Thursday, May 21, 2020

Read the article “The World at War” ---- If you have access to Google Classroom - g o to Classroom to complete this assignment ----

Read the following article. Think about a soccer game. It is a long fight but it is made up of many smaller battles or struggles between players on opposing teams. The results of these small player battles determines the outcome of the game or war. WW1 was made up of a large number of key battles between smaller groups of men on opposite sides. These battles determined the outcome of the Great War. After reading the article, answer the questions that follow o n a separate sheet of paper. Take a picture of your answers and email the picture to your teacher. (e [email protected], [email protected], t [email protected], j [email protected])

The World at War

What were the key battles and events of ?

The Eastern and Western Fronts The first major battles of World War I began in August 1914. In the east, Russian troops invaded Germany. The lasted from August 26 to August 30. Russia was defeated. It lost almost its entire army. However, the Germans could not extend their victory. In the west, Germany invaded Belgium. The declared war in response. By the end of August, German troops had advanced deep into France. They were threatening Paris, the capital.

Stalemate in the West The first use of t rench warfare during World War I was in the First Battle of the Marne. It took place from September 6 to September 12, 1914. French and British troops stopped the German advance that had threatened to take over France. On September 10, 1914, the Germans began a retreat and dug trenches. Both sides stayed in their trenches during the battle. This led to a stalemate. That means neither side gained or lost much ground. It lasted for most of the war.

The Germans tried to break this stalemate with chemical warfare. On April 22, 1915, Germany released 160 tons of chlorine gas. The wind blew over the French troops. Over 5,000 French and Algerian troops were killed or injured within minutes. The German army was able to break the French defensive line. The battle ended on May 25, 1915, when French, British, and Canadian forces regained the ground they had lost.

The Another major battle was the Gallipoli Campaign. It took place from to . British and French troops led this battle against the Ottoman Empire. The goal was to aid the Russians. It ended in victory for the Allies but with terrible casualties, especially for the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom lost more than 200,000 soldiers. That number included many soldiers from British colonies such as India, Australia, and New Zealand.

The War at The Battle of in 1916 was fought off the coast of . Germany at first led a strong attack. This forced the British to retreat. German forces followed them, and the battle continued. Finally, the British were able to surround German ships. Both sides retreated after the Germans launched a desperate attack. Even though both sides claimed victory, the battle showed the importance of controlling the sea. The British ships suffered more damage. However, they outnumbered German naval forces and kept control of the . In the end, the war at sea did the most harm to Germany by cutting off its supplies in a naval blockade. This blockade stopped Germany from getting the military and civilian supplies it needed to continue fighting.

Tanks and Planes at The British used successfully for the first time at the on November 20, 1917. The land of this in northern France sloped downward. The tanks were able to tear through defenses. This battle also saw advances in airplane warfare. One new type of was designed for ground attacks. It had two machine guns that fired downward as the plane flew low over trenches. Germany used many large groups of these aircraft during the Battle of Cambrai. As a result, many British troops lost their lives.

The Final Battles For most of the war, the was not involved directly. The people believed that the country should not involve itself in a European war. In 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson grew concerned about Germany’s warfare near U.S. coasts. Wilson had also learned that Germany was trying to talk Mexico into an a lliance. On April 6, 1917, Congress officially declared war on Germany. The United States brought a fresh supply of troops to support the exhausted European forces.

During the spring battles of 1918, German forces gained several victories in France. The German army advanced toward Paris. However, the Germans suffered heavy troop and supply losses. They could not replace these losses. The Second Battle of the Marne was fought from July 15 to July 18, 1918. It was Germany’s last major attack. The Germans aimed to split the French army so they could capture the French city of Reims. However, the French knew this attack was coming ahead of time. British, American, and Italian forces helped the French defend the Marne River. Their defense stopped the German troops from advancing. American and French troops followed up with a series of attacks. They forced the greatly weakened German army to retreat. By the fall of 1918, Allied forces had freed much of Belgium and France. They were ready to invade Germany. Revolts in German cities caused the Kaiser, Germany’s leader, to leave. Germany formed a new government. World War I ended on November 11, 1918.

Writing Assignment: (on separate sheet of paper)

1. Who did the Germans defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg?

2. How did the Germans try to break the stalemate in the West?

3. Why was Germany harmed the most in the war at sea?

4. Which country was the first to use tanks in warfare?

5. On what date did the war come to an end?