Tactics & Battles During World War I

Tactics & BattlesDuring World War I How and where were the major battles of World War I fought?

Schlieffen Plan (Shlee-fun) • Germany developed the Schlieffen Plan so they wouldn’t have to fight on two fronts • 1) Attack and defeat France first on the western front • Germany figured since they had already beaten France before (Franco-Prussian War), they could easily defeat them again • 2) Attack Russia later on the eastern front • Germans thought Russia would not be able to mobilize troops and supply them due to lack of industrialization (railroads, factories) • Germany must invade neutral Belgium & Luxembourg to attack • Strategy is working Germans are within a few miles of Paris

Western Front – Battle of the Marne • Four days later, the Germans retreat • The allies would regroup and counterattack Germany NE of Paris in the Marne River Valley • When more soldiers were needed, 600 taxicabs rushed soldiers from Paris to the fighting front • Battle of Marne is significant because Germans now realize that the Schlieffen Plan will not work – no quick victory in France! German troops near Paris Taxis rush soldiers to the front

After the Battle of Marne, each side began to dig a series of trenches in Northwestern France The Western Front – Trench Warfare • Soldiers lived & slept in these trenches • One soldier said “the trench and mud became your life” I am dreaming mud

Bloody Stalemates – Verdun & Battle of the Somme • “No Man’s Land” was the space above and in between the trenches. It was filled with barbed wire and land mines • When officers ordered an attack, soldiers left the trenches and went into no man’s land where they were met by machine gun fire • Each side suffered huge losses • Little territory was gained, the fight was a bloody stalemate • During the Battle of Verdun, each side lost 300K • The bloodiest was the Battle of the Somme, 20K killed in one day & overall 600K wounded/killed for the Allies and 450K for Central Pwrs

The Eastern Front • Eastern Front fighting begins in late August when Russia attacks both Germany & Austria-Hungary • Germany counterattacks in the Battle of Tannenberg forcing Russia to retreat - 30,000 Russian soldiers are killed • Russia does better vs A-H. The Russian army won two key battles • But by December, Austria pushes the Russian Army out of A-H • Russia’s lack of industrialization causes shortages of weapons & supplies. German & Ottoman control of nearby seas cuts Russia off • Due to lack of supplies/clothing – many soldiers froze to death on the “frozen front” • Russia’s only advantage was a large population so they constantly “rebuilt” their army with new soldiers • As the war worsened for Russia, Czar Nicholas II decided to take personal command of the troops (big mistake!)

Tactics & Battles During World War I