b). Why did a stalemate develop on the Western Front?
A stalemate developed on the Western Front because the Schlieffen Plan had failed.
The stalemate developed because the German Army didn’t defeat France quickly enough to send their troops back to fight off the Russians, on the Eastern Front.
The Russians mobilized its troops quicker than was expected; they started to advance towards Germany. This meant that Germany had to split its army into two, one to fight the French and allies Britain on the Western Front, and half to fight off the Russians on the Eastern Front.
Germany dug trenches, which helped cause the stalemate on the Western Front. The trenches were dug from the channel ports to the Swiss border; these trenches were dug in sophisticated lines.
New technology was brought into the war. The machine gun was probably one of the most effective weapons used in the war, anyone could use it because all they had to do was sweep the ammunition across the field of battle, mowing down the opposition, this was the main source of casualties in World War One. Most of this new weaponry was designed for defence rather than an attack.
The rifle had a short firing range, low killing power and was mainly a defensive weapon. The rifle also seized up if the weather was cold or frosty. Artillery had a short, medium and long firing range, this had high killing power as long as it was used properly. This was a weapon of attack. Grenades had short range due to the fact it was dependant on the range a soldier could throw. They had medium killing power, and could be used as an attacking or defensive weapon.
Gas wasn’t the most reliable of weapons; it all depended on the direction of the wind. The gas would be released and carried on the wind to the opposition’s trenches. It had a short range, medium killing power dependant on which gas was used. Gas could be used for attacking or defending. All the weapons were geared towards fighting a defensive war.
The trenches were dug in zigzag formation, so that enemy soldiers couldn’t shoot from one end to the other. The trench conditions were very poor and the floor was constantly muddy, these conditions made very trench foot very common. Rats and lice thrived in these conditions, rats constantly raided the soldiers’ rations, and the soldiers’ food, which they ate, became contaminated causing illness. Their daily rations consisted of soggy, stale biscuits and stagnant water.
Sometimes when it rained, the trenches were known to cave in, drowning the soldiers’ who were in the dugouts sheltering from the gunfire.
When men went over the top they had a very slim chance of making it across. Generals just sent men over in groups of twenty, and they were killed within minutes over leaving the trenches. This was mass slaughter but the Generals kept on commanding them over the top, many lives needlessly wasted. All the men going over the top lined up in queues waiting to go. All this alone helped the stalemate occur on the Western Front. Due to the conditions and the nature of the fighting stalemate occurred on the Western front.
c). The following were all equally important reasons why the stalemate on the Western Front was finally broken:
Planes, though initially primitive helped play a part in breaking the stalemate. They were used as recognisance and would fly over enemy lines and report any holes in the German defences. Later in the war, bombs were dropped from planes, but this had to be done manually by the pilot. Machine guns were fitted to the planes and ariel dogfights were engaged in with enemy aircraft, so planes did play a part, but were not vitally important to the war.
The tank was a new British invention in 1916. It helped break the stalemate because it was able to go over trenches, crush barbed wire and take out machine gun posts. It also provided protection for troops, as they could walk behind it. It also could carry much needed supplies. However, it was unreliable as they often broke down, got stuck in the mud and could also tip over. Although the tank played an important part, it was not the only factor, which brought an end to the war.
The British Naval blockade of German ports was a crucial factor in the Allied victory over Germany. Despite losing many ships during 1915, the purpose of the blockade was to prevent supplies getting through, thereby starving the German people of food, which would then turn them against their government, forcing them to end the war. The blockade would also prevent supplies and food getting to the German troops. In 1916 the Germans tried to destroy the blockade but failed. Whoever won the war at sea won the war as a whole. There were very few battles at sea in World War One. The only major sea battle was the Battle of Jut land. The war at sea was crucial to the outcome of World War One, as the winner would starve the enemy out.
In 1915 the Germans sank the American ship ‘Lusitania’, killing hundreds of Americans. The Germans thought it was carrying supplies and arms for the British. In 1917 the American Army entered the war. Unlike the tired British troops, these hundreds of young, well equipped, well fed and high spirited soldiers were a vital part in breaking the stalemate. When they came to the Western Front, the tired German soldiers were faced with vibrant young troops who demolished the poorly supplied German army. They helped break the stalemate because they brought a new lease of life to the Allied forces that now outnumbered the Germans.
The German offensive of 1918 was crucial to the outcome of the war. The Russians who had lost millions of soldiers, turned against their leaders, forcing Russia to leave the war. The Germans had to launch an offensive against the growing Allied army. They transferred troops from the east to the west to try to stop the Allies constant attacks in a single place. It was effective as the Germans broke through the Allied lines. The attack had gone well, however, the Allies held their nerve; they retreated so as to spread the Germans out. The Germans, unlike 1914, had no reserves and were badly fed and disciplined.
Between May and August of 1918 the Germans made little progress and defeat was inevitable. The Allies who had supplies and food managed to counter attack. On the 8th August 1918 the Allies reached the Hinderburg Line. On the 11th November the Armistice (ceasefire) was called and the Great War was finally over.
All of these factors played a role in breaking the stalemate on the Western Front. The use of planes and tanks helped break German defence lines. The influx of fresh American troops proved too much for the tired German troops. The war at sea played a vital role as it prevented supplies getting through the German troops and people.
They are all interlinked in breaking the Stalemate on the Western Front.
