The Start of World War 1

• The Early War Years
  • The German activation of the Schlieffen Plan on August 1st, 1914 that starts the war.
  • German attack was in the reaction to the mobilization of Russia, then France.
  • Germany, wishing to avoid a direct invasion of fortified France, instead directs their attack via Belgium. The Germans will ask for open borders, since Albert says, "Belgium is a country, not a road"
  • Germans declare war and attack Belgium. The 2,000 man Belgian Army valiantly fights and slows the German offensive led by Field Marshal Von Kluck.
  • The invasion of Belgium got turned into the "Rape of Belgium" by propaganda. This is important because this negative portrayal of the Germans convince the British public to enter the war.
  • The British cabinet votes unanimously to enter the war, and begin to send their entire army across the English Channel to assist the Belgians.
  • The feats of the Belgian and British Expeditionary Force (BEF) allow France to shift troops northward to meet the German onslaught. Moreover, and somewhat miraculously, the Russians manage to mobilize an army of 600k to invade East Prussia in the middle of August.
  • The Kaiser and Chief of Staff panic and shift part of von Kluck's army to Prussia to meet the Russian advance. On September 6, 1914 von Kluck is defeated within 20 miles of Paris at the Battle of the Marne. Legend has it that the last of the French reserves were rushed to the front on the taxicabs of Paris.
  • The German advances are stymied, and they move north to get around allied flank and into open countryside of France. This German flank attack and is stopped by the British at the 1st of four Battles of Ypres (Flanders).
  • Hereafter, the Germans retreat east to high ground around Asine River and become entrenched the next four years. Fighting becomes static: "trench warfare." There is no more movement of the lines of more than 3 miles, which lasts form 1914 to the Spring of 1918.
  • Meanwhile, in East Russia the Germans overwhelming defeat the Russians at the Battle of Tannenberg, where Russia loses half a million men. In a reverse Schlieffen strategy the German heroes are General Erich Ludendorff and Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, who by 1916 are the de facto dictators of Germany. They marginalize the Kaiser, who is nearly insane at this point.
• Change in German Strategy
  • In an opposite Schlieffen-type plan, Germany plans to knock Russia out first and then deal with France.
  • Hindenburg and Ludendorff invade Russian Poland and capture Warsaw while advancing up the Baltic coast.
  • Russia looses horrendously. Russia proves to be incapable of waging Total War, which means mobilizing all resources (human, material economic, trade, production and transportation all for the war effort).
  • The irony is that the allies could supply Russia with their excess production, but Russia has no WWP!
  • The Ottomans and Bulgarians late entry into the war in 1914 further isolates Russia. In 1915 the main British thrust to reopen the supply line to Russia is the Gallipoli Campaign.
  • During the naval attack on the Straits, the British looses 4 Battleships (mines) and a British landing on Gallipoli Peninsula is bloodily repulsed by the Turks under Mustafa Kemal. The Brits and the Dominion forces ANZACS are slaughtered and the mastermind of campaign resigns in disgrace Winston Churchill
• 1915 Naval Issues
  • Great Britain is dependent on food imports, since they now have free trade that came with the repeal of the Corn Laws. The British are in a food desert, and the Germans try to starve Britain by the use of a new weapon called a U-boat.
  • The U-boats patrol the waters around Great Britain and will sink any ship flying colors of an enemy. In April 1915 the British Cunard Live passenger ship called the Lusitania leaves NYC, but the papers have been publishing warnings from the German embassy that say, "Watch out because we are going to sink your ship if we get a chance."
  • The Lusitania is sunk off the coast of Ireland.
  • The German submarines are unable to take on all the civilian passengers of the ships they sink, so they end up killing them. This type of fighting is called Unrestricted Submarine Warfare.
  • Woodrow Wilson calls the Lusitania incident distinctly unfriendly. The Germans start fearing American entry in the war and stop unrestricted submarine warfare until 1917, when the Germans reach more desperate measures.
  • The British blockade Germany from overseas trade and colonies and cuts Germany form the US, denying Freedom of the Seas.
• 1916 In Europe on the Western Front
  • The Germans change strategy to a war of attrition. Germany wants to "bleed France white." The Germans pick a target that symbolizes French honor and history. The Germans pick Verdun to attack, and choose a commander that France hates the most: Wilhelm III, crown prince of Germany.
  • From February 1916 to November of 1916 there is continuous Battle of Verdun. This characterizes the wall of attrition. The French loose about half a million men, and the Germans 450,000 men.
  • The French commander at Verdun by Marshal Henri Petain, the Hero of the War.
  • By Early 1917, the French commanders warn the government that any offensive against the Germans would be dangerous. The morale is very low and the French armies almost mutinies, so they decide to stick with defensive action only.
  • Brits in the worth have been planning and building supplies for an offensive in late summer at the Somme River.
  • The British War machine and others are in high gear. The prelude to the attack is a one week continuous artillery bombardment.
  • They Finally attack with poison mustard gas and tanks. The Brits are so unprepared for that first day that they loose 60,000 on first day. 2 months and half a million men later, the British advance two miles, and then loose it in a German counterattack.
  • In 1916 on the Eastern Front the Russians are being driven back and become desperate. The Czar takes personal command at the Front, but he does little to change the fortunes of Russia in battle.
  • Nicholas II leaves his wife, Alexandra in charge who is mainly concerned with her only son Czarevich Alexei who has hemophilia. The only one who can stop the son's bleeding is Rasputin, who wins over Czarina. Rasputin is an illiterate defrocked monk. He is also an alcoholic and has sex with most of the women of the court.
  • Somehow Rasputin becomes the de facto ruler of Russia, underscoring their corruption.
• Italy during the War
  • they are ostensibly members of the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Germany, but since both allies declare war and attack first, Italy claims that their alliance is defensive.
  • In 1915, Italy begins dual negotiation with both the Allies and the Central powers to join the war. They want irredenta from either Austria or France.
  • In 1915 they sign the secret Treaty of London in 1915. French and Brits promise Italy Austria's irredentist lands if they win the war. Italy declares war late in 1915 and attack Austria, creating a third front. This diverts Austrian and German troops from the Eastern Front.
  • Italians aim at Trieste and fight around the Isonzo River, of which there are nine battles.
  • The Italians at the war's end have 500,000 dead in WWI, and feel as though they have "paid the price."
  • Woodrow Wilson, who is the chief arbiter of peace refuses to recognize the Treaty of London. Italy does not get all the irredentist claims and become unhappy with the allies.