Casualties
Britain lost 723,000 dead, equivalent to 16 dead per 1000 people. The total killed as a percentage of total mobilised in Britain and Ireland was 11.8%. the total killed as a percentage of males between the ages of 15-49 in Britain and Ireland was 6.3%.The total killed as a percentage of the population was 1.6 percent. The total mobilised in the British Empire was 8,904,467 million men of which 908,371 were killed and 2,090,211 million men were wounded and 191,652 were prisoners or were missing, giving a total casualty rate of 35.8%.
An estimate of Russian losses are that she lost 1.8 million men dead, or eleven men per thousand people. The total killed as a percentage of total mobilised was 11.5%. The total killed as a percentage of males between the ages of 15-49 was 4.5% and the total killed as a percentage of the population was 1.1%. Russia’s total mobilised forces were 12 million of which 1.7m were killed, 4.95 million were wounded and 2.5 million prisoners or were missing, giving a total casualty rate of 76.3%.
France lost 1.3 million dead, or 34 dead per thousand head of the pre-war population. The total killed as a percentage total mobilized was 16.8%. The total killed as a percentage of males between the ages of 15-49 was 13.3%. the total killed as a percentage of the population was 3.4%. France had a total mobilised force of 8.41 million of which 1.357 million were killed, 4.266 million were wounded and 537,000 were prisoners or were missing, giving a total casualty rate of 73.3%.
America lost 114,000 dead in just under a year of fighting, or one man per thousand people dead. The total killed as a percentage of total mobilised was 2.7%. The total killed as a percentage of males between the ages of 15-49 was 0.4% and the total killed as a percentage of the population was 0.1%. The United Sates had a total mobilised force of 4.355 million men of which 116,516 men were killed or were missing, 204,002 were wounded and 4,500 men were prisoners or were missing giving a total casualty rate of 8.1%
Economic Contribution
Britain’s industrial strength in 1914 had been the strongest of the European countries producing 292 million tons of coal, 11 million tonnes of iron and 6.5 million tons of steel. However, Germany produced more steel. Britain had the second largest expenditure after America starting at $2.5 billion and that rose to $12.6 billion in 1918, giving a total of $45.3 billion. However, Britain relied on America’s loans which gave an overall total of $1.365 billion which was far higher than the Central Power’s total expenditure put together.
Russia’s industrial strength in 1914 had been the weakest of the allies, producing only 36 million tons of coal, 4 million tons of iron and 4 million tons of steel. Russia’s expenditure throughout the duration of the war was only larger than Italy’s total; expenditure. Their expenditure rose from $1.23 billion to $2.77 billion in 1917, giving a total of $11.77 billion.
The industrial strength of Russia was extremely weaker than the Central and Allied powers. She produced 36million tons of coal, 4million tons of iron and 4million tons of steel compared to 277million tons of coal, 15 million tons of iron and 14miullion tons of steel of Germany, or 292mmillion tons of coal, 11milliomn tons of iron and 6.5million tons of steel of Britain. Russia’s expenditure was increasing from 1914/15 to 1916/17. However, it decreased in 1917/18. it was $1.239 in 1914/15, $3.18 in 1915/16 and $4.585million and in 1916/17, it decreased to $2.774million, the total expenditure worth $11,778million.
France had 40million tons of coal, but had only 5million tons of iron and 35million tons of steels, which was quite low. France’s expenditure was increasing throughout the war. In 1914/15, they spent$1.994million, in 1915/16, $3.827million, in 1916.17, $6.227million, in 1917/18, $7.74 million and in 1918/19, $10.16million giving a total of $30,009million, the third largest amount of the Central and Allied powers, showing that France was fully stretched in terms of economic power. France borrowed money from Britain and USA, while lending money to Russia and other countries. A higher level of external finance certainly helped Britain and France to spend more on waging war than Germany and Austria-Hungary.
USA………………………………………………………………………………………………
Analysis of the contribution of each country
The contribution made in 1914
In 1914, Britain made the largest contribution out of all the Allies, even though it was quite small. They had the biggest navy and they occupied the sea blockading ships and inflicting heavy losses. They contributed 100,00 men to help with the war on land which was the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and they defeated the Schlieffen Plan. They also made the biggest economic contribution of $2,493,000.
In 1914 France made the second most largest contribution as they fought the main part of the German army and the significance was that fighting the Germans cause heavy casualties and heavy losses. They contributed $1,994,000,000 to the war in 1914.
In 1914 Russia made the third largest contribution towards the war. They had the vitally important role of diverting Germany to the eastern Front so therefore the army was spread rather than all compacted in one place. They made an economic contribution of $1,239,000,000.
The contribution made in 1915
In 1915, Britain’s contribution was minimal compared to the other countries. The army was small, since contribution was still not introduced, and Britain was very slow in training the people who had volunteered to join the army. However, they did make the largest economic contribution of $7,195,000,000.
In 1915 France made the second larges contribution once again. They were fighting on a much larger scale than Britain and they suffered heavy losses. Their economic contribution in 1915 was $3,827,000,000.
In 1915 Russia made the largest contribution towards the allied countries as they fought most of the German army. They suffered heavy losses but they also inflicted heavy losses on Germany. In 1915, they made an economic contribution of $3,180,000,000.
The contribution made in 1916
In 1916 Britain made equal contributions along with Russia and France. They were making slow technological improvements with the tanks and aircraft industry. Britain had the success of maintaining the naval blockade in the battle of Jutland. Even though Britain was finally fighting on a continental scale and with a larger army, they were not trained well enough . Britain overcame the shortages of 1914/1915 of things they really needed for Britain to survive. January 1916 saw unmarried men conscripted and in May Britain saw married men were also conscripted. They made small achievements in the Battle of the Somme. Britain also saw improvements in the armaments industry. The shortages of the ‘Shell crisis’ in 1914/1915 came to an end since Britain were making improvements. Britain made the largest economic contribution again with $10,303,000,000.
In 1916 France made equal contributions with Britain and Russia. France halted the German attack at the battle of Verdun but at a huge cost. The French were vital for an allied victory at the western front because the Russian were in the eastern front and the British army was too small. France were becoming fully stretched since the economic resources and the availability of men being able to fight were at a decrease. They made an economic contribution of $6,277,000,000.
In 1916 Russia saw their equipment upgraded used by the army. They were still fighting on a large scale. The ‘Brusilov Offensive’ nearly destroyed Austria-Hungary and diverted many German troops. The Russian morale was also at a decline due to the food shortages they were suffering. They made an economic contribution of $4,585,000,000.
The contributions made in 1917
In 1917 Britain was the only ally capable of sustaining major attacks on Germany. The British inflicted heavy damage on the German forces at the Battle of Vimy ridge, messiness Ridge and Passchendaele (third battle of Ypres). Britain made more improvements in their technology, for example, when Britain used the improved mark IV tanks at Cambrai. The naval blockade on the German ports was continuing and therefore the German imports decreased. The British industry was producing armaments on a large scale. Introducing The Convoy System brought the threat of unrestricted submarine warfare to an end. The significance of this was that imports were at an increase. They made an economic contribution of $12,704,000,000 which was the second largest in 1917.
In 1917 France made the second largest contribution. The overall French contribution was reduced because of the failure of the Nivelle Offensive. The significance of this was that it led to widespread refusal to launch attacks by the French soldiers. They made an economic contribution of $7,794,000,000.
In 1917 the Tsar in Russia overthrown but Russia was still in war under Kerensky (provisional government). From October to November the Bolsheviks seized power under Lenin. The Russian contribution in the war collapses. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in early 1918 means that Russia was no longer part of the war. Russia gave up huge areas of land in order to make peace with Germany. The significance of this is that Germany shifts a huge number of troops from the Eastern front to the western Front. They made an economic contribution of $2,774,000,000 this year, which was to be their last.
America did not join the war until 1917. However, they were contributing economically before the war. They were the source of all British imports. Although they joined the Allies in 1917, they were slow to train a mass army in Europe. The U.S armaments continued to be vital to the Allies. . U.S shipbuilding was vital to overcome losses of merchant ships to German U Boats.
The contributions made in 1918
In 1918 Britain made the largest contribution between the Allies. The Hindenburg line was the strongest German defensive position. This line helped in the German Spring Offensive but Britain managed to stop it. Britain had captured more German prisoners than France and America put together this year. Britain were still dependent on U.S loans. Britain was the main cause for the defeat of the German Allies (Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and Turkey). Britain had mobilised 5,680,247 in the army. They made an economic contribution of $12,611,000,000 this year.
In 1918 France still had more men on the Western front than America, Britain and France put together because they needed each other to survive the German Spring Offensive. France made the second largest contribution this year. They made an economic contribution of $10,166,000,000 this year.
In the middle of 1918 U.S.A had around 3,000,000 men in Europe but they were inexperienced. They launched their first major attack at Argonne in September 1918. The significance of this was that it lifted the Allied powers morale greatly. They made the largest economic contribution as well as lending huge loans to France and Britain. By the end of 1918 U.S.A was the leading nation. In the last two years the U.S.A contributed a total of $35,731,000,000 which was more than all the allies.
