from February to December of 1916 and has about 1 million casualties (US Total deaths in all wars to date: 650 thousand)
British attempt to help the French at Verdun in the Battle of the Somme
British lose 20,000 dead at the first day of the Somme (twice the total deaths of US soldiers in Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Mexican-American War combined)
Virtually no movement or strategic gain from these battles

7. Clip
the Top

8. Major Theme: Disillusionment
During the war, many many Generals were replaced and several governments fell. Talk with your partner about why you think this might have happened.
Falkenhayn is replaced by Hindenburg and Ludendorff
Joffre is replaced by Nievelle who is replaced by Foch

9. Christmas Truce Widespread ceasefires in Christmas of 1914
Became far less frequent throughout the war, but still occasionally happened
Why?
Officers hated it

10. The Battle of Jutland 1916 Only major naval battle of the war
British vs German Dreadnoughts
Indecisive

11. Russia Collapses
The Eastern Front

12. Russia’s Weaknesses
Russia is not nearly as industrialized as the other countries, so it has trouble feeding and supplying its army, as well as its citizens back home
The leader- Czar Nicholas II- is widely seen as incompetent and tyrannical (though current historians are sympathetic and view him in a kinder light; he is merely incompetent)
Russia struggles to mobilize quickly and faces early defeats at the hands of German and Austro-Hungarian forces

13. Brusilov Offensive (1916)
Russian attempt to relieve French at Verdun by launching massive attack on Eastern Front
One of the largest offensives of all time (2nd most costly)
Led by intelligent Russian general Alexei Brusilov
Well organized attacks, it looks like Russia has finally caught up to the rest of the world and would be a force to reckon with

14. Significance of the Offensive
Austria is crushed by Russian attack and is essentially useless for the rest of the war
Germany must continue to divert forces from the West, allowing Allies to gradually gain the upper hand
Russia’s greatest victory of the war
Even though it is a tactical success, Russia loses many casualties. It is never able to rebound and launch any other attacks.
Central powers casualties are also terrible- but are mostly Austrian. Germany remains strong

15. Abdication of the Tsar Tsar Nicholas II is overthrown in early 1917
A provisional Russian government attempts to continue to fight, but is beaten by renewed German attacks
By late 1917, the Bolsheviks, a communist offshoot, take over Russia and sign the treaty of Brest-Livotsk, officially taking Russia out of the war (the had been out for all intents and purposes for about a year)

16. REVIEW
With a partner (and without notes), come up with a sentence explaining each of these:
Battle of the Marne
Race to the Sea
Battle of Verdun
Battle of the Somme
Battle of Jutland
Brusilov Offensive
Russia’s Weaknessess
Disillusionment
Christmas Truces
Tsar Nicholas II
Falkenhayn and Germany’s new strategy
Treaty of Brest-Livotsk

18. The War’s “Crowded Hour”
Major events of 1917
Germany resumes unrestricted submarine warfare
Russia exits the war
America enters the war
Fighting reaches fever pitch on western front
French mutinies
The War’s “Crowded Hour”
1917

19. France (almost) falls apart
Inspired by the Russia Revolution and angered by continued failures, widespread mutinies rock the French army in 1917
New General Phillipe Petain is barely able to keep the war effort together
Significance: reform of the army and tactics, “Troop Rotation”, furloughs, ect.
Phillipe Petain

20. Douglas Haig “Butcher Haig” is the British commander
Known for massive casualties in battles he led
Controversial legacy today; some say he is emblematic of poor planning and futility of WWI
Others say his leadership helped bring an end to the war and casualties are a result of new strategic reality

21. “I died in Hell, (They called it Passchendaele)”
- Siegfried Sassoon

22. Passchendaele (3rd battle of Ypres) 1917

24. The US Enters the War
“Doughboys”- American soldiers were “kneaded” in 1914 but didn’t “rise” until 1917
Germany desperately needed to keep the US out of the war; Britain was constantly trying to get them involved
Woodrow Wilson- American President
American citizens favor neutrality

26. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
British blockade Germany, begin choking them out of supplies
Germany responds by ordering submarines not to abide by traditional “prize rules” of submarine warfare
This is a dangerous game- Germany’s new strategy is to outlast the allies in a war of attrition, and they cannot do this if the United States becomes involved
The inside of a U Boat

27. Sinking of the Lusitania (May 1915)
Germany sank the British passenger vessel; about 1200 people lost their lives, 128 were American
Outrage in US
War is narrowly avoided as Germany agrees to follow “prize rules” for American and other neutral ships as well as passenger vessels

29. Zimmerman Telegram
Secret cable from Germany to Mexico- intercepted by Britain and confirmed to be true by German Foreign Secretary
Basically, it proposed an alliance between Mexico and Germany; in exchange, Mexico could recover territories it lost 60 years prior in the Mexican-American War (Texas, Arizona and New Mexico)
Outrages America

30. US Declares War
Due to Zimmerman Telegram and Germany’s decision to resume unrestricted submarine warfare, US declares war on the Central Powers on April 6
Disaster for Germany
Not much of a chance for Central Powers to win at this point
Decisive moment of the war

31. Ludendorff Offensive
Germany launches a last ditch effort in 1918 to win the war
The massive attack is successful at first, but is pushed back by American reinforcements at the Second Battle of the Marne
Armistice signed in November 1918