Chapter 13 Section 2 Europe Plunges Into War

Chapter 13 Section 2 Europe Plunges Into War Objective: Compare military actions on the Western & Eastern fronts Vocabulary: Central Powers, Allies, Western Front, Schlieffen Plan, Trench Warfare, & Eastern Front

Setting the Stage • By 1914, Europe was divided into two rival camps • On one side was the Triple Entente – Great Britain, France, & Russia • On the other side was the Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria. Hungary, & Italy • As a result of alliances, nearly all of Europe soon joined what would be the largest, most destructive war the world had ever seen

The Great War Begins • Russia expected Germany to support Austria so they also mobilized along the German border • On August 1914, the German government declared war on Russia • Russia looked to France for support against Germany • Two days later, Germany declared war on France & shortly after, Great Britain declared war on Germany

Check for Understanding • Why did all these countries declare war on each other? Sentence Starter: These countries declared war on each other because __________.

Nations Take Sides • Central Powers – nations of Germany, Austria-Hungary, & the Ottoman Empire • Allies – nations of Great Britain, France, & Russia, along with a few other nations • Italy switched sides to the Allies accusing their former alliance for unjustly starting the war • In 1914, millions of soldiers marched happily off to battle, they were all convinced the war would be short

A Bloody Stalemate • The war would quickly turned into a bloody stalemate • Western Front – region in Northern France • Germany developed a battle strategy to fight a war on two fronts • Schlieffen Plan – Germany’s military plan in which German troops would rapidly defeat France in the west & then move east to attack Russia

The Conflict Grinds Along • Germany swept into France & was days away from taking over Paris • The Allies were able to regroup at the Marne River • 600 taxicabs rushed soldiers from Paris to the Western Front, causing the Germans to retreat • The German’s Schlieffen Plan was in ruins after they retreated from Paris & Russia already had begun their invasion • The Western Front turned into a stalemate between Germany & France

War in the Trenches • In 1915, armies dug miles of parallel trenches • Trench Warfare – form of warfare in which opposing armies fight each other from trenches dug in the battle field • Life in the trenches was pure misery with rats, no fresh food, & very little sleep • Space between the trenches was known as “no man’s land” • Soldiers would have to go over the top & into this area

Check for Understanding • If you were a soldier living in the trenches, how would you describe the conditions to your family back home? Sentence Starter: I would describe the conditions as ________________.

War in the Trenches • The Western Front had become a “terrain of death”, stretching nearly 500 miles • New tools of war included machine guns, poison gas, armored tanks, & larger artillery • Armies lost thousands of men just to gain a little bit of land • 1916, the Germans lost 300, 000 in one battle while the British lost 20, 000 in one day • The Germans were able to gain 4 inches while the British gained 5 miles

The Battle on the Eastern Front • Eastern Front – region along the German. Russian border • Russia forces launched an attack on both Germany & Austria • Germans were able to crush the Russians while the Russians were originally victorious against the Austrians

Russia Struggles • Unlike Western Europe, Russia wasn’t industrialized • Russia’s army was short on food, guns, ammunition, clothes, boots, & blankets • The army was able to rebuild its ranks because of the country’s enormous population • Even though Germany was winning on the Eastern Front they could not put their full focus on the Western Front since Russia was still in the war