World War One: Military Campaigns

World War One: Military Campaigns

• World War One involved two major camps: the Central Powers and the Allies.
• The Central Powers included Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
• The Allies included Britain, France, and Russia.
• The war lasted four years and resulted in 16.2 million deaths, including 9.7 million military personnel and 6.8 million civilians.
• 21 million people were wounded or maimed
• Military losses included 5.7 million for the Allies and 4 million for the Central Powers.
• Key fronts included the Serbian, Belgian-French, African, and Asian-Pacific fronts.

Colonial Involvement

• Powers opened various new fronts to divert enemy forces.
• Soldiers from colonies would not fight in Europe
• Indigenous populations paid the price

African Campaign

• A series of battles in German East Africa.
• The German strategy was to drain and divert forces from Europe to Africa.
• Indian and South African soldiers fought in this campaign
• The campaign ended in November 1917 and failed to achieve any results.

Asian Campaign

• Japan occupied German colonies, including New Guinea and Samoa.
• The Allies supported Japan in this campaign.

Mediterranean Campaign

• The Mediterranean Campaign took place from 1914-1918.
• The Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers.
• Russia joined the Allies.
• Major battles happened in Sinai, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Caucasus, Persia, and Gallipoli.
• Minor battles occurred in North Africa and South Arabia.
• Local populations joined the Allies against the Ottomans.
• Arabs participated in the Arab Revolt.
• Armenian militia formed resistance against the Ottomans.
• Armenian resistance engaged the largest territory.

Gallipoli

• The Allies started a campaign in Turkey with Australian and New Zealand soldiers.
• The purpose was to capture Istanbul and ease the pressure on Russia, and secure Black Sea routes for Russia.
• The campaign failed with heavy casualties on all sides.

European Campaign

• Germany's biggest issue was a two-front war.
• The Schlieffen Plan was devised to concentrate on the Western Front, defeat France, then move East to defeat Russia before mobilization.
• The Schlieffen Plan failed for many reasons, including Belgian resistance, British expeditionary forces, Russian speedy deployment, the French railway system, and German logistics problems.
• The plan's success depended on Austria's ability to stop the Russians.
• Austria was unable to fight Serbia and stop the Russian army simultaneously.
• Germany faced a dilemma to transfer troops from the West, lose the initiative against France, or try to stop the Russian invasion on Eastern territories
• Germany didn't have a plan B.
• Germany pushed back the Russians and secured the Eastern Front.
• The price was very high, and the Western front resulted in stalemate, which lasted until the end of WWI.
• The war on the Western Front was slow, fought in 2491 km of trenches.
• It resulted in no major victories, no decisive defeats, and equal casualties on both sides.

World War I Destructive Causes

• New technology
• Improved communications
• New weapons tanks, machine guns, barbed wire.
• Poison gas and mustard gas.
• Lethal agents like Phosgene and Chlorine.
• There were 496,000 victims of Mustard Gas.
• British tractors were converted to tanks which moved supplies.
• Tanks solved problems of trench warfare.
• Tanks ushered in a new era of mechanized combat.
• Tanks became the core of ground troops.
• In 1909, France had 140 airplanes.
• In 1910, Germany was the first to deploy planes in combat.
• The French introduced the Morane-Saulnier in 1915, the first plane with firing machine guns.
• Aircraft became more effective in War.

Naval Warfare

• Combat diverted to naval warfare due to no progress on land
• The British enforced a naval blockade against Germany.
• At first, only contraband material was targeted.
• Both sides used the tactic of Maximum Damage when that didn't deliver the desired results.
• Non-contraband material was targeted.
• The U Boat was a new German invention.
• It was a very effective weapon used against battle ships or merchant ships.
• Sinking the British ocean liner Lusitania was the most decisive incident with 1200 casualties, of which 100 were Americans.
• The sinking of the Lusitania caused very negative reactions in the United States, which was neutral at that time.

America During World War One

• Economical benefits meant that the United States profited from the war
• Germany posed no immediate threat
• U-Boat attacks had ceased
• The sinking of the Lusitania was a significant factor in swaying public opinion against Germany
• However, it wasn't the primary reson for US involvement
• The sinking of the Lusitania was a UK ocean liner torpedoed by a German navy U-boat May 1915 while in a war-zone around the UK.
• Germany had announced unrestricted submarine warfare against British ships as a reaction to the implementation of a naval blockade.
• The Lusitania was carrying a cargo of rifle ammunition and shells.
• Germany felt justified in attacking this vessel.
• 1,959 passengers were on board and 1,195 perished, including 123 Americans.
• Passengers had been warned of the danger of voyaging into the area in a British ship.
• German intervention in Mexico was a main reason for US involvement
• US President Woodrow Wilson's idealism was a factor.
• The Russian Revolution of 1917
• Arthur Zimmermann, German foreign minister sent a telegram to the German Ambassador in Washington, to instruct Mexico on the following
• Resume U Boat attacks against all ships including US ships
• A German-Mexican alliance was proposed
• Mexico will negotiate a German-Japanese alliance too.
• Mexico will be compensated with US territories Texas, New Mexico and Arizona
• British intelligence intercepts, decrypted it and made it public Zimmermann Telegram.
• It caused an uproar among US citizens.
• Anti German reactions were massive.
• Declaration of war needs approval of Congress Congress.
• Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war
• US intervention would ensure this is War Will End All Wars.
• 6th April 1917 Congress declares war

Idealism of Woodrow Wilson

• He joined the war on these principles: Create a New World Order, champion peace and justice, end oppressive and autocratic regimes

Russian Revolution

• Bolsheviks deposed Tsar in 1917
• Established a provisional government.
• Wilson understood this movement by Russian people to establish a democratic government.
• USA wanted to help Russia reach its goal.

Timeline of US Involvment

• Germans resume U Boat attacks in January 1917
• Woodrow Wilson breaks relations with Germany
• Woodrow Wilson declared war on Germany in April 1917
• American involvement in WWI turned the tide in favor of the Allies.
• America's role before 1917 was as an Associated Power.
• Sent aid but no combat forces.
• Civilian industry was converted to war effort
• The US had a standing army of 130,000 in 1916.
• The US had a standing army of more than 4 million in 1917.
• The Allies launched their final offensive in September 1918
• Germans realized war was lost
• WWI was Finally Over 11-11-1918.