Objectives Know the key events that shaped the

course of World War I

Triple Alliance1882France-Russia

Alliance 1894

UK-Japan Defensive Treaty

1902

Triple Entente1907

1st German NavalLaw – 1898

(France/Russia)

2nd German NavalLaw – 1900

(UK)

3rd German NavalLaw – 1912

(DreadNaught)1st Balkan War: 19122nd Balkan War: 1913

Battle of Tannenburg (27-30 Aug 1914)

The Battle of Tannenburg was Russia’s worst defeat in World War One. In fact, the Russian army never fully recovered from the battle and it contributed to the Russian Revolution.

Alexander Samsonov was the commander of the Russian Second Army. 

German Intelligence Critical Of the 150,000 men in the Russian

Second Army, only 10,000 actually managed to escape. There were over 30,000 Russian casualties and more than 95,000 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner

Battle of the Marne (6-9 Sept 1914) The Schlieffen Plan propelled the German

Army through Belgium and the Netherlands to within 30 miles from Paris. The French left the capital for the safety of Bordeaux.

The French army under Joseph Joffre was to the south of the River Marne. For nearly a week the French army had been on the retreat.

Joffre decided that the best form of defense was to attack. On September 6th, 150,000 French soldiers attacked the German army. The attack created a sizeable gap in the German army of about 30 miles. This was exploited by the BEF and the French Army

6,000 French infantry reservists were transported to the battlefield in taxi cabs. This influx stabilized the front lines.

Both sides dug in for defense and trench warfare began

Stabilized Front 1914-1917

World War I: January1915

Battle of Gallipoli (Apr 1915 – Jan 1916)

On November 25th 1914, Winston Churchill suggested a plan for a new front

The idea was simple. Creating a new southern front would force Germany to split its army to support the Turkish army.

When the Germans went to assist the Turks, it would weaken the west or east front

However, the overall campaign was a disaster. Over 200,000 Allied casualties occurred with many deaths coming from disease. The number of Turkish deaths is not clear but it is generally accepted that they were over 200,000

Stabilized Front 1914-1917

World War I: January1916

Battle of the Somme (Jul – Nov 1916) Suffering from the Battle of Verdun (Feb to Dec

1916 where the French lost over 360,000 and the Germans nearly 340,000) the Allies planned for a huge offensive to break the stalemate

The battle started with a weeklong artillery bombardment of the German lines. 1,738,000 shells were fired at the Germans.

The Germans had deep dugouts providing shelter for their troops. Following the artillery barrage, the Germans emerged and manned their machine guns to face the British and French advance.

The British soldiers advanced across an open 25-mile front.

By the end of the battle, the British Army had suffered 420,000 casualties including nearly 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans nearly 500,000

Battle of the Somme (Jul – Nov 1916)

Stabilized Front 1914-1917

World War I: January1917

Events of 1917 January 19th: The Zimmerman telegram

was sent, intercepted by the British and passed on to the Americans.

January 31st: Germany informed America and other neutrals that she would resume unrestricted submarine warfare

February 1st: Germany resumed its unrestricted submarine warfare campaign.

February 3rd: The US grain ship “Housatonic” was sunk by a U-boat and Wilson severed diplomatic ties with Germany.

April 6th: America declared war on Germany

November 26th: Russia, following its Revolution reaches an armistice with the Germans.

World War I: January1918

Battle of Belleau Woods (June 25, 1918) Last significant German offensive

before American forces can arrive in strength

Storm-trooper tacticsU.S. Marines crossed multiple

wheat fields swept by German machine guns. The Marines had to launch six attacks on the German positions.

French officers advised the Marines to turn back. Retreat? Hell, we just got here.”

Overall 9,777 US casualties (1,811 were fatalities). German losses never known, but assumed high

Events of 1918 July 15th: Last major German offensive of

the war when 52 divisions attacked in the Marne-Reims Offensive.

July 15th: Second Battle of the Marne starts, which sees the collapse of the German army on the Western Front.

September 12th: 1,476 Allied aircraft supported an US attack at St. Mihiel.

September 16th: US forces occupy St. Mihiel.

October 14th: German troops started to abandon the Belgian coastline

November 5th: General retreat of German forces along the Meuse started

November 11th: Germany signed an armistice with the Allies, which came into force at 11.00 pm

Each symbol indicates 100,000 dead

1. All occupied lands in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France–plus Alsace-Lorraine, held since 1870 by Germany–were to be evacuated within fourteen days.

2. The Allies were to occupy land in Germany to the west of the River Rhine and bridgeheads on the river’s east bank up to a depth of thirty kilometers.

3. German forces had to be withdrawn from Austria-Hungary, Romania, and Turkey.

4. Germany was to surrender to neutral or Allied ports 10 battleships, 6 battle cruisers, 8 cruisers, and 160 submarines.

5. Germany was also to be stripped of heavy armaments, including 5,000 artillery pieces, 25,000 machine guns, and 2,000 airplanes.

6. The naval blockade would continue.

7. 5,000 locomotives, 150,000 railway cars, and 5,000 trucks would be confiscated from Germany.

8. Germany would be blamed for the war and reparations would be paid for all damage caused.

Versailles Peace Treaty (Nov 11, 1918)

Objectives Know the key events that shaped the

course of World War I