Modern History HSC Course - World War I Notes

War on the Western Front
The reasons for the stalemate on the Western Front	Main Issues: Pre-war expectations of nature of modern warfare Purpose, operation and failure of Schlieffen Plan Battle of the Marne The race to the sea The establishment of the Western Front
The nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches dealing with experiences of Allied and German soldiers	Main Issues: The trenches - structure, use, conditions No Man’s Land Fighting along the Western Front Weaponry Increasing use of technology Nov 1917 Battle of Cambrai - first successful use of tanks Physical and psychological effects of trench warfare
Overview of some strategies and tactics to break the stalemate including key battles: Verdun, the Somme, Passchendaele	Battles: Verdun - February - November 1916 The German strategy was to wear down the French to the point of exhaustion Germany failed to capture Verdun Verdun was a French success because of their commitment to holding the city at any cost 500,00 French casualties and more than 400,000 German casualties Lead by General Petain Somme - July - November 1916 Allied forces vs German forces The original intention was to break through German lines decisively The battle was a complete disaster → for 5 months Haig pressed on with the defensive despite its obvious failure The Allies had suffered over a million casualties while the German had over 400,000 Passchendaele - July - November 1917 Haig hoped to relieve the French who suffered major losses in 1917 Part of plan to capture the Belgian ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge which were being used by German submarines German ports had not been captured although the Allies had taken territory and so could technically claim victory Weapons: Mortar Grenades Flamethrower Tanks Gas Submarines
Changing attitudes of Allied and German soldiers to the war over time	Main Issues: early enthusiastic response to the war in Britain and Germany growing opposition to the war by British and German soldiers some differences in attitudes to war between Allied and German soldiers
The home fronts in Britain and Germany
Total War and its social and economic impact on civilians in Britain and Germany	Total War: Refers to the complete dedication of a nation’s resources and people to the war effort. Main Features: The mobilisation of previously unused resources The government taking on functions that it previously would not have considered Government control of the allocation of scarce resources The development of government control over the means of production, communication, and the marketing of the nation’s resources Government direction of the nation’s labour resources Leads the government into the other non-economic areas of control of the population, such as conscription, propaganda, censorship and security Had devastating effects, particularly in Germany = Britain was in debt, however they were healthily being sustained
Recruitment, conscription, censorship and propaganda in Britain and Germany	Main Issues: Recruitment methods Move towards conscription Conscientious objectors Purpose, methods and effectiveness of British propaganda Censorship
The variety of attitudes to the war and how they changed over time in Britain and Germany	Main Issues: early enthusiastic response to the war in Britain and Germany growing opposition to the war by British and German soldiers some differences in attitudes to war between Allied and German soldiers
The impact of the war on women’s lives and experiences in Britain	Main Issues: Women and the munitions industry Work outside the munitions factories Women in the armed services Women and the trade unions Female suffrage The social impact of the war on women Women’s position at the end of the war Key Terms: Female suffrage: female right to vote Munitionette: young female munitions worker during the war WAAC: Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Women’s Land Army: organisation of women who worked on the land during the war WRAAF: Women’s Royal Auxiliary Air Force WRNS: Women’s Royal Naval Service WSPU: Women’s Social and Political Union
Turning points
Impacts of the entry of the USA and of the Russian withdrawal	USA Entry: The entry of the US in APril 1917 meant that Germany had to face the strength and wealth of the greatest power on earth Russian Withdrawal: Germany gained more territory as a result of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive and the Allied response	Main Issues: German Spring Offensive March - July 1918 Allied counter-offensive August - November 1918 Ludendorff’s address to the Reichstag, October 1918 Key Terms: Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Operation Michael Spring Offensive: A series of German attacks along the Western Front during WWI = attempted to end the war
Allied Victory
Events leading to the Armistice, 1918	January - The Fourteen Points October - German government contacts American regarding an armistice November (9th) - Abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II November (11th) - The armistice was signed The situation inside Germany was becoming more politically unstable by the day The governments within the Allied forces desired a harsh treatment to be handed out to Germany in order to repay for the damage they had caused
Reasons for the Allied victory and German collapse	Germany was forced to fight a two-front war Germany could never match the combined economic and military might of the Allies The German economy could not keep its army supplied The entry of the US in APril 1917 meant that Germany had to face the strength and wealth of the greatest power on earth The Allied naval blockade ensured that the longer the war went on, the more difficulty Germany had supplying its army and feeding its people Strains on the German home front lowered morale The longer the war dragged on, the less chance Germany had of winning
The roles and differing goals of Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson in creating the Treaty of Versailles	Clemenceau - Wanted a severe punishment to be handed out upon Germany Lloyd George - Lloyd George had been re-elected to office on the slogan ‘Hang the Kaiser!’ Had a lot of expectations by the public to give Germany a harsh treatment Wilson - Was not very convincing Did not have a particular opinion on how Germany should be treated