Trench Warfare

1. Trench Warfare Europe Plunges into War

2. The Guns of August Central Powers(Triple Alliance): Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bulgaria and Ottoman Empire Allied Powers: Great Britain, France and Russia. Later, Italy, Japan and United States

3. Von Schlieffen Plan German general who planned the attacks on France first followed by attacks on Russia Battle of the Marne proved the French would not give up easily. Russia invades Germany in the East

4. Stalemate Combination of modern weapons and lack of political will led to a slow gain in territory in either direction Soldiers dug miles of trenches from the North Sea to the Swiss border

5. No Man’s Land Space between the trenches was often less than a few hundred yards Opposing sides could shout at each other Barbed wire slowed soldiers down and increased the death rate

6. Slaughter at Verdun: February 1916 Estimated dead: 600,000

7. Poisoned Gas Used by both sides, frequently injuring their own troops Mustard and cyanide gasses caused blindness, blisters, lung damage and death

8. Protective equipment did little to help

9. Tank Crude and bulky Often got stuck in the mud Intimidating more than useful on the battlefield

10. Machine Guns Indiscriminant killer (thousands in a single day) The weapon made it difficult for armies to advance

11. Submarines In 1914, Germany introduced a practical “U-Boot” with torpedoes, an underwater missile.

12. 1917 Germany declared “unrestricted submarine warfare”

13. Both sides sank passenger vessels Lusitania Kronprinz Wilhelm

14. Battleships and Destroyers HMS Vanguard Markgraf

15. Those daring young “men” in their flying machines

16. Aviation Initially used for reconnaissance (spying) Planes were lightweight and had open cockpits Opposing pilots would begin intimidating each other (dogfights)

17. Legends Baron Manfred von Richthofen Minor German nobleman (Junker) Flew a red tri-plan His plane went missing somewhere over France

18. Synchronized machine gun

19. Anti-aircraft guns

20. Poor Officer Training Nobles and Upper class in Britain and Germany dominated officer corps Connections rather than ability led to promotions Arrogance & ignorance led to the deaths of thousands

21. Battlefield Communication Mostly footrunners Telephones and radios required batteries and cables

22. Spies Mata Hari Possible double agent Executed after the war

23. U.S. Army Nursing & WAC Corps To encourage women volunteers, U.S. Army created a separate female corps (WWII women would become officers) Worked as nurses, clerks, drivers & telegraph operators

27. Propaganda & Recruitment

28. Appeal to Nationalism