HOW DID "THE GREAT WAR" BEGIN?
World War 1 began after the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian empire was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914 by a group of Serbian nationalists. This event began the struggle between Serbia and the Austro-Hungarian government.
On July 26, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian officials issued an ultimatum to the Serbian government. Once the time limit on the ultimatum had expired, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Germany supported Austro-Hungary in the war effort while Russia supported Serbia. Germany therefore declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914 and on their ally, France, on August 3, 1914. On August 4, 1914, German troops were sent into Belgium, defying the neutrality that Belgium was promised. Great Britain declared war against Germany that same day.
On July 26, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian officials issued an ultimatum to the Serbian government. Once the time limit on the ultimatum had expired, Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Germany supported Austro-Hungary in the war effort while Russia supported Serbia. Germany therefore declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914 and on their ally, France, on August 3, 1914. On August 4, 1914, German troops were sent into Belgium, defying the neutrality that Belgium was promised. Great Britain declared war against Germany that same day.
timeline
Dates
June 28th, 1914---------------------------------->
July 28th, 1914-----------------------------------> July 29th - December 9th, 1914--------------------> August 1st, 1914-----------------------------------> August 3rd, 1914----------------------------------> |
Events
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austro-Hungarian empire, in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. Austria-Hungary repeatedly invades Serbia but is repeatedly thrown out. Outbreak of war - Germany declares war on Russia. Germany declares war on France. |
wHY DID THE WAR FALL INTO STALEMATE?
*By the end of 1914, both sides had constructed continuous lines of trench systems running all the way from the Belgian coast to the Swiss border.This effectively meant that neither side had any open flanks, and it was therefore impossible for either to open up the war by getting behind the enemy.
As the months went by, the trench systems became more and more fortified, with multiple lines of trenches, deep belts of barbed wire entanglements in front, and well sited machine guns and artillery that turned the approach across no man's land into a giant killing zone.
* Advances in weaponry gave troops defending such positions a huge advantage in battle. Bolt action magazine loaded rifles, belt fed machine guns, and rapid firing breech loading artillery meant that troops behind the cover of their trench systems could slaughter troops which had to advance on foot, in the open, across what I would call the land of imminent death. All it was really necessary to do was for the defending troops to load and fire, the sheer volume of bullets and shells they could deliver in the space of a few minutes making even aiming unnecessary.
As the months went by, the trench systems became more and more fortified, with multiple lines of trenches, deep belts of barbed wire entanglements in front, and well sited machine guns and artillery that turned the approach across no man's land into a giant killing zone.
* Advances in weaponry gave troops defending such positions a huge advantage in battle. Bolt action magazine loaded rifles, belt fed machine guns, and rapid firing breech loading artillery meant that troops behind the cover of their trench systems could slaughter troops which had to advance on foot, in the open, across what I would call the land of imminent death. All it was really necessary to do was for the defending troops to load and fire, the sheer volume of bullets and shells they could deliver in the space of a few minutes making even aiming unnecessary.
the horrors of trench warfare
Mustard/nerve gas that will burn you from inside out, the dead, rotting bodies of your friends, you are possibly going to become a lifeless corpse. No Hygiene, for months, rotten, old, tasteless food, hardly any rest, under constant fire. Trench foot, a disease from being wet in trenches too long can cause your feet to turn green and/or blue, and need for amputation. Sounds great, doesn't it?
Quotes from soldiers who experienced trench warfare
Bruce Bairnsfather experienced trench life in the early stages of World War One:
“It was a long and weary night, that first one of mine in the trenches. Everything was strange, and wet and horrid. First of all I had to do and fix up my machine gunsat various points, and find places for the gunners to sleep in. This was no easy matter, as many of the dugouts had fallen in and floated off downstream. In this, and subsequent descriptions of the trenches, I may lay myself open to the charge of exaggeration. But it must be remembered that I am describing trench life in the early days of 1914, and I feel sure that those who had experience of them will acquit me of any such charge. To give a recipe for getting a rough idea, in case you want to, I recommend the following procedure. Select a flat ten-acre ploughed field, so sited that all the surface water of the surrounding country drains into it. Now cut a zig-zag slot about four feet deep and three feet wide diagonally across, dam off as much water as you can so as to leave about one hundred yards of squelchy mud; delve out a hole at one side of the slot, then endeavor to live there for a month on bully beef and damp biscuits."
“Whilst asleep during the night, we were frequently awakened by rats running over us. When this happened too often for my liking, I would lie on my back and wait for a rat to linger on my legs; then violently heave my legs upwards, throwing the rat into the air. Occasionally, I would hear a grunt when the rat landed on a fellow victim.” (R L Venables)
“If you have never had trench foot described to you, I will explain. Your feet swell to two to three times their normal size and go completely dead. You can stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing. If you are lucky enough not to lose your feet and the swelling starts to go down, it is then that the most indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry and scream with pain and many have had to have their feet and legs amputated. I was one of the lucky ones, but one more day in that trench and it may have been too late.” (Harry Roberts)
“We slept in our clothes and cut our hair short so that it would tuck inside our caps. Dressing simply meant putting on our boots. There were times when we had to scrape the lice off with the blunt edge of a knife and our underclothes stuck to us. “ (Elizabeth de T’Serclaes – a nurse on the front line)
"We must looked out for our bread. The rats have become much more numerous lately because the trenches are no longer in good condition. The rats here are particularly repulsive, they are so fat - the kind we call corpse-rats. They have shocking, evil, naked faces, and it is nauseating to see their long, nude tails." (Erich Maria Remarque)
“It was a long and weary night, that first one of mine in the trenches. Everything was strange, and wet and horrid. First of all I had to do and fix up my machine gunsat various points, and find places for the gunners to sleep in. This was no easy matter, as many of the dugouts had fallen in and floated off downstream. In this, and subsequent descriptions of the trenches, I may lay myself open to the charge of exaggeration. But it must be remembered that I am describing trench life in the early days of 1914, and I feel sure that those who had experience of them will acquit me of any such charge. To give a recipe for getting a rough idea, in case you want to, I recommend the following procedure. Select a flat ten-acre ploughed field, so sited that all the surface water of the surrounding country drains into it. Now cut a zig-zag slot about four feet deep and three feet wide diagonally across, dam off as much water as you can so as to leave about one hundred yards of squelchy mud; delve out a hole at one side of the slot, then endeavor to live there for a month on bully beef and damp biscuits."
“Whilst asleep during the night, we were frequently awakened by rats running over us. When this happened too often for my liking, I would lie on my back and wait for a rat to linger on my legs; then violently heave my legs upwards, throwing the rat into the air. Occasionally, I would hear a grunt when the rat landed on a fellow victim.” (R L Venables)
“If you have never had trench foot described to you, I will explain. Your feet swell to two to three times their normal size and go completely dead. You can stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing. If you are lucky enough not to lose your feet and the swelling starts to go down, it is then that the most indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry and scream with pain and many have had to have their feet and legs amputated. I was one of the lucky ones, but one more day in that trench and it may have been too late.” (Harry Roberts)
“We slept in our clothes and cut our hair short so that it would tuck inside our caps. Dressing simply meant putting on our boots. There were times when we had to scrape the lice off with the blunt edge of a knife and our underclothes stuck to us. “ (Elizabeth de T’Serclaes – a nurse on the front line)
"We must looked out for our bread. The rats have become much more numerous lately because the trenches are no longer in good condition. The rats here are particularly repulsive, they are so fat - the kind we call corpse-rats. They have shocking, evil, naked faces, and it is nauseating to see their long, nude tails." (Erich Maria Remarque)
WORLD WAR I BATTLES, EUROPE
The Battle of Liege
Place: Liege, Belgium
Time: The battle of Liege had a duration of 12 days, from the 5th- 16th of August, 1914.
Outcome: German victory. It was regarded as a moral victory. Another effect was a reduction in faith with regard to fortifications, felt by all sides and leading to the weakening of the forts around the city of Verdun, France. This weakening would have an impact on the battle fought there in 1916.
The Battle of Champagne
Place: Champagne-Ardenne, France
Time: December 20th, 1914- March 17th, 1915
Outcome: The battle resulted in little territorial gain, at a cost of 90,000 French casualties, and a similar number of German casualties.
The battle also fully demonstrated that cavalry (mostly used in December 1914 and February 1915 in this battle) would have a limited role in the war.
Place: Liege, Belgium
Time: The battle of Liege had a duration of 12 days, from the 5th- 16th of August, 1914.
Outcome: German victory. It was regarded as a moral victory. Another effect was a reduction in faith with regard to fortifications, felt by all sides and leading to the weakening of the forts around the city of Verdun, France. This weakening would have an impact on the battle fought there in 1916.
The Battle of Champagne
Place: Champagne-Ardenne, France
Time: December 20th, 1914- March 17th, 1915
Outcome: The battle resulted in little territorial gain, at a cost of 90,000 French casualties, and a similar number of German casualties.
The battle also fully demonstrated that cavalry (mostly used in December 1914 and February 1915 in this battle) would have a limited role in the war.