8.2 - Battles, Fronts, and Techniques

A Just Cause * There has to be a justified reason
Last Resort * Once all other practical options fail, everything that you could have possibly done
Real chance of Success * There is a great probability of winning
Proportionality * There has to be a balance of good and bad * Avoid in discriminant casualties and mass casualties of civilians * Nuclear Weapons and landmines are unjust because they cause mass destruction.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated in Bosnia * Austria-Hungary blames Serbia * Germany gives Austria-Hungary a blank check
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia * Serbia refuses Austria-Hungary ultimatum * Serbia turns to ally, Russia, who begins to mobilize troops on Austria’s boarder
Germany declares war on Russia and France * Germany does this to support Austria-Hungary * Russia asks ally France for help
Britain declares war on Germany * Germany invades Belgium in order to attack France * Britain and Belgium declare war on Germany in response

The Schlieffen Plan - German plan for a two front war * Attack west first, then move east * REASONS FAILED: Russian mobilization was faster than expected and strong Belgian resistance.
MAJOR BATTLES: * Battle of the Marne: * ended Germany’s hopes of quick victory on Western front * Battle of Verdun: * 11 month struggle, French forces hold off German offensive * Battle of the Somme: * 5 month battle, no advance by either side * 1,000,000 casualties and 60,000 British soldiers in one day * Known as the deadliest battle of WWI

Eastern Front - Russia vs Germany/Austria-Hungary * More casualties than western front * Russians struggled because of the lack of industrialization
Southern Front - newly created countries joining in war * Central Powers add Bulgaria in 1915 * Allied Powers add Romania & Italy in 1916
Western Asia - Ottomans vs Allied * Battle of Gallipoli (1915) * Arab nationalists push Ottomans back, which was led by Lawrence of Arabia * Armenian Genocide (1915)

The most common type of fighting that existed on the western front
This led to 40 million casualties
Grueling and horrific experience * Rices and lice are prevalent which causes many diseases * Constant shellfire, which causes fatigue because of lack of sleep * Flooding which causes gangrene (rotting of the skin)
People would have to go through No Man’s Land which is filled with traps and tripwire. * This was the land between either side’s trench, which were miles and miles away from each other.
Life in the trench was consisted of cleaning and fixing weapons, boredom, and fear of conflict starting.

Total Warfare: A country’s policy of channeling all its resources into the war effort * This showed that governments were taking a more prevalent role in society and showed that they would do anything possible to win.
Examples of Total Warfare tactics * Conscription (Military Draft) * Raising taxes * Borrowing money from countries who are not involved * Food rationing

Morale for war plunges by 1917 * Long casualty lists, people were going to war and never coming back * Food shortages * Soldiers deserting front lines (known as treason and punished by death)
Countries facing difficult situations * Britain was bankrupt * Germany had 15 year old soldiers because they ran out of soldiers * Russia was on the rink of revolution
Calls for peace and end to war start to increase and each countries were too prideful and do not want to come forth and surrender, so the war goes on