Bismark's Germany

• Technology was not decisive, the war was prolonged (unlike the advanced technology in WW2 - bombs, aircrafts etc)

• Offensive/attackers lacked sophisticated technology to pass the defensive weapons (barbed wire, trenches etc)

• Few decisive battles, victories or causes - greatest error of modern history?

• What did this war really accomplish?
• French were invaded and had to defend their country

“Over by Christmas”

• All previous wars had lasted only a few weeks - many people were oblivious to the what was “on the horizon”
• Sir Edward Grey, although he led Britain into war, he understood the impact that the war would have on Europe (long, bloody war)

*How did it start? How did it turn into a stalemate war?

Eastern Front

Battles of Tannenberg & Massurian Lakes (Aug. 1914)

• Russia mobilized faster than expected and attacks eastern Prussia. The German Generals Ludendorff and Hindenberg dominate the battles with Russia and the Russians suffer the loss of 250,000 troops in the early stages

Austria-Hungary:

• attack on Russian Poland - loses 400,000 troops
• Fail to defeat Serbia - Serbians are able to counter-attack and penetrate into Bosnia with manpower from Russian troops (Austria’s military troops are incompetent - unorganized and lacking manpower)
• Austria-Hungary requires significant German assistance (weakens German core an lessens the amount of troops they have to maintain their own war aims)

Western Front

Germany:

• launches a modified Schlieffen plan
• dominates the war in the beginning
• attack is delayed by resistance by Belgium

France:

• loses 300,000 troops in the first month of war, defending against German invasion and protecting Belgium

“Rape of Belgium” (misuse/bias of propaganda)

• German troops, fearful of Belgian guerrilla fighters, burned homes and executed innocent civilians throughout eastern and central Belgium (included women and children - this influenced the propaganda/media perspectives in the world about the brutality of the German soldiers)

Battle of Marne (6-13 September 1914)

• German advance is halted - Germans retreat 100 kms and dig defensive positions - first trenches (in France still)
• Germany failed to win what could have been the most decisive quick victor in the west and was suddenly surrounded by both French and British troops
• General von Moltke told the German Kaiser that Germany had “lost the war” because they failed to take Paris

Stalemate created by the Battle of Marne:

• The failure of both the Germans and the French to outflank the enemy creates a series of trenches - both sides are waiting for more manpower and more weapons (from their colonies - i.e. Canada & Australia for Britain)
• Europe existed in the same conditions for the rest of the war - hundreds of thousands of men died and no advancements were made

Trench Warfare

• Many soldiers were lost because of the conditions in the trenches

The “September Program”

• Does this support the idea that Germany has imperialistic/militaristic ambitions? (Most countries entered the war with no plans but they adapted their war aims as they fought)
• Germans are confident of victory and make plans for a German-occupied Europe:

• France would be weakened & Russia would be broken up into many states
• Germany would seek a compromise peace with Britain
• Germany would create a “Mitteleuropa” - a central European customs union (free trade), under German economic leadership