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Explore the 4 main causes of WWI - a stalemate, trench warfare, new technology, and the beginning of the war. Learn about the destructive nature of the Schlieffen Plan, life in the trenches, and the impact of chemical weapons, submarines, and aircraft.
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Bell-Ringer List the 4 Causes of WWI
Beginning of the war Many Europeans were excited about war “Defend yourself against the aggressors” Domestic differences were put aside
beginning War would be over in a few weeks Ignored the length and brutality of the American Civil War (prototype to World War I)
beginning Belief that Modern industrial war could not be conducted for more than a few months “Home by Christmas”
beginning “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
Recruitment posters Propaganda simply put, is the manipulation of public opinion. It is generally carried out through media that is capable of reaching a large amount of people and effectively persuading them for or against a cause.
The Schlieffen Plan Invade western front 1st After defeating France concentrate on the Eastern front Avoid fighting a 2 front war
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
The Schlieffen Plan’s Destructive Nature Sept 6-10, 1914 Battle of Marne Stopped the Germans but French troops were exhausted Both sides dug trenches for shelter STALEMATE
The Trenches Trenches dug from English Channel to Switzerland 6,250 miles 6 to 8 feet deep Immobilized both sides for 4 years
Life in the Trenches Elaborate systems of defense barbed wire Concrete machine gun nests Mortar batteries Troops lived in holes underground “No Man’s Land” Land between trenches where soldiers were often mowed down.
Life in the Trenches Boredom Soldiers would read to help pass the time.
“Death is everywhere” “We all had on us the stench of dead bodies.” Death numbed the soldier’s minds. Shell shock Psychological devastation
Medical services were primitive and life-saving antibiotics had not yet been discovered. Relatively minor injuries could prove fatal through onset of infection and gangrene. The Germans recorded that 12% of leg wounds and 23% of arm wounds resulted in death, mainly through infection.
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
Rat Tales • “The rats were huge. They were so big they would eat a wounded man if he couldn't defend himself.“ • “ If you left your food the rats would soon grab it. Those rats were fearless. Sometimes we would shoot the filthy swines. But you would be put on a charge for wasting ammo, if the sergeant caught you.” • “I can't sleep in my dugout, as it is over-run with rats. Pullman slept here one morning and woke up to find one sitting on his face. I can't face that, so I share Newbery's dug-out.” • “Rats. There are millions!! Some are huge fellows, nearly as big as cats. Several of our men were awakened to find a rat snuggling down under the blanket alongside them!” • “Rats came up from the canal, fed on the plentiful corpses, and multiplied exceedingly. While I stayed here with the Welch. a new officer joined the company and, in token of welcome, was given a dug-out containing a spring-bed. When he turned in that night he heard a scuffling, shone his torch on the bed, and found two rats on his blanket tussling for the possession of a severed hand.”
Life in the trenches video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiyWP7EM0tg
Technology:Chemical Weapons WWI was the first major war to use chemical weapons Mustard Gas Chlorine Gas The two most popular weapons: They caused suffocation, blindness, and death
Soldiers would protect themselves using Gas Masks “The special shells the men call “shells on wheels” (shells filled with poison gas) are whizzing by continuously. They explode silently and have no smell but can be deadly. They killed several men yesterday. One of my men refused to put his mask on because he couldn’t smell anything. All of a sudden, he was dizzy, foaming at the mouth and his skin went black, then he went rigid and died” -Paul Truffaut March 5, 1917
“Death is everywhere” Mustard gas Carried by the wind Burned out soldier’s lungs Deadly in the trenches where it would sit at the bottom
SUBMARINES U-boat: submarines used by Germans in WWI and WWII developed by Germans unrestricted submarine warfare any ship traveling in water around Great Britain was subject to attack
SUBMARINES easy to attack without being seen attack merchant ships cut off (British) supply lines Great Britain developed convoys helped against threat of attack Allied Ships Sunk by U-Boats
AIRCRAFT Uses of aircraft: observe enemy positions armed with machine guns & bombs attacked battlefields & cities attacked enemy planes (“dogfights”) useful from beginning of war Red Baron German “ace” (a person who shoots down 5 or more enemy planes)
AIRCRAFT most countries had few planes at start of war production of planes increased rapidly planes had to be easy to fly first, designed for stability later, designed for maneuverability generals began including planes in planning France had had 140 planes at the start of war ended with 4,500
The Germans also used Zeppelins and by 1918 had over 100 of these airships capable of bombing missions
TANKS aka: landships armored vehicles could cross rough battlefield terrain such as no man’s land first tank, “Little Willie” 14 tons (weight) with 12-foot long track frames space for three men (cramped) maximum speed of 2 mph (on rough terrain)
TANKS first developed in Great Britain France & the US soon became interested not very reliable or useful at first used later in the war November 1917, Battle of Cambrai http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdgnZyRX5F0
GUNS rapid-fire machine guns were used early machine guns: were big & heavy needed a crew of four to six people to operate lacked cooling mechanisms shot 400-600 smallcaliber rounds perminute
GUNS later machine guns were lighter & more portable lighter weight, but still too heavy 1918 guns for infantrymen now existed lighter weight lacked enough ammuntion by end of war, guns had been added to tanks, warships, & aircraft
Krupp’s “Big Bertha” Gun 43 ton howitzer could fire a 2,200 lb shell over 9 miles It took its 200-man crew, over six hours to re-assemble it on the site.
New Warfare video http://www.youtube.com/user/mrallsop#p/c/9DBE5F08B042293F/20/VDkhMn911ek
Definition: A situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible; "reached an impasse on the negotiations" A situation in which further action is blocked; a deadlock. New technologies allowed for both sides to have good defense but had not evolved their battle tactics to work with the new weapons. The barbed wire in no mans land didn't help either. It made it impossible (along with the machine guns) to mount an attack on the other side's trenches to overpower them. The war made it to where both sides had casualities and deaths everyday, but neither side were gaining any land, so there wasn't anybody really winning. Stalemate
