World War I Overview: 1914 Battles and Strategies

The Importance of the Delay

• This delay allowed the British time to organize themselves and left the Channel ports free for the British Expeditionary Force to land.
• The Germans were forced to head straight for Paris, instead of capturing the Channel ports as intended by the Schlieffen Plan.
• Though the Germans reached within twenty miles of Paris, they slowed down due to supply issues and troop exhaustion.

The Battle of the Marne

• The French attacked the faltering Germans in the Battle of the Marne, driving them back to the River Aisne.
• This battle effectively destroyed the Schlieffen Plan, prolonging the war.

The Eastern Front in 1914

• The Russians mobilized faster than the Germans expected, but made the mistake of invading Austria and Germany simultaneously.
• The Germans, led by Hindenburg, decisively defeated the Russians at Tannenburg and the Masurian Lakes.
• This resulted in a major setback for Russia, severely depleting their equipment and ammunition.
• The Russian army struggled to recover from these defeats, while German confidence soared.

The Eastern Front in 1915

• Russia continued to struggle against Germany, suffering further defeats.
• Russian fortunes were mixed against Austria, but they fell short against German forces.
• The Turks were successful in blockading the Dardanelles, cutting off Russia's supply route.

The Gallipoli Campaign

• This naval and land invasion was launched to break the deadlock on the Western Front and relieve pressure on Russia.
• The campaign was a complete failure due to Turkish resistance and the failure of the surprise element.
• The consequences were grave; it was a demoralizing blow to the Allies, missed opportunity to help Russia, and encouraged Bulgaria to join the Central Powers.
• The French and British landed in Salonika to help Serbia, but it was too late.
• Bulgaria's entry into the war led to Serbia's swift defeat.

The Western Front in 1915

• In the West, the stalemate continued with several failed attempts to break through the trench lines.
• The main challenges of trench warfare:
  • Barbed wire: Removed the possibility of surprise attacks as it could be easily seen and targeted by artillery fire.
  • Reconnaissance aircraft: Could easily spot troop movements.
  • Machine guns: Made frontal assaults extremely difficult, rendering cavalry ineffective.

The Italian War on Austria-Hungary

• Italy hoped to seize Austrian territory in a secret treaty with the Allies.
• Their attempts gained little ground and did not relieve pressure on the Russians.

The Western Front in 1916

• The year saw two major battles: Verdun and the Somme.

The Battle of Verdun

• The Germans attempted to draw all the best French troops to Verdun and destroy them.
• The French under Pétain defended fiercely, forcing the Germans to abandon the attack.
• The Germans suffered heavy losses, but so did the French.

The Battle of the Somme

• This series of attacks aimed to relieve pressure on Verdun, capture more trench lines, and keep the Germans occupied.
• The initial attack was disastrously costly for the British.
• The Allies made limited territorial gains but inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, which boosted Allied confidence.
• The heavy losses fueled criticism against Allied generals.

The Battle of Jutland

• This was the only major engagement between the British and German fleets.
• The Germans failed to achieve a decisive victory, maintaining Britain's control of the seas.

'Unrestricted' Submarine Warfare

• Germany's use of unrestricted submarine warfare was highly effective in crippling Allied shipping.
• Though the Germans knew it would likely bring the USA into the war, they hoped to starve Britain into surrender before US intervention.
• The British adopted a convoy system to counter this threat, mitigating its effectiveness.

The Fall of Asquith

• Public criticism of British tactics, particularly at the Somme, led to the resignation of Prime Minister Asquith.

Bethmann's Modified Submarine Campaign

• American protests forced Germany to modify their submarine warfare strategy, reducing its effectiveness.

Explore the key events of World War I in 1914, including the significance of the initial delays in the German advance and the pivotal Battle of the Marne that altered the course of the war. Learn about the Eastern Front dynamics and the major defeats suffered by Russia. Assess the impact of these events on the progress of the war.