World War 1

How did 'going over the top' work?

- An artillery bombardment would proceed the attack. This might last for hours or days, with the aim of annihilating everyone in the enemy front line trench, cutting barbed wire and wiping out defensive artillery behind enemy lines - However, in reality artillery fire was notoriously inaccurate due to technological inefficiencies. Men would climb out and move at an incredibly slow pace due to the weight of their equipment and weapons (approx. 30kg) which made them more susceptible to enemy fire - Sometimes the front line was taken, but breakthroughs even minor ones were rare

How was gas used as a weapon?

- Gas canisters were fired into enemy positions. On impact they exploded and allowed the gas to escape. The aim of using gas was to clear trenches, thus allowing troops to advance and take the enemy - The most effective thing about gas as a weapon was the fear it brought about; it caused real panic among the troops

What really happened over the course of the Somme?

- German soldiers had retreated to their heavily fortified bunkers while the Allies lobbed 1.6 million shells at their positions. When the shelling stopped, the Germans simply emerged from their bunkers and took up position again behind their machine guns. - By the end of the day, nearly 60,000 British men were wounded, dying or dead. - There was no decisive breakthrough on this day, but the same tactics were repeated in the following days.

Describe the Schlieffen Plan

- Germany was to go through neutral Belgium and Netherlands and sweep into Paris; taking the French Army within 4-6 weeks before Russia could fully mobilise and launch an attack and using them to defeat Russia - Schlieffen planned to use 90% of the German army to deliver a knock out blow to France. The remaining 10% would defend the eastern border of Germany against Russian attack.

What was 'going over the top' and what was their purpose?

- Going over the top was when soldiers would climb from their trenches to advance across no-mans-land - Most of the offensive were launched by the Allies in attempts to drive the Germans from French soil

Describe the mud in the trenches

- It affected their whole existence; what they ate, what they drank, how they breathed, what they wore, how they walked, their health - North eastern France and Belgium received frequent rain that when combined with clay of the trenches and the constant artillery bombardment, resulted in muddy quagmires - One man "reckoned that forty Englishmen a night were drowned in it"

Describe the lice and rats in the trenches

- Once embedded in a mans uniform, they had the ability to torment their host night and day - They bred voraciously as the heat fro the mans body made they eggs hatch and proved resistant to all forms of control - The men never became used to them and constant scratching caused skin to break and sores to develop and in the trenches unhygienic conditions; boils, impetigo and ulcers could develop - The rats infected the Western Front in the thousands and were known as 'trench rats' or 'corpse rats' and were often the size of small dogs - They fed off dead corpses and any food that was left out and would even attempt that of sleeping soldiers

How does gangrene occur?

- Soils of North France contains manure that has bacillus in it. Bacillus produces a spore in the presence of oxygen. If bacillus came into contact with a wound it caused a condition called gas gangrene - The wound would begin to swell and the cuts surface became jelly-like and turned a white then green colour. This was because the tissues were literally being blown out by gas

What was the course of the Battle of Verdun?

- The Germans saw initial success and in late June they were close to breaking the French line; however, from this point they stayed mostly defensive - October 24, French retook Fort Doumant and by mid-December the battle was over and Verdun remained French

Describe illness and sickness in the trenches

- The trenches were filled with the smell of cordite, a gas which lead to vomiting. Urine and waste as well as decomposing bodies were common and would attract swarms of flies and diarrhoea and dysentery became common - These conditions brought on much disease and sickness such as frostbite, meningitis, tuberculosis and venereal disease - Poor sanitation and often limited medical facilities led to a high rate of infection. Due to lack of antibiotics, infection frequently caused gangrene

Describe the structure of trenches

- They were deep enough for a man to stand in without being exposed to the enemy - Trenches were often, but not always, lined with sandbags for protection and strength - Better made trenches had firing steps and elbow rests for easier shooting - Duckboards were necessary to allow soldiers to stand out of the mud in the bottom of trenches - Beyond the trenches, towards the enemy, entanglements of barbed wire were made to slow down any enemy attacks - Trenches were designed in a zig-zag pattern which made holding the trench against enemy attack easier, as each bend could be defended separately if necessary and explosions would be confined

Describe the trench systems

- Trenches varied greatly in size, comfort and quality of construction - The trenches stretched 760km from the Swiss border to the English Channel - Ideally there should have been the front line trench, support trench and reserve trench, each some 200m apart, but these systems gradually deepened and eventually stretched back many kilometres

What were pre-war expectations of the nature of modern warfare?

- When war broke out in August 1914, across Europe it was believed the war would be over by Christmas - Military staff had faith in the idea of a knockout blow and in the importance of speed and mobility - The reality of the scale of modern warfare merely reinforced the idea of the need to get in first and achieve the knockout blow - Military leaders formulated complex mobilisation plans that took years to formulate and due to their complexity, there was very little room for change and improvisation. Once a plan was put into action, it could not be changed without the danger of throwing the whole mobilisation into chaos, which could place a country at the mercy of an enemy - The pre-war mobilisation plans were thus dictating government policy. The European leaders blundered tragically into war as their hands were tied by military preparations, often based on complex timetables

How did the Schlieffen Plan play out?

- the German army invaded Luxembourg and Belgium. - The Germans were stopped by the Belgium army helped up by the BEF, which arrived extremely quickly. - Russia also mobilised their army in just 10 days and Germany was forced to withdraw troops to defend her eastern border. - Germany did not take the chance to take Paris, instead decided to attack east of the capital. - They were met by French at the battle of the Marne which halted the German advance.

How many casualties were there during the Battle of Passchendaele?

245,000 British casualties and the Germans a few less for a gain of just over 10km

When did the Schlieffen Plan take place?

2nd August 1914

How many casualties were there during the Battle of Verdun?

500,000 French 400,000 German 10 million shells shot

Why was the Passchendaele battlefield so terrible?

A bombardment of 4.5 million shells combined with the worst rains in thirty years turned the battlefield in a quagmire and movement became almost impossible as men, horses and equipment stuck fast in the mud

What is trench foot?

A condition that caused the foot to swell painfully. In some cases, toes would rot off and could progress in to gangrene, frequently lead to amputation Caused by men standing in knee deep water. The lack of drainage and often rainfall meant trenches would fill with water

How did the Allies respond to this?

Allies responded very quickly, travelling from London and Paris and attacked the Germans at Marne

What was the British plan of attack for the Somme?

An intense week of shelling the German lines would destroy all forward German defenses. Allied troops could then move across no-man's-land and overrun the Germans. It was expected that the surprised Germans, exhausted from the week-long bombardment of their trenches and bunkers, would put up little fight. The Allies could then advance on the next line of trenches, with troops moving safely behind a curtain of artillery fire. With the German defense extended, a cavalry charge would eventually rupture the entire line.

When did war break out?

August 1914

When did the Battle of the Marne take place?

Battle lasted from 6 - 14th December Ended the month long German offensive and they were forced to retreat and 'dig in'

What was the Race to the Sea?

Both armies raced to gain control of the channel ports and involved a series of outflanking manoeuvres as each side tried to get behind the army Culminated during the First Battle of Ypres

How many casualties were there from the Battle of Ypres?

British 56,000 French 50,000 German 130,000

Who was Sir Douglas Haig and what did he believe?

British commander, believed that the only way to win the war on the Western Front was by launching massive attacks on the German positions to achieve a big breakthrough

Who was von Falkenhayn and what did he believe?

Chief of the General German staff and believed the war would be won on the policy of attrition, not a breakthrough

What were the most commonly used gases?

Chlorine caused difficulty breathing, a burning sensation in the throat and chest pain Phosgene was more sinister and deadly because it didn't lead to coughing or irritation on first contact, thus victims were exposed to larger doses for longer periods without realising it Mustard gas led to blistering of the skin, airways and lungs

What is shell shock?

Condition caused by the stresses created by the nature of war at the front and constant exposure to the sound of the shelling. It manifested itself in a variety of ways

Who made the Schlieffen Plan?

Count Alfred von Schlieffen, the chief of the German staff. Its details were finalised in 1905

What were flunk holes?

Dugouts, sometimes no more than ditches scraped out of the side of trenches and sometimes compromising one or more rooms lined with boards and with bunks and electrical lightning, provided resting places for the officers and men

Who won the Battle of Passchendaele?

Even though the Allies suffered heavy losses, as long as the Germans lost more men than the British and French, Haig argued, the Allies would win in the end

When did the Battle of Verdun take place?

February-November 1916

What did Verdun become a symbol of?

French resistance and they were willing to sacrifice everything to save Verdun

Why did Falkenhayn decide to attack Verdun?

H decided to attack Verdun, not because of its strategic value but its symbolic importance to France. He believed the French would never abandon Verdun so he planned to "bleed the French white"

What changes did Von Moltke make to the Schlieffen Plan?

He did not want to invade Holland, but attack Belgium. He hoped that the Belgium army would not be able to resist a powerful German army and Germany could enter France.

What did the since 'dig in' lead to?

It began the stalemate that would continue for next 4 years

Why was Ypres important?

It was of strategic importance Capturing Ypres would have allowed an army control of the Channel ports

When did the Battle of Passchendaele take place?

July-December 1917

When did the Battle of the Somme take place?

July-November 1916

In what ways were the British and German experiences in the trenches the same?

Limited resources, food etc. Trench warfare Fighting and defensive war Both endured the harsh elements of war e.g. disease, shell shock, exposed to rats and lice At start soldiers viewed themselves as being defenders of their homeland Towards the end of war, soldiers see the war as futile and question why they are at war

When did the 'war of movement' come to an end?

November 1914 and the 'war of attrition' began, lasting 4 years

When did the First Battle of Ypres take place?

October - November 1914

Describe British experience in the trenches

Officers and commanders making decisions behind front lines. Officers do not partake in battle Inexperienced soldiers - 6 weeks of training, sent to battle front to maintain large numbers in battalions Soldiers would be moved to different battle areas on a regular basis Men within the battalions were frequently changing. Not a cohesive fighting a force Battle plans made from home front could not be altered Allied soldiers had to follow battle plans specifically. They were not able to change tactics without permission even if it meant death or defeat

Describe German experience in the trenches

Officers in trenches with soldiers Ability to make own decisions to adapt to changing battle circumstances Fighting unit were highly skilled and developed superior tactical abilities Decisions from home office (Germany) not always well developed and often failed; however soldiers often overcame this

What were the reasons for the stalemate?

Pre-war expectations of the nature of modern warfare Schlieffen Plan Battle of the Marne The race to the sea

Where did the tenches along the Western front span from?

Stretched from the English Channel to the Swiss border Day by day these trenches were strengthened, expanded and depended

What was the purpose of the tank?

Tanks were developed to break the dominance over the no-man-land of the machine gun use Its main use was to flatten barbed wire obstacles, to offer the advancing troops a sense of 'moral support' and a degree of shelter and to knock out enemy machine gun nests

Who won the Battle of Ypres?

Technically, a British victory as the Germans had been denied the French Channel ports, that ultimately supplied the British with supplies and reinforcements But both sustained heavy casualties

Why did the Battle of Passchendaele take place

The British were requested to launch an attack to take pressure off the French Army and this point of attack gave every advantage to the German defenders

What was the Schlieffen Plan?

The German strategic plan that was to be put into action if there was a war against both France and Russia simultaneously.

What immediately followed the Battle of the Marne?

The Race to The Sea

What were so of the downside to the use of tanks?

They lacked the capacity to seriously affect the course of events as only small numbers were available and they were used on muddy and churned up ground and moved at an incredibly slow pace tanks crew faced an ever increasing risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, over heating or general 'sea sickness'

Who replaced Schlieffen and when?

Von Moltke replaced Von Schlieffen in 1906

What led to the Battle of the Marne?

When the Schlieffen Plan failed and Germany failed to encircle Paris they were forced to move East and gather their army on the banks of the River Marne

How cold could it get in the trenches?

Winter temperatures were known to fall to -15˚C. The cold caused unbelievable hardship and was impossible to escape and no amounts of additional clothing was able to keep it out Frostbite affected many men and often led to infection, gangrene and later amputation.

Why was gas not a reliable weapon?

vagaries of the wind made it hard to control and unpredictable

What were the different ways in which shell shock could affect an individual?

Some men became violent and angry and had to be physically restrained Some men turned inwards and totally refused to communicate Some would gaze out blankly as if in another world Others might shake, mumble and drool

When were tanks first introduced to the battlefield?

Somme in September 1916

What was no-mans-land?

The unoccupied zone between the trenches lines. This was often minded and frequently lit up at night by flares