War Consumes Europe

1. War Consumes Europe WWI – The Beginning

2. The Alliance System Collapses • Nearly all the nations of Europe at war • Schlieffen Plan – Germany’s military plan at the outbreak of WWI, according to which German troops would rapidly defeat France and then move east to attack Russia • in the event of a two-front war General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen called to attack France then Russia • Speed was crucial to implement this plan

4. Schlieffen Plan • French had troops along the border with Germany • In order to bypass, Germany wanted to go through Belgium • Who’s side is Belgium on??? • Germany invaded Belgium regardless • OVERALL EFFECT: brings Britain into the war – declare war on Germany on August 4

5. WHY WAS SPEED SO IMPORTANT TO THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN???

6. Alliances CENTRAL POWERS • Ottoman Empire would later join ALLIED POWERS • Japan joins within weeks • Italy denounces old ally claiming Germany made an unprovoked attack on Belgium

8. The Western Front • region of northern France where the forces of the Allies and the Central powers battled each other • Schlieffen Plan working great UNTIL… • intelligence allowed the French to know the exact direction of the German army • First Battle of the Marne – one of the single most important events of the war • pushed Germany further back – the plan was no longer effective • settled into a stalemate

9. Trench Warfare • form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battlefield • during stalemate on the Western Front miles of parallel trenches dug to protect from enemy fire • swarmed with rats • sleep was impossible • living conditions = horrendous

13. “No Man’s Land” • space between the opposing trenches • stepping on to this part almost ensured death • stretched nearly 500 miles

14. New Weapons of War • poison gas- introduced by the Germans but used by both sides • machine gun – advanced by the start of the war • how did it create a stalemate?? • tank – armored combat vehicles that moved on chain tracks – introduced by the British

15. airplane – 1st time planes used in a combat role – used to take pictures of enemy but later to drop bombs • submarine – introduced by the Germans (U-boats) were used to wage unrestricted warfare on Allied ships – primary weapon was the torpedo • OVERALL EFFECT: kill huge numbers of people more effectively

17. The Eastern Front • stretch of battlefield along the German and Russian border • Russia was having a tough time • not industrialized • constantly short on food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, and blankets • death toll steadily rising but Russia’s huge population was the only asset it had

18. WHY WAS RUSSIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE WAR SO IMPORTANT TO THE OTHER ALLIES???