Account For The Allied Victory In The Great War Of 1914

Authors Avatar

Account for the allied victory in the Great War of 1914-1918

The allied victory in the Great War was almost inevitable when all circumstances are taken into account. The Prussian army which was the basis of the German war effort was by far the superior of most countries in Europe but it is delusional for it to have the ability to overpower their combined force especially when taking into account the strength of the Anglo-American relationship and the extent of the British empire. The allied forces ground the Germans to a near halt and gradually yet systematically drained them of the ability to fight. Although they showed signs of strain where never realistically going to lose.

The Naval Blockade established after the naval battle of Jutland in 1916 was one of the pivotal points in the war. The battle was originally claimed as a success for both sides but in time it proved to be of far more significance to the Allied war efforts as although the battle itself saw larger losses for the British navy they were not defeated and their numbers and superiority forced a German retreat giving the Allies a crucial strategic victory. The Allies were now in control of the English Channel and the North Sea which they soon fortified with a large mining scheme. Control over these waters was crucial as it meant not only had Britain secured the safe passage of goods and men to and from the continent it was also able to halt all enemy supplies from the north, damaging both their economy and their war effort.

“At the beginning of the war the royal navy, the biggest and most modern fleet in the world, sealed off the North Sea and cut Germany off from raw materials and other vital supplies. This would have a slow but decisive effect on German agriculture, industrial production and eventually civil society itself.” P & D Snow

The Naval Blockade slowly crippled Germany, Its naval forces after its establishment were largely confined to port and the damage done to its trade routes meant that it was essentially a form of siege. Germany was not sustainably self sufficient at the time and could not maintain a war effort on its production alone so it became an inevitability that if they did not win the war then they would eventually be forced to surrender.

Join now!

Throughout the war the allies were forced to adapt to advance or to ensure their survival. This led to the development of new technology and tactics to deal with occurring situations. Whilst German submarine warfare policy was at its most destructive it was essentially destroying British trade and food supplies through the sabotage of merchant ships.

by April (1917) the British government was forced to face the prospect of starvation, with only 6 weeks supply of grain in the country. The government ceased to publish the figures of shipping sunk, and began to question whether it would ...

This is a preview of the whole essay