27.2 notes. i. the belligerents a. central powers- germany, austria- hungary, bulgaria, ottoman...

27.2 Notes

I. The Belligerents

A. Central Powers- Germany, Austria- Hungary,

Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire

B. Allied Powers- GB, France, Russia

Central Powers

• Name due to their “central” location in Europe

• Germany is the most powerful country

• The Central Powers had enemies on both sides and didn’t want to fight a two front war so they came up with the Schlieffen Plan

Schlieffen Plan

• Plan by Germany to send a massive amount of troops to the west and defeat France

• After defeating France this would block out British troops and the Central Powers would quickly move their troops back to attack Russia

Plan in Action

• Germany entered France through an unfortified section of neutral Belgium

• They quickly marched through France winning small victories along the way

• Got within 40 miles of Paris, France and had the Battle of Marne

Battle of Marne

• Allied forces met the Germans at the Marne river just outside of Paris, France

• 600 taxi cabs transported reinforcements in Paris to the front line

• Allied forces won the battle and stopped the advance of the Central Powers and the Schlieffen Plan.

• Results in a two front war

Battle of Marne

• Took place at the Marne River just outside of Paris

• Allies stopped German advancement with the help of 600 taxi cabs transporting soldiers back and forth between Paris and the battlefield

• Both sides dug in fortifications and this guaranteed WWI to be a TWO FRONT WAR

II. Innovations in WarfareA. WWI differed from other wars because it was industrialized.B. U-boats

1. Affected Allied shipping.C. Poison GasD. Machine GunsE. Long-Range ArtilleryF. Airplane- WWI 1st war usedG. Tank

1. Total War- a war in which nations turn all their resources to the war effort.

a. Women worked in factories, men were drafted. H. Propaganda- built patriotism

Trench WarfareWWI

Stalemate

• After the Allied victory at the Marne River in France the Western Front turned into a stalemate

• This happened as a result of new technologies like machine guns, barbwire, long range artillery and poison gas.

• Old war offensive tactics became completely obsolete

• The result was digging trenches

Western Front

• Trenches were massive formations of ditches that housed soldiers

• They were dangerous, dirty, disease ridden, secluded, water filled holes in the earth

• They were dug by hand and lined with wood to prevent walls from caving in

• Disease ran rampant due to overpopulation and lack of sanitation

Problems

• Bodies and body parts often remained in the trenches, this attracted large rats

• Body lice ran rampant, they left itchy bite marks on the body and spread disease

• Waterlogged trenches led to conditions such as trench foot

Side Entrance

Wall Extension

Perpendicular Trench

III. Early Years of the War

A. Fighting in Gallipoli1. Allied attempt to remove the Ottoman Empire from the war by capturing Constantinople- failed attempt.

B. Naval Warfare1. Lusitania- Br. Passenger ship carrying US citizens that was sunk by Germans.

C. The Stalemate1. War of Attrition- slow wearing down process of opponent.

http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/maps/index.html

IV. The US in WWI

A. US attempted to sell goods to both sides during the war while staying neutral.

B. Zimmerman Note- German attempt to bring Mexico into war.

C. U.S. was persuaded to join to help spread the belief of democracy.