The Land Battles: Eastern Front

1. The Land Battles: Eastern Front • The Russian Campaign, August 1914-16 • August 1914 Russian Troops were invading Germany • This was a surprise to Germany and they thought this was going to be the other way around • Germans still were able to have success against Russia, winning numerous battles • But… while they were focussed on the Russians, the stalemate on the Western front remained strong • Canadians did not participate in Eastern Front

2. The Land Battles: Eastern Front • The Gallipoli Campaign, April 1915-December 1915 • The Turks (part of Ottoman Empire) entered war on side of Central Powers in an effort to keep Russia out straits of Gallipoli • This was part of their sought after warm water port in Balkans • Furthermore, the British also had interest in this area. • Wanted a supply line to Russia • Turned into a military disaster, little impact on the war • Demoralized Allied Forces • Australian Forces took the brunt of this battle…

3. The War in the Air • Canadians went on to fight in the British Air Force • See last days info • Dogfights were the style of choice • Planes would often dive bomb at eachother and fire • Planes were still in their infancy, bombswere dropped from the laps of the pilots, nor was there legitparachute technology (didn’t have them).

4. The Role of the Pilot • Very romanticized occupation • Wasn’t always a great as that sounds • Reputations were based on kills • Red Baron & Billy Bishop • Many pilot casualties of the war were caused by mechanical reasons • Late 1916, average lifespan of a pilot = three weeks

5. War at Sea • Germany knew that command of the seas was VERY important to the British • Supplies of raw materials made their way to Great Britain by sea • At the start of the war, the British navy chased the German navy out of the North Sea and set a blockade between Denmark and Norway Sweden • German surface fleet did not enter the Atlantic • But, their Submarines did…

6. German U-Boats • In 1915, the German sunk a British passenger ship, the Lusitania • Previously Germans had sunk merchant (freighter) ships to cut British supply routes • The Lusitania went down – 1,198 people drowned, of that 128 were rich and influential Americans – this started to sway American opinion on entering the war… see you in two years • This was also the beginning of US involvement in world affairs…

7. The German U-Boats II • The German U-boat was somewhat of an equalizer in regards to the battle at sea • German Navy was no match for British • Germany warned British they would attack supply ships without warning • By 1917, British home land supplies were running very low, but Germany was getting impatient, introduced “unrestricted submarine warfare” • Went after any ship approaching Britain, previously only Allied ships were sunk, no all = fair game • Total British bound ships sunk, 1,000.

8. Strategy to beat the U-Boat • Convoy system was introduced • Supply ships were escorted by armed destroyers • Ended the threat of German U-Boat

9. The Americans decide to join… • Three Strikes… • 1915 the sinking of the Lusitania was the first incident of interest • 1917 German “unrestricted submarine warfare” made American ships targets • Early 1917, Americans learned that the Germans were encouraging Mexico to attack the US from the south • Zimmerman Telegraph intercepted by British • They could not wait to share info with their soon to be war ally • April 1917, United States declared war on Germany… • See you in eight months…