World War I Great War EPISODE TWO The

World War I Great War EPISODE TWO

The Fighting Begins

The Schlieffen Plan l To avoid a two front war Germany planned to attack France quickly and unexpectedly. l They went through Belgium, which was neutral, and avoided the fortress towns. l They made it just to the outskirts of Paris before they were stopped.

The Battle of the Marne l Occurred just outside of Paris and ended the month long German offensive. l Set the stage for four years of trench warfare on the Western Front.

What is Trench Warfare? l There was no where for all of those soldiers to hide so they dug into the ground for protection. l Trenches were hide-outs for soldiers just below the surface l The trenches were connected so that soldiers could move through the elaborate mazes within.

Trench Warfare Overview

The Attack Plan

Attack Plan Reality

Problems Facing Troops

Life in the Trenches German Trench in WWI British Trench in WWI

Trench Layout

Trench Food l Getting food to the front line was a problem. l Food was often cold and stale by the time it reached the men. l As the war went on food supplies grew short and soldiers sometimes didn’t eat for days.

Flooded Trenches "Through the winter, weariness and water were our chief enemies. . . One walked in the trenches in thigh gumboots with water above the knee, and one remembers the icy stream welling up inside the boot when you punctured it on concealed barbed wire. “ - C. S. Lewis

Trench Foot l Caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions.

Other Issues • Soldiers were sleep deprived from all of the noise and harsh conditions. • Many were covered head to toe in body lice which was difficult to get rid of.

Trench Rats "The rats were huge. They were so big they would eat a wounded man if he couldn't defend himself. “ – soldier from WWI

No Man’s Land l In between the two sides trenches was an area called “no man’s land” which was filled with thick barbed wire, water filled shell holes and other debris. l Crossing this area was extremely difficult and doing so put a solider out in the open and right in the sights of enemy guns.