This is for all of my summary notes about “Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18”. This is from the Edexcel specification for A-Level History.
This document includes information from my own research, books I have read, the main textbook, my teacher and revision guides – it is detail...
Why did war on Western front change from movement to attrition?
Mobilisation
- WW1 began with movement: mobilisations in countries due to treaty obligations.
- Started as Austrian archduke Ferdinand killed in Sarajevo by Serbian nationalist (Princip) in June 1914.
- 28th July = Austria-Hungry declare war on Serbia. (Waited to ensure that Germany would support them).
- 31st July = Russia mobilise to aid Serbia (its ally).
- German planners = thought would take Russia 30 days to mobilise the largest army in Europe (6 million).
- French didn’t want to be outnumbered in a war with Germany (population of 40 million vs Germany’s 60
million)…
-so they mobilised quickly.
- Germany used Russia’s mobilisation as excuse = declared war on Russia 1 st August.
-then France on 3rd August.
- Germans demanded to march through neutral Belgium to get to France.
-Belgians refused = Germany declares war on Belgium.
- Britain: France’s ally + bound by treaty to Belgium = declares war on Germany 4th August 1914 11pm.
- Military strategists expected a war of movement to follow…
TRENCHES/ BUILDING DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS
- German plan of attack created in 1905 by Schlieffen (chief of army General Staff).
-modified by his successor (Moltke). [seen negatively].
- Plan aimed to defeat France in 6 weeks:
-part of German army would tie down French along border of Alsace-Lorraine.
-main German force = attack in west – through Belgium + into France to encircle Paris.
- The plan aimed to avoid the strongest French defences (Verdun to Belfort fortresses).
- Campaign of movement would use roads + in particular railways.
- German railways = extensive + key lines ‘aimed’ at France.
- Germany would need to fight on 2 fronts – BUT; hoped Russia would be slow to mobilise.
- BUT; Russians attacked within 3 weeks…
- BUT; Russians = defeated by Germans at Battle of Tannenberg (26-30 August).
-stopped Russian plans for movement westward.
- French too planned attack: several armies (800,000 men) to advance through Alsace-Lorraine into Germany.
- Small British Expeditionary Force took up position in Belgium (around town of Mons). [mentioned later]
-defensive role while French generals planned ‘Napoleonic’ surge to victory.
-their infantry still had red/ blue uniforms + cavalry had plumed helmets/ breastplates.
Munition problems.
- 1914: only 2 machine guns available to each battalion.
- Entire army only had 80 motor vehicles.
- August 1914: ONLY 6,000 rifles + 30,000 rounds produced per month.
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