Post on 31-Dec-2015
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WWI BattlesWWI Battles
SSBAT criticize the SSBAT criticize the motives, strategies, and motives, strategies, and outcomes of WWI after outcomes of WWI after viewing the WWI Battles viewing the WWI Battles lecturelecture
Schlieffen PlanSchlieffen Plan
Defeat France b/f Russia Defeat France b/f Russia is mobilizedis mobilized
French will immediately French will immediately retake Alsace-Lorraine.retake Alsace-Lorraine.
Plan failed:Plan failed:– Germans held up by Germans held up by
Belgians Belgians – Stopped by French & Stopped by French &
British at the Battle of the British at the Battle of the Marne.Marne.
– Russians also mobilized Russians also mobilized more quickly than more quickly than expected.expected.
WWI War GoalsWWI War Goals
FranceFrance– regain Alasace/Lorraine, Saar Basin (coal regain Alasace/Lorraine, Saar Basin (coal
region)region)– create a DMZ (Rhineland) as a buffercreate a DMZ (Rhineland) as a buffer– cripple Germany’s militarycripple Germany’s military– get German & Turkish colonies in Africa & Mid-get German & Turkish colonies in Africa & Mid-
EastEast Great BritainGreat Britain
– get German & Turkish colonies in Africa & Mid-get German & Turkish colonies in Africa & Mid-EastEast
ItalyItaly– wanted land from Austria-Hungarywanted land from Austria-Hungary
WWI War GoalsWWI War Goals
RussiaRussia– wanted control of the Dardenelle & Bosporus wanted control of the Dardenelle & Bosporus
StraitsStraits Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
– self preservationself preservation GermanyGermany
– part of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, western part of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, western RussiaRussia
– A-H and the Balkans as a “sphere of influence”A-H and the Balkans as a “sphere of influence”– take over French and British colonies in Africatake over French and British colonies in Africa
United StatesUnited States– win an end the warwin an end the war– Wilson’s 14 PointsWilson’s 14 Points
StalemateStalemate
Both sides dig in:Both sides dig in:– Barbed wire Barbed wire
entanglementsentanglements 10 miles 10 miles
exchanged in 2 exchanged in 2 years.years.
Mass is supreme Mass is supreme principleprinciple
Cross b/w 19Cross b/w 19thth C C & modern & modern warfarewarfare
Trench WarfareTrench Warfare
Machine gun and artillery make it Machine gun and artillery make it difficult to attack a trench.difficult to attack a trench.– Artillery creates “No Man’s Land” - Artillery creates “No Man’s Land” -
ImpassableImpassable– E-tool most important “weapon”E-tool most important “weapon”
Huge casualties for attackersHuge casualties for attackers Chlorine & Mustard GasChlorine & Mustard Gas
– First used against French in 1915First used against French in 1915
Major BattlesMajor Battles
Battle of Verdun, 1916Battle of Verdun, 1916 Battle of the Marne, 1914, 1918Battle of the Marne, 1914, 1918 Battle of Ypres, 1914, 1915, 1917Battle of Ypres, 1914, 1915, 1917 Battle of the Somme, 1916Battle of the Somme, 1916 Battle of Cambrai, 1917Battle of Cambrai, 1917 Battle for Belleau Wood, 1918Battle for Belleau Wood, 1918
Battle of VerdunBattle of Verdun
German attack to frighten French - Feb 23 German attack to frighten French - Feb 23 19161916
General Henri Petain commander of General Henri Petain commander of VerdunVerdun
March: Germans attack - advance 3km March: Germans attack - advance 3km Small attacks during Summer & AutumnSmall attacks during Summer & Autumn French counter-attack – 2km over six French counter-attack – 2km over six
weeksweeks
Longest battle – Feb – Dec 1916Longest battle – Feb – Dec 1916 Losses: French 550,000 – German Losses: French 550,000 – German
434,000434,000
Battles of the Marne
Battle that stopped German advance 1914- German army advancing
through Belgium and northern France
1918- Germans pushing again. The four years in between had cost hundreds of thousands of lives
Armies were still exactly where they were when they started.
Battles of Ypres (E-Pray)
1914- attempt by the British to stop the advances of Germans
1915- First use of poison gas 1917- Over-ambitious aims, bad
weather, and bad judgments led to horrific losses.
Total casualties: over 250,000
Battle of Somme(Some)
“Big Push” attack across river Somme by British
Huge Failure:– Soldiers didn’t follow orders– Artillery didn’t dislodge German wire– Didn’t destroy machine-gun posts
Biggest slaughters in military history
Battle of Cambrai(Comebray)
First full-scale offensive with the tank
476 British tanks charge towards German lines
Success surprised both sides British were not prepared for the
victory
Battle for Belleau Wood Battle for Belleau Wood (Below Wood) “Beautiful Water”(Below Wood) “Beautiful Water”
First US Marines in WWI combat - 4 June First US Marines in WWI combat - 4 June 19181918
5 June 1918 Marines assist French forces5 June 1918 Marines assist French forces– Retreating Frenchman advise Marines to Retreating Frenchman advise Marines to
retreat. Capt Lloyd Williams replies “Retreat, retreat. Capt Lloyd Williams replies “Retreat, hell. We just got here.”hell. We just got here.”
Marines pick off Germans at 800 yards Marines pick off Germans at 800 yards – 200 yds considered far to Germans200 yds considered far to Germans
Belleau WoodBelleau Wood
Dan DalyDan Daly– ““Come on you sons of bitches. Do Come on you sons of bitches. Do
you want to live forever?”you want to live forever?” 26 June US victory 26 June US victory Devil DogDevil Dog
– Title given Marines by Germans “Teufel Title given Marines by Germans “Teufel Hunden”Hunden”
Casualties
Great Britain 1,000,000 France 1,300,000 Russia 1,700,000 Germany and allies 3,500,000 America 50,000 At least 5,500 people died per
day during the War
WWI WeaponsWWI Weapons Machine gunMachine gun Tank Tank AirplaneAirplane Poison gas / chemical weaponsPoison gas / chemical weapons Subs (Invented in Revolutionary Subs (Invented in Revolutionary
War)War) RadiosRadios
TanksTanks
Brits introduce in Sept 1916Brits introduce in Sept 1916– Means to cross No Man’s Land w/ Means to cross No Man’s Land w/
protection protection – Employed piecemeal to be decisiveEmployed piecemeal to be decisive– Unreliable and slowUnreliable and slow
SubmarinesSubmarines
Germans announce submarine Germans announce submarine blockadeblockade– Part physical, part psychological weaponPart physical, part psychological weapon
Draws resources from offensive Draws resources from offensive operationsoperations– Civilian control of productionCivilian control of production
Gap = protection for merchant ships?Gap = protection for merchant ships?
AviationAviation Used for Used for
reconnaissance/spottingreconnaissance/spotting– Wireless communication Wireless communication
critical development in critical development in spottingspotting
Arial combatArial combat– Troops don’t like planes Troops don’t like planes
Drop bombs on railways, Drop bombs on railways, intersections, factories, etc.intersections, factories, etc.
Von Richtofen“Red Baron”
“Jenny” JN-4