Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT1- The causes of the First World War)

From the spec

• The Alliance System: the Triple Alliance; Franco-Russian Alliance; relations between the ‘Entente’ powers; the crises in Morocco (1905 and 1911) and the Balkans (1908–1909), and their effects on international relations.
• Anglo-German rivalry: Britain and challenges to Splendid Isolation; Kaiser Wilhelm’s aims in foreign policy, including Weltpolitik; colonial tensions; European rearmament, including the Anglo-German naval race.
• Outbreak of war: Slav nationalism and relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary; the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo and its consequences; the July Crisis

Four main causes of the First World War: Militarism

•Militarism – the attempt to build up a strong army and navy to prepare for war. Arms Race
•Alliances – creating agreements with other countries to promise to defend each another and go to war with one - Germany felt threatened by the Entente Cordiale powers as they thought they were trying to surround them.
another. - The fears and crises that these alliances caused also led to countries building up their armies. They all believed that they needed to be prepared for a war.
•Imperialism – taking (colonising) land to increase power and influence across the globe Armies:
•Nationalism – the belief that your country and its ideas are better than others. Germany – Best trained and most powerful. Austria-Hungry - Needed help from Germany. Russia – Badly equipped but huge. France – Large, well equipped.
Britain – Small but well trained force, could be ready for war (mobilised) quickly.
Imperialism
Naval Race
- The Kaiser announced his intention to build a powerful navy for Germany.
Kaiser Wilhelm saw himself as the heroic leader of Germany. He wanted to make Germany the greatest nation in
- Britain felt threatened by this because its power depended on its superiority at sea.
the world. In the early 1900s Britain had a much larger empire than Germany. Germany was jealous of this and felt - In 1906, Britain raised the stakes and launched HMS Dreadnought, a new type of warship.
it needed a bigger Empire to become a much more powerful nation. Kaiser created a foreign policy to that set out - Germany responded by building its own ‘Dreadnought’.
to give Germany a ‘place in the sun.’ By 1914, Britain had 29 Dreadnoughts and Germany had 17. However, the naval race became less intense by 1911 as Germany shifted its focus to expanding their
army.
Three main aims of Weltpolitik (German Foreign Policy)

1.) Strong Navy 2.) Large Empire 3.) Strong European power to influence European politics Alliances
Two main alliances existed in Europe by 1914:
Splendid Isolation The Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
The Triple Entente – France, Britain and Russia
Britain did not get involved in what happened in Europe. It thought this was the best option to protect its empire. It
depended on the strength of the navy to protect itself.
Formation of the Triple Alliance:
In 1879, Bismarck was afraid that Russia would attack Germany and wanted to isolate France so he signed an alliance with Austria-Hungry.
Nationalism They agreed that they would help each other if Russia attacked either one of them.
This was known as the Dual Alliance.
Pan-Slavism - the belief that the Slavic peoples of eastern Europe should have their own nation. Italy joined the Dual Alliance in 1882, making it the Triple Alliance.
All three powers promised the fight if they were attacked by any other powers.
Slavic nationalism was strongest in Serbia, Pan-Slavism was particularly opposed to the Austro-Hungarian Empire
and its control and influence over the region. Angry that Austria-Hungary had taken Bosnia and Herzegovina, young The Triple Entente formed as a result of three alliances/agreements:
Serbs joined extreme (radical) nationalist groups like the ‘Black Hand’. These extreme groups hoped to drive - Entente Cordiale – 1903 – France and Britain – a friendly agreement
- Franco-Russian Alliance – 1893 – France and Russia
Austria-Hungary from the Balkans and establish a ‘Greater Serbia’, a unified state for all Slavic people.
- Anglo-Russian Agreement – 1907 – Britain and Russia
Pan Slavic nationalism that inspired the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 1914, an
Both France and Russia were worried about the alliances which had been made against them so they decided to form their own alliance in 1893: Franco-Russian
event that led directly to the outbreak of World War I. Alliance.
Both France and Russia promised to help each other if they were attacked by either Germany or Austria-Hungary.
Nationalism can also be seen in Germany with German foreign policy (Weltpolitik). Although Britain was in Splendid Isolation it felt it needed to make allies to protect her homeland and, most importantly, her Empire.
1903-04 – the Entente Cordiale – a friendly agreement where France and Britain settled colonial disputes in Morocco and Egypt.
Austria believed that Slavs were inferior (weaker and less able) . 1907 – The Anglo-Russian Agreement – a friendly agreement which solved colonial disputes between Britain and Russia.
Germany perceived this as Britain leaving isolation and joining France and Russia. Germany felt threatened and that Britain, France and Russia had trapped it
(encirclement).
 Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT1- The causes of the First World War)
The First Moroccan Crisis 1905-06 Map of the Austria Hungarian Empire highlighting the different nationalities within the
Background: The Bosnian Crisis 1908 empire.
- There was tension in Europe – Germany wanted a ‘place in the sun’ and to build its empire Causes:
(imperialist ambition). - Serbia aimed to unite all the Slavs living in the Austro-Hungarian
- Morocco was important because of its strategic (tactical) position. Any country with a port in Empire.
Morocco had good access to the Mediterranean sea. - Austria-Hungary opposed this as it was worried about the
- Morocco was weak and France hoped to conquer it. break-up of its empire.
- February 1905 – France demanded control over the Moroccan army and police. The Sultan
refused. Events:
- Austria-Hungary annexed (took control of) Bosnia in 1908.
Events: - Serbia was annoyed with Austria-Hungary appealed (asked for
March 1905 – The Kaiser visited Morocco. He said he wanted free trade for Germany in Morocco and help) for help from Russia.
promised to defend Morocco. The Kaiser believed this was an opportunity to increase Germany’s - Russia backed Serbia.
influence in Africa. - Germany backed Austria-Hungary.
This was an international crisis – France and Germany threatened war. - Russia was forced to back down because it didn’t want to fight
Britain feared other countries might start questioning Britain’s empire , if Morocco successfully gained with Germany alone.
independence and encouraged France to not back down.
A conference was held at Algeciras (1906). Only Austria-Hungary (Germany’s ally) voted to support Consequences:
Germany’s demands and so Germany was forced to back down. - Austria-Hungary felt it had the full support of Germany.
- Italy backed away from the Triple Alliance – it did not like how
Consequences: Austria-Hungary had behaved.
The Triple Entente (especially France and Britain’s relationship) strengthened this further and divided - Russia had been humiliated. The Second Moroccan/Agadir Crisis (1911)
Europe into two sides. - It brought Britain, France and Russia closer together.
France was angry with Germany – relations between the countries deteriorated (got worse). - Serbia was forced to accept the annexation of Bosnia but was Events:
Britain became more suspicious of Germany because of their imperialism, and building a Navy. now determined to oppose Austria-Hungary. - 1911 – A rebellion against the Sultan broke out in Fez (Moroccan Capital)
Germany had to stay out of Morocco and felt humiliated. - The Sultan appealed to the French for help who sent an army.
- Germany opposed French action and sent a gunboat, the Panther, to Agadir to
protect their interests in Morocco.
- The use of the gunboat was an over-reaction by Germany.
The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand - The naval action (use of their Navy) led to Britain supporting France.
Background: - Preparations for war were made by Britain, France and Germany.
- Serbia was the strongest country in the Balkans. - In the end, Germany backed down.
- Many Serbs were unhappy with the rule of Austria-Hungary. Austria-Hungary had annexed Bosnia in 1908.
- In 1911 the Black Hand Gang was formed in Serbia. The group aimed to liberate (free) all Serbs under foreign rule and unite all Serbs in the creation of a Serb kingdom. They Consequences:
believed the best way to achieve their goals was through violent methods. - Germany felt humiliated and was less likely to back down in future crises.
- Three assassins planned to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914. - The German people became increasingly annoyed with Britain and France so it
Events: increased support for war within Germany.
- 28 June 1914: Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, visited Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia, and home to many Slavs). - Britain became more convinced that Germany wanted to dominate Europe.
- The first assassin threw a hand grenade at the Archduke’s car but it deflected, wounding 20 people. - Britain reached a secret naval agreement with France. This strengthened the Triple
- The car continued on the same route (rather than change the route following the assassination attempt) . Entente.
- The car came to a halt in front of Princip who was coming out of a sandwich shop. He shot the Archduke and his wife Sophie, killing them both. - Italy opposed Germany over Agadir which weakened the Triple Alliance. Germany
became more reliant on Austria-Hungary.
Consequences:
• Austria-Hungary felt they had to deal with Serbia as they were becoming a real threat to their empire.
• Ten point ultimatum sent to Serbia by Austria-Hungary . The ultimatum would have given Austria-Hungary considerable control over Serbia. Serbia refused to agree to the
ultimatum (agreeing to 9 of the 10 points). This made Austria-Hungary look at war hungry and they lost sympathy. - Steps to war
• Germany gave Austria-Hungary a ‘blank cheque’ (unconditional support). This gave Austria- Hungary confidence to not withdraw their demands. - 28 July – Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
• Russia offered to support Serbia. Fearing Germany, Russia mobilised (got ready for war) but did not declare war. - 30 July – Russia begins to mobilise its forces.
• Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, triggering the alliance system. - 1 August – Germany declares war on Russia.
- 3 August – Germany declares war on France; German troops enter Belgium.
- 4 August – Germany declares war on Belgium; Britain declares war on Germany.
- 5 August – France declares war on Germany.
- 6 August – Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.
 Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT2 - Stalemate)
From the spec
• The Schlieffen Plan: the reasons for the plan, its failure, including the Battle of Marne and its contribution to the stalemate.

The reason for the Schlieffen Plan

The Schlieffen plan • Germany wanted to avoid a war on two fronts – being attacked by France in the west and Russia in the east.
• The aim was to attack the French first and defeat them in six weeks by invading through neutral Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Schlieffen argued that Russia would take a long time to mobilise so the Germans could defeat the French quickly and then move its army to the east to defeat the Russians.
• A swift attack of France was the key to the success of the plan.

The Schlieffen Plan. What happened?

On the 4th August 1914 Germany, led by General Moltke, invaded Belgium. The Belgians put up a heroic resistance but it did not stop the German advance. Massive German
artillery bombardments destroyed French forts and well equipped and well trained German infantry moved towards the French border. War had officially broken out on the
Western Front.
Response of the other nations:
Belgium
The Germans were not expecting any resistance from Belgium, but the Belgian army fought bravely and managed to delay the German advance.
Members of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) arrived to help, and the Germans were held up at Mons.
The Belgians later prevented the Germans from taking the French channel ports by flooding much of their land.
Britain
Britain declared war on Germany in response to the invasion of Belgium.
Although the BEF consisted of only 125,000 men, they were well trained and equipped and ready for action within less than one week.
Having helped the Belgians hold the Germans up at Mons, the BEF then moved to support the French on the River Marne and prevent the Germans from reaching Paris.
Losses were heavy and by December 1914 more than half of the original BEF were dead.
France
France responded quickly to the German attack by launching an invasion of Alsace and Lorraine, but this failed.
Then they switched troops to the defence of Paris in a desperate attempt to hold the Germans up, which involved transporting troops to the front line in fleets of taxis.
The battle at the Marne was a turning-point; with the help of the remaining members of the BEF the German advance was not only halted but the Germans were also pushed
back about 35 miles.
The reason for the failure of the Schlieffen Plan The British and French then moved to secure the Channel ports.
• The Germans did not expect the British to intervene.
• The plan relied upon rapid movement. The resistance of the Belgians and the BEF
(British Expeditionary Force) prevented this. How did the Schlieffen Plan bring Britain into the war?
• Russia mobilised its troops quicker than expected. Within 10 days the Russians • Germany wanted to avoid a war on two fronts – being attacked by France in the west and Russia in the east.
had invaded Germany, which meant that the Germans had to switch troops away • The aim was to attack the French first and defeat them in six weeks by invading through neutral Belgium and the Netherlands.
from western Europe to hold up the Russian invasion. • Schlieffen argued that Russia would take a long time to mobilise so the Germans could defeat the French quickly and then move its army to the east to defeat the Russians.
• Both sides now had to secure the land that they held. Trenches were dug and • A swift attack of France was the key to the success of the plan.
machine-gun posts erected. The first exchanges of the war were over; from now
until 1918, neither side would advance more than 10 miles forward or backwards
from the positions they now held. The Battle of the Marne The Race to the Sea
Following the Schlieffen plan, the 1st Battle of the Marne (September 1914) broke out mainly The Battle of Marne was the turning point. The German generals
between French soldiers with the support of the British and German soldiers. The French were realised that they could not break through enemy lines. They tried to
fighting to save their country. outflank (get round the back of) the French defensive lines. As the
- The Germans continued to push towards Paris. This was part of the Schlieffen Plan. Germans tried to outflank, the French would block them by sending
- British and French troops retreated to positions south of the Seine and Marne rivers. troops to wherever the Germans were about to break through next.
- French managed to save Paris. (Reinforcements were sent in taxi’s from Paris). This became known as the Race to the Sea. This led to both sides
- This marked the start of trench warfare as soldiers on both sides began to dig in. digging a 400-mile line of trenches from Switzerland to the English
Channel.
 Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT2 - Stalemate)
From the spec
• The Western Front: military tactics and technology, including trench warfare; the war of attrition; key battles, including Verdun, the Somme and Passchendaele, the reasons for the events and significance of these battles.

War of attrition: A military strategy (tactic) in which one side attempts to win a war by wearing down its enemy to the point of collapse through continuous loss of men and resources (weapons etc.) The war was usually won by the side with the most men. This was the tactic
used for the majority of the war and lead to the loss of many men on both sides.

Technology of war
Life in the Trenches
Tanks
The trenches offered soldiers protection from the bullets and shrapnel of artillery fire. British soldiers were
Britain used tanks in battle for the first time in 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. By the summer of 1918 they were
rotated through front line, reserve and communication trenches. This meant that they would typically only spend commonly used on the front line. Britain produced around 2,600 tanks during World War One. Not very successful at the
between 3 and 7 days a month in the front-line trenches. start of the war as they were too slow. Germans developed bullets to pierce armour. However, it showed Britain was
looking to adapt and improve their approach to warfare.
Warfare: The mass infantry charge (soldiers would climb out of the trench and run at the enemy) was the main
tactic of the generals early in the war. New weapons like the machine gun made it easier to defend than attack.
Cavalry could not be used and at major battles like Verdun and the Somme, hundreds of thousands of men died Aircraft
from this tactic. Later in the war, generals did try to break the deadlock with the use of new weapons and tactics. Aeroplanes were very recent inventions when World War One broke out. As aircraft technology developed, planes were
used much more in the war. For example, France only had 140 aircraft when war began but by the end of it, they had used
Rest: Soldiers in the trenches did not get much sleep. They were woken up at different times, either to complete around 4,500. However, they did not have a big impact on the war. Aircraft was mainly used to observe (watch) and attack
one of their daily chores or to fight. shipping.

Trench Conditions: Much of the time the infantry were in a strict routine of hard work. This would include
repairing the trenches, carrying supplies, conducting sentry duty (keeping watching) and cleaning their kit. In the
Machine guns
summer the smell of the trenches was awful. Rotting flesh led to many flies and the threat of infection. In winter,
Machine guns were very big and heavy and needed up to six people to operate them. They were placed all along the
the trenches were very cold and often water-logged. Trench foot became a major problem for soldiers in British Western Front. Machine guns fired up to 600 bullets a minute and were very dangerous. Many soldiers dreaded the enemy
trenches. soldiers who operated the machine guns more than anyone else. Machine guns forced commanders to adapt their tactics
as it was an effective weapon against trench charges.
Leisure activities: Many soldiers had never left England before the war and were very excited to have the chance
to travel abroad for the first time. Soldiers had a number of leisure activities available to them during the war. Artillery
Officers arranged entertainment for the troops which would include music shows, comedy sketches etc. Soldiers Field guns fired shells that exploded when they hit something. They were the key weapon in WW1. The two main jobs
would also have opportunities to go sightseeing in French towns. Sport was another huge part of the life of were to destroy enemy positions and defences so they could be captured and to destroy enemy guns. They could fire
soldiers with football, cricket and other sports teams. shells as far as seven kilometres and had to be placed on a flat surface. Guns initially weren’t very accurate, and often
destroyed their own forward trenches before they got the correct range. Early in the war, shells were often faulty or failed
Comforts: The British army took great care of its soldiers. British soldiers were better fed and looked after than to destroy enemy defenses. By 1916, British artillery became more effective because British industry (staffed largely by
any other army during the war. For many, life at home had been hard and they had a better diet and regular pay, women on the home front) was supplying enough shells and guns to be used effectively. By 1918, artillery tactics became
thanks to the army. The food was repetitive but filling. On average British soldiers gained 10lbs in weight soon much more sophisticated and a key weapon in the Great War. Artillery guns began using the ‘creeping barrage’, which
involved guns working with troops from the trenches who would follow behind the shell fire, meaning they could
after joining the army as they were getting so well fed. ‘Bully beef’ and jam were regular items in the diet of the
access/enter enemy trenches hidden behind artillery fire.
soldiers. Soldiers received regular letters and parcels from home. The postal service was very efficient (on time)
and this was a major factor in keeping the soldiers happy. For many, life at home had been hard and they had a
better diet and regular pay thanks to the army. Chocolates, cigarettes and alcohol were provided as treats to Poison gas
keep the soldiers happy. Gas attacks were used by both sides with the intention of disabling the enemy so that your troops could be successful. This
development in chemical warfare showed that WW1 was about new, modern types of warfare.
Discipline: Discipline in WWI was strict. If a soldier fell asleep on duty or deserted (ran away), he could be court- The first gas attack was in April 1915 by the Germans who fired 160 tonnes of Chlorine Gas onto Allied trenches in Ypres.
martialled and could be executed as punishment. In total 3,080 soldiers were given a death sentence. However, Later, scientists began developing gases used to blind, burn or kill enemy soldiers.
most were pardoned (not executed), 346 were actually killed. Gas, however, was difficult to control and relied on the direction of the wind and accuracy of the artillery shells. Scientists
also developed effective gas masks which soldiers were instructed to keep with them all the time.
Patriotism: The soldiers on both sides were generally patriotic. Whatever the horrors of war, most believed they While only 6000 British soldiers died from gas attacks throughout the war, the fear of gas attacks were prominent amongst
were there to do a job for their country and that the job was worth doing well. soldiers.
 Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT2 - Stalemate)
From the spec
• The Western Front: military tactics and technology, including trench warfare; the war of attrition; key battles, including Verdun, the Somme and Passchendaele, the reasons for the events and significance of these battles.

War of attrition: A military strategy (tactic) in which one side attempts to win a war by wearing down its enemy to the point of collapse through continuous loss of men and resources (weapons etc.). The war was usually won by the side with the most men. This was the tactic
used for the majority of the war and lead to the loss of many men on both sides.

Key Battles War on other fronts

Verdun
The Battle of Verdun stemmed from German General Erich von Falkenhayn’s belief that “he could bleed France white” by attacking the high valued French town of Verdun. He believed that the French Gallipoli
would refuse to let it fall and so would continue to defend it, even if they lost many men. Falkenhayn calculated that the French would lose 5 men to every 2 Germans. German forces advanced quickly in The Gallipoli campaign, on the western shore of the Dardanelles had begun in
February 1916, claiming Fort Douaumont and Fort Vaux after brutal fighting. Germans came within two miles of Verdun cathedral and victory, however, in mid July they were forced to withdraw men to April 1915, with the aim to capture Constantinople, relieve the Russians and
fight the British at the Somme. Falkenhayn resigned in August after failing to take Verdun and the new command decided to suspend (stop) the offensive. The French retook their forts and pushed back remove Turkey from the war. Strongly advocated by Winston Churchill and
the line, and by the time the German forces stopped attacking in December. supported by Lord Kitchener, The Sphere (a London magazine) described the
• The war lasted 303 days with an estimated 700,000 soldiers dead, wounded or missing. campaign as, ‘one of the most daring military operations in history.’ But Allied
• At the end of the bloodshed, France emerged as the victor, yet neither side had much to show in the way of military gains. naval forces had been turned back by enemy minefields, and when troops
• Psychologically, it was very important for the French. Many believed the loss of Verdun would have led to the loss of the war. landed onto narrow beachheads, they faced a fierce Turkish resistance where
• Verdun had triggered the Battle of the Somme as the British tried to draw the Germans away from the French. ‘every yard of ground had to be won at the price of human lives.’ The
Sphere noted the, ‘courage of the soldiers who have held doggedly to its apex
for eight weary months,’ particularly Australian and New Zealand troops who
The Somme
formed a large proportion of the half a million casualties suffered during the
The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was one of the largest battles of the First World War. Fought between July 1 and November 1, 1916, near the Somme River in France, it
disastrous campaign.
was also one of the bloodiest military battles in history. By the end of the battle, in November 1916, the British had lost 420,000, the French lost nearly 200,000 men and the Germans 500,000. The Allied
forces had advanced along a thirty-mile strip that was seven miles deep at its maximum.
Before the battle there was a week long artillery bombardment of the German lines. 1,738,000 shells were fired at the Germans. The aim was to destroy the German trenches and barbed wire was placed
War at Sea
in front of the trenches. Germans had deep dugouts for their men and all they had to do when the bombardment started was to move these men into the relative safety of the deep dugouts. When the
World War One was largely fought and won on land but this could not have
bombardment stopped, the Germans would have known that this would have been the signal for an infantry advance so were ready. 100,000 British men went over the top on the first day and suffered
taken place without the movement of ships. Command of the sea enabled the
more than 57,000 casualties. The battle lasted for a gruelling four months and was carried out in several phases. Some historians believe that with a few more weeks of favourable weather the Allies
Allies to bring in the vital resources and manpower required to prevail on the
could have broken through German lines. Others argue the Allies never stood a chance. In any case, the British army inflicted heavy losses on the German Army. In March 1917, the Germans made a
Western Front and elsewhere. The British Navy’s main activity was to mount a
strategic retreat to the Hindenburg line, rather than face the resumption of the Battle of the Somme.
blockade on German ports to stop essential supplies of food and war materials
reaching Germany. By 1918, many Germans were starving and there was a
• In England the reality of war was made apparent.
mutiny in the German Navy. Germans inflicted damage on the British fleet,
• Germany has had to draw troops from the whole extent of her Western front to meet the threat.
notably at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the largest clash of big-gun battleships
• Allies maintained their superiority of numbers and of guns in the battle.
of all time. Yet the Germans were never near gaining command of the sea.
• Germany was been unable to move troops to meet the Russian offensive in the East.
British Blockade
• The German offensive on the Verdun front was abandoned.
Jutland
This was the only major sea battle of the war. The British lost 14 ships and
Passchendaele 6,000 sailors. The Germans lost 13 ships and 2,500 sailors.
The Battle of Passchendaele is also known as the Third Battle of Ypres. It started in July 1917, and illustrates how new technology could become hopelessly outmanoeuvred by weather conditions. After Jutland, the Germans never came to fight at sea again and remained
The British detonated huge mines at Messines which destroyed the German artillery positions and killed 10,000 German soldiers at a stroke. However, the infantry advance which followed became trapped in port.
hopelessly bogged down when heavy rain created nightmare conditions, particularly around the ruined village of Passchendaele. Even when tanks were used at Cambrai in November 1917 it was the
same story: 350 tanks made good progress but were unable to hold the ground they captured. U-boats
U-boats were underwater boats used by the Germans to fight back against the
• The casualty figures for this battle are disputed, but there were nearly a quarter of a million casualties on the Allies side and even more on the German side. British. However, the U–boat campaign also contributed to Germany losing the
• In a strategical sense, the Battle of Passchendaele contributed to the reasons which brought World War One to an end. war. The Germans sank the Lusitania, an American passenger ship, helping to
• The offensive in Flanders kept the Germans busy in the North for so long that they were unable to attack the French who were to the south, who were also defenceless and becoming mutinous. bring the USA into the war. Their U-boats, by their successful attacks on
• While they were occupied they were also unable to support the Belgian ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge that they had captured and where their submarines and destroyers were based. merchant ships, did come close to denying command of the sea to the Triple
• These were two of the reasons for Haig wanting to attack in Flanders so, in a way, some parts of his plan had succeeded. Also, the German industry could not replace the massive amount of Alliance, especially in 1917, but, by bringing the United States into the war, this
equipment they had lost, and so no longer had the resources they needed to win the war. campaign only sealed Germany's fate.
 Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT3 – Ending the war)
From the spec
• Changes in the Allied Forces: consequences of the Bolshevik Revolution and the withdrawal of Russia on Germany strategy; the reasons for and impact of the entry of the USA into the war.
• Military developments in 1918 and their contribution to Germany’s defeat: the evolution of tactics and technology; Ludendorff the German Spring Offensive; the Allied advance during The Hundred Days.
• Germany surrenders: impact of the blockade; abdication of the Kaiser; armistice; the contribution of Haig and Foch to Germany’s defeat.

Reasons for Germany’s defeat; The Russian Revolution; America joins the war;

 Entry of USA into war In 1917, two revolutions swept through Russia, ending centuries of imperial rule. In March, When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United
 Collapse of alliances - Bulgaria (Sept), Turkey (Oct), Austria (Oct) growing civil unrest, coupled with food shortages, erupted into open revolt, forcing the States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favoured. On May 7, the British
 October: Naval mutinies at Kiel (fear of full-scale rebellion) abdication of Nicholas II. Just months later, the newly installed provisional government was owned Lusitania ocean liner was torpedoed without warning just off the coast of Ireland. Of the
 Morale & conditions terrible: GB naval blockade itself overthrown by the more radical Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin. The new government 1,959 passengers, 1,198 were killed, including 128 Americans. The German government maintained
 Entente united under Foch immediately declared that it wasn’t going to fight and opened negotiations, which led to that the Lusitania was carrying munitions, but the U.S. demanded reparations and an end to German
 Failure of Schlieffen Plan peace with Germany in March 1918.
attacks. In late March, Germany sunk four more U.S. merchant ships, and on April 2 President Wilson
 Spring Offensive - Kaiser abdicates, armistice signed appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany. Four days later, his
The Germans could now transfer hundreds of thousands of troops back to the Western Front. request was granted. On June 26, the first 14,000 U.S. infantry troops landed in France to begin
The German armies therefore had the opportunity to attack on the Western Front before training for combat.
The USA entering the war damaged Germany psychologically. The US Navy could protect merchant
American troops and equipment had arrived in any decisive numbers.
ships bringing supplies to Britain. The government were willing to lend money to Britain to buy war
materials.
After four years of bloody stalemate along the western front, the entrance of America’s well-
The British Blockade supplied forces into the conflict marked a major turning point in the war and helped the Allies to
victory. When the war finally ended, on November 11, 1918, more than two million American
The population of Germany was suffering form the effects of acute food shortages. Although soldiers had served on the battlefields of Western Europe, and some 50,000 of them had lost their
the German U-Boat campaign had led to food shortages in Britain, the British naval blockade lives.
that prevented supplies from getting into German ports hit Germany harder. An influenza
epidemic hit the German cities causing large numbers of deaths amongst a people already
weakened by food shortages. Strikes and demonstrations paralysed Berlin and in November,
the socialists tried to seize control. After the failure of his offensive, Ludendorff resigned and
then sailors in the German fleet mutinied.

The Ludendorff/Spring Offensive; The Hundred Days Campaign

The Armistice;
The German commander Ludendorff Between May and August the Germans made no further progress
knew that if Germany was to win the war and ran out of time and resources. The Germans by making the After the Allies had halted the German advance in August 1918, Ludendorff informed the Kaiser ‘We have nearly reached the limit of our powers of
he had to deliver a knockout blow to the Spring Offensive had ended trench warfare but it was the Allies resistance. The war must be ended.’ At the end of September 1918 Bulgaria made peace, and one month later Turkey was defeated. On 4th November, have
Allies before American troops arrived. On who benefitted from it. The Allied, supported by manpower and been defeated by the Italians, Austria signed an armistice with the Allies. Germany was now fighting the Allies alone. On 9th November, the Kaiser abdicated
21st March 1918 he therefore launched equipment from the USA , counter-attacked. By late September, and on 11st November, an armistice was agreed.
the German Spring Offensive. Initially it the Allies reached the Hindenburg Line and the Germans were in
was successful and the Germans full retreat.
advanced to the river Marne. However,
the Allies just managed to hold their line.
The Allies learned an important lesson Sir Douglas Haig Marshall Ferdinand Foch:
General Ludendorff
from the Germans’ success and now Commanded the British armies from 1915 to the end of the war. His Foch led French forces at the First Battle of the Marne, but was
Ludendorff became joint head of the German army with Hindenburg in
reputation was affected by the number of causalities Britain suffered removed from command after the Battle of the Somme in 1916. In
appointed a single commander for their 1916, following the dismissal of General Falkenhaym. He planned the
under his leadership especially during the Somme. Stating at the time of 1918, he was named Allied Supreme Commander, coordinating the
armies, the French Marshall Foch. Spring offensive against the Allies in 1918. However, when Allies counter
the battle, “the nation should be taught to bear losses.” However, Haig war's final offensives. Foch was present at the armistice ending the war
attacked he tried to get favourable terms of surrender from the Americans.
actively promoted new strategies and technologies, such as the tank which in November, 1918. His exact contribution is debated as there were
This led to his dismissal in October 1918. After the war blamed the Kaiser
helped the Allied victory. In the final offensive led the British army in several disputes between the government and military leaders of
and the government for German defeat.
capturing 200,000 prisoners and 3,000 guns. France at the time of the war.
Conflict and Tension: the First World War, 1894-1918 (HT3 – Ending the war)