Lesson 7 WW I 1916 Attrition Warfare Lesson

Lesson 7 WW I: 1916 – Attrition Warfare

Lesson Objectives • Understand the issues involved with the shift in prospects from a short war to a long war. • Understand the rationale for each side to move to attrition warfare on the Western Front. • Describe the outlooks for each of the Allied and Central powers as a consequences of the 1916 Western Front battles of attrition. 2

Review of the War August 3, 1914 Germany invades Belgium; war begins Sept 5 -10, 1914 “Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion halted October 1914 Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front 1915 Sea blockades established around UK and Germany Feb 1915 -Jan 1916 Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli) Beginning of 1916 Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun 1

Phases of World War I 1914 - Maneuver and Frustration 1915 - Search for New Solutions 1916 - Attrition

The War in 1916 Feb - Dec 1916 Battle of Verdun • German attempt to force French capitulation by inflicting massive casualties * (Attrition Warfare) • Targeted key position French could/would not surrender (Verdun) • French generals had all but abandoned Verdun • Preferred to defend in plains to west • Politicians said “Hold at all cost!” * Controversial interpretation

Why Verdun? Traditional “Gateway to France” Vulnerable from three sides Close to German railhead French had reduced garrison, weak logistics prospects • Relied on single 75 km road for supply

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 La Voie Sacrée (The Sacred Way) Initial Forces: France: 30, 000 Germany: 150, 000 French convoy on La Voie Sacrée (1916)

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Battle began with huge artillery attack • 1, 000 rounds in nine hours Germans made initial gains but condition of battlefield stalled advance Initial Forces: France: 30, 000 Germany: 150, 000

No Man’s Land Verdun 1916

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Battle began with huge artillery attack • 1, 000 rounds in nine hours Germans made initial gains but condition of battlefield stalled advance French able to re-enforce Initial Forces: France: 30, 000 Germany: 150, 000 Bloody battle of attrition followed for both sides Battle of Somme (July) relieved pressure on French

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Final French offensive 11 December Germans driven back to initial starting point Horrific casualties: French: 163, 000 dead 215, 000 wounded & missing Initial Forces: France: 30, 000 Germany: 150, 000 German: 143, 000 dead 190, 000 wounded & missing

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Significance German losses were more telling • Fighting two-front war • Fighting alone on Western Front The Battle of Verdun exhausted our forces like a wound that never heals. Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg Germany realized unrestricted submarine warfare might be the only hope for ending the war

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Significance Verdun became a rallying point for French people Ils ne shall passeront pas They not pass General Robert Nivelle Commander, Second French Army at Verdun

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Sidelights Air superiority became a key factor in denying opponent reconnaissance capability Fokker E. 1 “Eindecker” Germans had air superiority: the “Fokker scourge”

Fokker’s Synchronizer Gear Fokker E. 1 “Eindecker” Anthony Fokker 1912 First confirmed victory 1 August 1915

Battle of Verdun 21 February - 18 December 1916 Sidelights Crucible of Future French Leadership Marshall Phillippe Pétain Charles de Gaulle

Battle of the Somme 1 July - 18 November 1916 Planned as a major offensive to retake Channel ports Frontal assault across 25 mile front Became an attempt to take pressure off French at Verdun Initial Forces: British Empire: 15 divisions France: 11 divisions Germany: 10 1/2 divisions A

Battle of the Somme 1 July - 18 November 1916 Battle began with five-day artillery preparation • 1. 7 million shells • 17 mines under German positions Initial Forces: British Empire: 15 divisions France: 11 divisions Germany: 10 1/2 divisions Barrage was ineffective • Germans had dug in • Too few heavy guns • 2/3 of shells were fragmentation British first-day losses very heavy Hawthorn Ridge • 19, 240 dead • 38, 230 wounded, missing, POW

Battle of the Somme 1 July - 18 November 1916 First two weeks: • French advanced 10 km south of Somme River • British advances minimal • Poor organization & communications Germans halted Verdun offensive (July 12 th) Initial Final Forces: British Empire: 15 51 divisions France: 11 48 divisions Germany: 10 50 1/2 divisions Developed into battle of attrition

Battle of the Somme 1 July - 18 November 1916 First use of tanks • British: Battle of Flers-Courcelette • 15 September 1916 Not decisive (no follow-up) Final Forces: British Empire: 51 divisions France: 48 divisions Germany: 50 divisions British Mark I tank Animated Map of Somme & Flers-Courcette

Battle of the Somme 1 July - 18 November 1916 General Paul von Hindenburg became German Army Chief of Staff (Aug 1916) • General Erich Ludendorff operational commander Final Forces: British Empire: 51 divisions France: 48 divisions Germany: 50 divisions Von Hindenburg (l) & Ludendorff

The Cost of 1916 2, 000 Casualties* - 616, 000 Dead VERDUN France UK Germany Total Casualties 378, 000 330, 000 Killed 163, 000 143, 000 SOMME Total Casualties 204, 000 420, 000 465, 000 Killed 50, 000 96, 000 164, 000 Total Casualties 582, 000 420, 000 995, 000 Killed 213, 000 96, 000 307, 000 * Casualties = killed, wounded, missing, sometimes POWs

No Man’s Land Somme 1916

The Battle of the Somme The Movie Released 1916

The Battle of the Somme Movie Excerpt The Battle of the Somme – You. Tube – 3: 14 "The Circle of Modern War" and logo © Thomas D. Pilsch 2007 -2013

Germany’s Dilemma German chancellor, Bethmann, appointed Hindenburg in hope the field marshal would back peace Hindenburg realized Germany could not win the war • Advocated unrestricted submarine warfare as only hope Bethmann feared this would bring US into war Hindenburg advocated strong defense • Hoped to wear down, knock out one of the Allied Powers Prestige of Hindenburg prevailed over chancellor

Von Hindenberg’s Strategy Germany needed to drive Britain from the war to have any chance against France Proposed to initiate unrestricted submarine warfare against Britain to starve population, weaken military Realized this risked bringing US into the war Gambled that Britain could be defeated (6 -12 months) before US intervention would become effective Built, then withdraw to strong defensive positions (Hindenberg Line) to hold along Western Front until sub blockade become effective

Hindenburg Line Construction began September 1916 Allowed for prepared defenses in depth Shortened German lines by 50 km Freed 13 divisions for a reserve Germans decimated vacated land

Western Front – December 1916 December 1914

Review of the War August 3, 1914 Germany invades Belgium; war begins Sept 5 -10, 1914 “Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion halted October 1914 Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front 1915 Sea blockades established around UK and Germany Feb 1915 -Jan 1916 Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli) Beginning of 1916 Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun 1

Review of the War Feb - Dec 1916 Battle of Verdun (German Offensive) Jul - Nov 1916 Battle of the Somme (Allied Offensive) Sep 1916 Germany begins construction of Hindenberg Line 1 Feb 1917 German announces decision for unrestricted sub warfare Mar 1917 Germans withdraw to Hindenburg Line 2

Phases of World War I 1914 - Maneuver and Frustration 1915 - Search for New Solutions 1916 - Attrition 1917 - Desperation and Anticipation

Lesson 8 WW I: 1917 Desperation & Anticipation America Enters The War

Lesson Objectives • Understand the role of the US in the war to 1916. • Understand the concept of unrestricted submarine warfare and discuss its impact on the war. • Understand how and why the U. S. entered World War I. • Understand the impact of the war on British and U. S. society. • Be able to describe the efforts made to mobilize the American public in World War I.

End

Video Title "The Circle of Modern War" and logo © Thomas D. Pilsch 2007 -2013