Western and Eastern Front

Western Front

Western Front: 700 km line of trenches across F + Belgium -main theatre 4 WW1 4mill deaths

Began 1914 after Schlieffen Plan failed
- F + Belgium halt G advance at Battle of Marne→ G dig in to consolidate gain ground.
-B+F also dig in → race to sea to outflank + gain advantage

Battle of Ypres Belgium: first real test of defensive stability of W Front→ 40,000 Allied deaths 
→ G adopt war of attrition — aim to wear down enemy through constant losses

German vs Allies strategy on Western Front

G focus on defense = need to keep what gained + not waste men on West
-focus on East front to defeat R then focus on West
-High ground, trench = well planned+ fortified (shell proof shelter, deep dugouts) → difficult to break through

Allied = go on offensive + be aggressive, bring large num of troop forward easily
-trench - temp, not focus for long term defense+ low ground (bad trench cond)
-Frontline trenches = ladders for soldiers climb into no-man’s land.

Battle of Somme River July - November 1916

Goal: Break stalemate on the W Front  + relieve pressure from French @ Verdun.
-plan = artillery bombardment 7 days destroy G force b4 advance
-fail, no destroy German trenches & barbed wire

1st July = worst day in B mill his 57,470 B casual, 20k G casual
-Mines explode b4 advance (no time to prepare guns), attack = suicide mission
-Nov, 1.1mil casual + 10km land gain

Battle of Passchendaele 31 July - 10 Nov 1917
(Third Battle of Ypres)
Allied defense strategy

War of attrition
Goal: Reach Belgian coast to destroy G U-Boat bases
-spent 2 weeks artillery bombardment to weak G → fail destroy trench

Cond: Heavy rainfall worst in 30 yr → land = muddy bog (unable to advance)
-rifle = clog (defenseless) + drown mud
Allies capture on 6 Nov. Vic = high cost. (350k allie casual+ 260k G casual)

Eastern Front + R
Larger than W front

1.6k km, No trench warfare → not enough soldiers to cover large dis → “war of manoeuvre”

R strengh: Large pop (159mill) → easy gather troops, ↑ nat resource (coal, iron)
Weak = lack of IR, shortage in wep+equip
-not enough road + railway → supply issue
-1:3 rifle soldiers → fought in waves, taking fallen comrades’ rifles → high casual

Battle of Tannenberg 1914
motive = revange

G’s response to initial defeat R
-use railway sys effectively (move quick + quiet
-Intercepted R comms → knew positions & movements.

1st R army halt advance after vic (hate 2nd)
-time 4  G use railway sys+secret trap
-encircle R army, 170k casual, 90k = POW
-G = 13k casual, major victory

Russia stop war

R = stop war cus massive defeats → 1.7mill soldier die + army collpase (no weapon+supplis). Citizens = desperate to end war
→ food shortage+rebellion → revolt Nic

→ Oct 1917 rev, Communist = seize power
-promise peace, bread + land + vowed to end war with G
→ Treaty Brest-Litovsk 1918 (peace treaty btwn G + R
-R = lost 2.5km land ⅓ of pop, + key resource coal, iron, oil