Why the stalemate on the western front was finally broken.
The following reasons were equally important reasons why the stalemate on the western front was finally broken:
* New technology
* The American entry into the war
* The blockading of the German ports
* The German offensive in March 1918
Do you agree?
The new weapons that evolved during WWI were machine guns, and aeroplanes.
New Technologies helped to break the stalemate and maintain the break by using each individual weapon and using them together. The radio linked divisions of men together, so they knew what each other were doing. Radios were used and each allied aircraft was fitted with a radio so artillery could react quickly to changes on the battlefield. Improved accuracy of British artillery made this even more effective. These radios could also be used to direct companies of infantry so that they did not outrun friendly artillery support.
Communication between the troops was also of vital importance. The wireless telephone enabled permanent connection to be maintained between those in command and those in the front line. However, the telephone and the telegraph and the field telegraph were particular vulnerable to gun and grenade attacks.
These were later replaced in the frontline by wireless telegraphs and telephones but retained their importance behind the front. The new wireless communications also guaranteed better co-ordination between reconnaissance aircraft and the artillery on the ground, which was able to optimise its firing, by acting on the instructions of the pilots. However, the enemy often succeeded in interrupting open messages and conversations.
Aircrafts were used for observational purposes, aircraft told tank divisions where to go. Artillery now could destroy barbed wire, which made it increasingly easier for the tank to get through and therefore attack. The success rate of the artillery had been considerably improved thanks to Ariel observations.
This obviously helped break the stalemate as it made attacking the opposition much easier as using aircraft enabled them to see what was going on down below which could order the tanks to.
With the use of a machine gun, you could literally wipe out dozens of people at a time. Firing speed was of the order of 600 bullets per minute. Thanks to its enormous firing power, it was able to stop massive infantry attacks and it obliged infantrymen to seek cover, removing any escape route out of the attack. However, these heavy machine guns were ...
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This obviously helped break the stalemate as it made attacking the opposition much easier as using aircraft enabled them to see what was going on down below which could order the tanks to.
With the use of a machine gun, you could literally wipe out dozens of people at a time. Firing speed was of the order of 600 bullets per minute. Thanks to its enormous firing power, it was able to stop massive infantry attacks and it obliged infantrymen to seek cover, removing any escape route out of the attack. However, these heavy machine guns were not reliable in all conditions. Their great weight meant they were not mobile enough and they had to be operated by several men at
once. 750lb shells could now be fired 8 miles, which could destroy communication lines making it easier to attack, as the opposition couldn't communicate with each other, meaning that enemy couldn't call up for reserves.
The tank was a main factor of new technology. The British invented the tank. When they were first invented they could travel at 6KM per hour and were armed with machine guns and cannons.
At the beginning of the war tank wasn't as successful because it was so large and slow it was impossible to miss, but when the tanks were first used they brought with them a boost to morale for all the troops. However tanks sank into mud holes when it rained and they could not be pulled back out once they started to sink they were lost forever.
Throughout the war both sides tried to prevent the other side from getting supplies. The British had been blockading German ports since 1914. The blockade was supposed to stop German industry, by stopping supplies getting through. German trade was reduced from $5.9 billion in 1914 down to $0.8 billion in 1917. German civilians were experiencing severe shortages. German people endured cold, hunger
and disease due to cut food, oil and chemical shortages. There were frequent food riots after 1916. The German army was also weakened and German people started
to lose some of their support for the war. It was not, however just the normal people of Germany who were being affected. Lack of food meant that the soldiers on the Western front had poor supplies. Poor food supplies put them at a disadvantage as it made their army weaker, because they didn't have many supplies to live on, as food was rationed.
This obviously helped to break the stalemate, as the opposition was stronger than them due to the fact that they didn't eat as well as the enemy, and the blockade cut supplies of nitrates, which was vital to Germany's Army for their explosives, this would lead to the army not having enough military supplies, which made them a lot more venerable as did the fact that they were generally weaker physically as food supplies had be cut off and they were living off rations.
With the outbreak of the Russian Revolution, the German Army no longer had to fight a two front war. This allowed the German Army to move almost all of its troops to the Western Front.
Ludendorff's plan was to break through on the Somme, swinging northwards through Albert and roll up on the British line. He had his best troops trained in new tactics. A short but ferocious bombardment brilliantly organised by Colonel Bruchmuller. Though the early months of 1918 German troops moved east to west. This was when Ludendorff launched his plan to win the war. Instead of the usual wave of inventory he followed up with smaller band of specially trained and lightly equipped troops nicknamed the 'storm troopers'. This was very effective. The German broke
through the allied lines in many places. Now Paris was I heavy fire range. The plan had gone very well for the Germans. However the Germans lost 400,000 troops in making this advance, and they had no reserves to call on. More Americans were arriving every week and the French commander called up more French reserves. Between May and August the Germans made no further advance and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the Germans were defeated.
There the offensive ran out of steam, so, he threw in 20 more divisions; but these were not as experienced and therefore failed to pierce a solid British defence. The German divisions in the lead were becoming exhausted, and supplies failed to get forward.
Ludendorff had achieved a brilliant tactical victory as he made an advance of forty miles in eight days, 70,000 prisoners, and 200,000 other Allied casualties; but strategically the result was empty. He had failed either to destroy the British armies or to separate them from the French, and he had taken as many casualties as he had inflicted; most of them in the highly trained shock divisions, losses he could not replace.
I think this was a significant factor in breaking the stalemate, as the Spring offensive weakened the German Army, making them vulnerable to any other attack and it also encouraged the allies to fight back, because the German Army was weaker due to the fact German divisions in the lead became weaker and ended up with supplies not getting forward. A lot of their experienced soldiers had died.
Public opinion in America began to change with the sinking of the Lusitania, a civilian passenger ship, which was sunk by German U-Boats. The loss of 128
Americans onboard caused a large-scale public outcry against Germany. Ships from the United States were being sunk during the unrestricted submarine warfare campaign conducted by the German Navy. As more and more American ships were sunk, the public outcry became stronger.
I think the American entry into the war was a big factor in breaking the stalemate. This was not only a physical boost with increased manpower and weapons, the supply of resources seemed almost never-ending from the Americans. But the Americans also gave the Allies a mental boost because now they had the Americans on their side it was virtually impossible to lose the war with all their power. Another booster for the Allies was America's economic power, e.g. the Americans produced more steel than the whole world put together.
I think that all of these points contributed to end of stalemate. So I do agree with statement I think they all equal in the break up of stalemate. All of these points link together in one-way or another. The American entry into the war was partly a result to Germany submarine attacks on American ships, and German submarine warfare was a result of the blocking of German ports. Another link to American entry into the
war is with new technology was partly because America brought the money and the scientists to research for the tanks. A third link with the American entry into the war
was to do with the German offensive. This is because the Americans kept sending troops that stopped the Germans advancing any more and this gradually helped win the war. Another link is between The German offensive and new technology. The reason for this link is as a result of the use of the tanks the Germans had to come back with something so they brought in highly trained troops and used counter attacks. So all the elements played are part in the break of stalemate. Without anyone of the elements the break of stalemate would not have happened in the way that it did and it would not have happened in the time that it did
Why the stalemate on the Western Front was finally broken?
