World War 1 Lecture 2 Industrialized War Beginning

World War 1 Lecture 2 “Industrialized War”

Beginning • Europeans hoped for a short war, greeted the war with cheers • Germany faced a two front war between France and Russia, but Russia wasn’t very industrialized and couldn’t mobilize fast.

The Schlieffen Plan • Designed to knock France out of the war before the Slower Russia could mobilize it’s troops. Germany attacked France through neutral Belgium • Attacked neutral Belgium and brought Britain into the war • Germans stopped at the Marne (taxicabs)

Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare • • No Man’s Land was in between Stalled the war for three two sides’ trenches years • Trenches were infested with rats and mud Mustard Gas was used To draw the enemy out

Going “over the top”

Race to the Sea: 1914 The armies try and turn one another’s flank and build trenches from Switzerland to the Sea.

Reasons for a Slow War • 1) Trench warfare • 2) New weapons of war- better devices for killing and fighting (machine guns, poison gas) • 3) Railroads could move troops to plug weaknesses

VERDUN • Battle of Verdun-French fortress city-German plan was to bleed them white defending the city • War of Attrition-a war based on wearing the other side down by constant attacks and heavy losses. • Over 700, 000 French and German troops killed • There was a disconnect between Aristocratic commanders who thought of war as a game or adventure, and the soldiers. (Soccer ball at the Somme)

THE HOME FRONT • World War 1 was the first “total war”-involving a complete mobilization of resources and people • Men and supplies had to be manufactured and organized. Conscription (the draft) • Increased government powers led to planned economies

PROPAGANDA • Ideas spread to influence public opinion for or against a cause • Stirred up hatred