3. The Treaty of London 1839: Why Britain declared war on Germany
In 1839 Britain had signed an international treaty saying that Belgium would always remain a neutral country.
Germany had signed this too.
When Germany invaded Belgium Britain entered the war to defend Belgium’s right to be neutral.

4. 1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
Many Europeans were excited about war
“Defend yourself against the aggressors”
Domestic differences were put aside

5. 1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
War would be over in a few weeks
Ignored the length and brutality of the American Civil War

6. 1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
Belief that Modern industrial war could not be conducted for more than a few months
“Home by Christmas”
No major war in 50 years

7. 1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
“Fatal attraction of war”
Exhilarating release from every day life
A glorious adventure
War would rid the nations of selfishness
Spark a national re-birth based on heroism

8. Recruitment Posters

9. Recruits of the Central Powers
A German Soldier Says Farewell to His Mother
Austro-Hungarians

10. New French Recruits

11. A British Boy Pretends to Be a Soldier

12. Myth of War

13. General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen
The Schlieffen Plan
Invade western front 1st
Counted on the slow mobilization of Russian forces due to lack of railways
Called for 39 days for the fall of Paris, and 42 days for the defeat of France
General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen

14. The Schlieffen Plan
After defeating France concentrate on the Eastern front
Avoid fighting a 2 front war

15. The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature
Germany made vast encircling movement through Belgium to enter Paris
Underestimated speed of the British mobilization
Quickly sent troops to France

16. The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature
Sept 6-10, 1914
Battle of Marne
Stopped the Germans but French troops were exhausted
With this defeat the Schlieffen Plan failed
Germany was forced to fight a two front war

17. The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature
As the summer of 1914 turned to fall, the war turned into a long and bloody stalemate along the battlefields of France
Stalemate = to bring to a standstill; deadlock
This deadlocked region in northern France became known as the Western Front.

18. The Trenches Both sides dug trenches for shelter
Conflict descends into trench warfare
Trench warfare = armies fighting from trenches
Battles result in many deaths and very small land gains
Life in trenches is miserable, difficult, unsanitary.

19. Life in the Trenches Elaborate systems of defense barbed wire
Concrete machine gun nests
Mortar batteries
Troops lived in holes underground

21. Trench Warfare

23. The Trenches

25. Life in the Trenches Boredom
Soldiers read to pass the time
Soldiers were expected to carry all their equipment with them at all times
Suppose to keep it clean and in good condition
They were British after all

26. How the uniform and equipment changed after just three weeks in the trenches…

27. Their equipment is scattered everywhere…
Boredom and sleep are obvious…
No smiling and relaxed faces…
No clean uniforms…

28. Life in the Trenches Trench warfare baffled military leaders
Attempt a breakthrough
Then return to a war of movement
Millions of young men sacrificed attempting the breakthrough

30. Trench Foot Affected feet become numb and then turn red or blue.
Advanced immersion foot often involves blisters and open sores, which lead to fungal infections
If left untreated, immersion foot usually results in gangrene, which can require amputation.

31. Trench Foot

32. Trench Rats
The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats.
These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.

35. Body Lice Men in the trenches suffered from lice
The first symptoms were shooting pains in the shins and was followed by a very high fever
Although the disease did not kill, it did stop soldiers from fighting
Accounted for about 15% of all cases of sickness in the British Army.