QUICK OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT AND BATTLES IN WORLD WAR ONE
1914:To many people in Europe the outbreak of World War One in August 1914 as an opportunity to right many wrongs, irrespective of either their political or economical validity. The politicians and generals who plunged Europe into this industrial-based war believed it would not last beyond a few months. By December, however, hopes of a swift and decisive victory ware dashed against a backdrop of huge casualties, general stalemate and a widening conflict.
Mobilisation:
August 1: France mobilises
Germany mobilises
3: Belgium rejects ultimatum
Britain mobilises
Germany declares war on France
4: Britain declares war
Germany invades Belgium
Important battles:
August 14th: start of the battle of the frontiers
23rd: battle of Mons, final battle of the frontiers
24th: the main bulk of the German army enters France.
Sept 4th: battle at Marne, German advance stopped.
15th: battle of Anise
Race to the sea
Oct 12th: first battle of Ypres
Dec 17th battle of Artois.
World War One is just 6 months old and the casualty lists are unparalleled in the history of warfare. On the western front alone, the French, British and Belgians have suffered more than one million casualties of which the vast majority are French. The German’s have had around 675 000 troops killed, wounded or missing in action.
1915:
In 1915 the war became much more global- Italy sided with Britain and France and the Belgians threw in their lot with the central powers. Both sides were confronted by strategic dilemmas over where they could exploit their military might to advantage. Equally the lists of causalities was growing ever longer as the stalemate of the trench fighting intensified. Neutral powers, particularly the United States were also feeling the wars impact.
Important factors of 1915:
March 10th: Neuve-Chappelle offensive (ammunition shortages)
April 22nd: the second battle of Ypres (first use of poisonous chlorine gas on the western front)
May 9th: second battle of Artois, and French gain Vimmy ridge.
Sept 25th: French offensive in Champagne, along with the Battle of Loos ( Sept 25th) and the third battle of Artois (Sept 25th)
Note: on May 7th the German’s sunk the United States passenger cruiser the Lusitanian (who was set up)
1916:
In the year of large and costly offensives, the German’s attempted to smash the French army at Verdun. They failed, but it required the British and the Russians to relieve some of the pressure. On the Somme the German’s survived, despite suffering as many losses as the British and the French. The year also saw vain attempts to reach an acceptable peace.
Important factors of 1916:
February 21st: battle of Verdun. The German offensive is held with 9hrs of barrage.
24th: German advances at Verdun
25th: “ills ne passeront pas”
June 2nd: third battle of Ypres
24th: start of the bombardment of the Somme.
July 1st: start of the British offensive at the Somme.
2nd: reduction of troops at Verdun ordered.
Sept 26th: proper use of tanks (Sir Monash)
Oct 24th: French gain back Verdun.
Dec 15th: basically the end of Verdun.
1917:
The year was dominated by the outbreak of the Russian revolution, which would release the German troops for service elsewhere, and the declaration of war on German from the united states. Italy came close to being knocked out of the war and the French army mutinied, leaving Britain to bear the brunt of the campaign on the western front.
Important factors of 1917:
Feb 23rd: the German’s start to pull back to the Hindenburg lines
March 15th: the Tsar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates.
April 6th: USA enters the war
16th: Neville offensive (Fr)
17th: French army mutinied (refused to do any more offensives)
June 24th: first lot of American troops land in Belgium
July 31st: third battle of Ypres or Passchendaele.
Nov 20th: battle of Cambrai
1918:This final year of the war the German high command gambled all on winning a clear victory on the Western front before the arrival of US forces. They came close to victory but were halted. After this defeat Germany’s allies gradually sought armistices, its own armed forces began to collapse and its leaders had to seek an armistice themselves.
Important factors in 1918:
Jan 8th: Woodrow Wilson issues 14 points for peace
March 3rd: signing of Breast-Litovsk
March 21st: German spring offensive
Oct 27th: Ludendorf resigns
Oct 28th: mutiny of German sailors at Kiel
Nov 9th: Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates
Nov 11th: armistice takes effect between Germany and allies.
The aftermath:
The end of World War One marked a dramatic transformation of the world political order, although this was not immediately recognised by many of those in power. Three Europe based empires Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia, had collapsed and their pre-war rivals Britain and France, were deeply shattered by the war and greatly impoverished. There were new players on the
international stage, principally the United States, which was- tentatively and not without domestic disquiet- being thrust into a worldwide role, chiefly in the Pacific but also in Europe, and recently-modernised, expansionists Japan, which converted an empire across the Pacific and in China.
