DOCSLIB.ORG

World War I Total War

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
World War I Total War Part 3 World War I Total War World War I: Total War What does a WWI battle look like? What does Total War mean? Who is impacted by the war? How are they impacted by the war? Fill out the following organizer as you read through your resources. A. Explain the idea of Total. What was it? Why did we fight this way? B. Describe the Killing Fields (battles without gain- No Man’s Land). ​ How long did this continue? Why C. Why were people reaching a Breaking Point (Desertion and Mutiny in Russian and France)? ​ ​ Assessment (Learning Target 3) You will explain how Total War impacted the lives of different people from different “walks of life.” For each person, explain how their lives were impacted using at least three pieces of historical evidence. (That is nine pieces of historical evidence total.) You will be assigned a person from each of the grouping below to analyze. a- British Soldier at the Battle of Somme, French Soldier at the Battle of Verdun, German Soldier at either Battle, or Russian Soldier who deserted b- a soldier from China, Vietnam, India, Japan, Canada, US, Latin America, Tanzania, South Africa, West Africa, or Australia c- a woman supporting the war effort, a child supporting the war effort, or an animal caretaker supporting the war effort 1 Part A: Total War ​ What are human rights? Is it ever okay to violate someone’s human rights? When/why might it ever be considered okay? What do you think Total War means? Who could be affected by total war? When might total war be appropriate (if at all)? Do you think during war time women and children, or non-military men be treated differently than soldiers? Why or why not? Directions: Look at/read/analyze the following images and documents to answer the ​ ​ questions below. 2 Children in War: The Boy Scouts' Association was one of the first youth organizations to provide practical assistance to the British war effort. The Boy Scouts in this photograph are guarding a railway bridge and tracks in Britain. Scouts also guarded telephone and telegraph lines, railway stations, water reservoirs or any location that might be militarily important. From late 1917 many Scouts assisted with air raid duties, including sounding the all-clear signal after an attack. Some Scouts were even trained in firefighting. The Scout movement's handbook, published before the war broke out, instructed all Scouts to 'be prepared…to die for your country if need be'. The Girl Guides Association was formed in 1910. During the First World War, Girl Guides took on many roles. They packaged up clothing to send to British soldiers at the front, prepared hostels and first-aid dressing stations for use by those injured in air raids or accidents, tended allotments to help cope with food shortages, and provided assistance at hospitals, government offices and munitions factories. The Girl Guides in this photograph are on a drill, carrying a stretcher and other equipment in readiness to provide emergency help after an air raid. Children also collected scrap metal and other essential materials that could be recycled or used for the war effort. In this photograph, children from Buckinghamshire are salvaging valuable materials at a local depot. During the First World War, factories employed women, refugees, volunteers from the Empire, men too old to be conscripted and children. Children younger than the school leaving age of 12 also worked in factories or on farms. In some cases, a child's earnings could be a helpful addition to a family's 3 income. In 1917, Education Minister H A L Fisher claimed that as many as 600,000 children had been 'prematurely' put to work. Animals in War: Horsepower: Both sides soon realized men on horses could not win the war in the trenches. The muddy ground, barbed wire and machine guns made it very difficult for horses, so they were used for transportation instead. Cars and tanks often went wrong but horses and mules could be relied on to get food and equipment to the front line. Ambulance horses carried wounded soldiers and artillery horses carried weapons, ammunition and other heavy loads. They had to be strong. Soldiers were not small and light like jockeys - most weighed around twelve stone. Fully armed and equipped, they were a lot heavier. In total, around 8 million horses from all sides died during the war. Horses had a food ration of 20lbs of grain per day. When grain was in short supply, German horses were fed sawdust cake. Other Animals: Donkeys and mules were sometimes used to pull heavy equipment, including artillery. Elephants were taken from circuses and zoos and photographs of them pulling heavy guns were used to show people back home that even exotic animals were 'doing their bit' in the war effort. - Imperial War Museums: http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/10-ways-children-took-part-in-the-first-world-war - Why would/could industrial cities become military targets? ​ - In what ways were the lives of women and children impacted by WWI? ​ - How did WWI impact the role of women in the workforce? ​ - What role did women play in the military? Why? ​ - How are women and children the targets of war? ​ Part B: Killing Fields- ​ Directions: Complete the following tasks over each of the 2 WWI battles. Summarize your ​ impressions of these war battles in the drawing conclusions section, after you have completed the tasks below. Battle of Verdun - Watch the following video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oabxoP_jVM ​ ​ - Read the following handout: Battle of the Verdun - Answer the following questions: o When/where was the Battle of the Verdun? ​ 4 o How was this battle fought? ​ o What was the outcome of this Battle? ​ Battle of the Somme: - Watch the following video clip: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history/videos/1916-battle-of-the-somme? m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false - Read the following handout: Battle of the Somme - Answer the following questions: o When/where was the Battle of the Somme? ​ o How was this battle fought? ​ o What was the outcome of this Battle? ​ Drawing Conclusions: - What was different about the two battles above? - What was consistent throughout the battles above? - How did these battles represent how this war was fought? Based on what you have learned so far, how would you describe WWI? Battle of Verdun: The longest WWI Battle https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Verdun Battle of Verdun, (February 21–December 18, 1916), World War I engagement in which the French ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ repulsed a major German offensive. It was one of the longest, bloodiest, and most-ferocious battles of the ​ ​ ​ war; French casualties amounted to about 400,000, German ones to about 350,000. Some 300,000 were killed. 5 French soldiers resting away from the front line at the Battle of Verdun, 1916. German Gen. Erich von Falkenhayn believed that the war would be won or lost in France, and he felt that ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ a strategy of attrition was Germany’s best hope of achieving its goals. In a letter to German Emperor William II in late 1915, he argued that Britain was the most formidable of the Allied powers, but he ​ conceded that it could not be assaulted directly, save by submarine warfare, as the British sector of the ​ ​ ​ Western Front did not lend itself to offensive operations (an assessment that would be proved correct at ​ the First Battle of the Somme). In Falkenhayn’s view, Britain’s “real weapons” in the war were the ​ ​ ​ French, Russian, and Italian armies. He regarded Russia as already paralyzed and Italy as unlikely to affect the outcome of the war, concluding, “Only France remains.” Falkenhayn stated that a breakthrough en masse was unnecessary and that instead Germany should bleed France to death by choosing a point of ​ ​ ​ attack “for the retention of which the French would be compelled to throw in every man they have.” The fortress of Verdun with its surrounding fortifications along the Meuse River was selected because it ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ threatened the main German communication lines, it represented a salient in the French defenses, and the loss of such an important location would be an enormous blow to French morale. The keynote of the tactical plan was a continuous series of limited advances that would draw the French reserves into the mincing machine of the German artillery. Each of these advances was itself to be secured by an intense artillery bombardment, brief for surprise and making up for its short duration by the number of batteries and their rapidity of fire. 6 Location of French forts in the area around Verdun, 1916, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. ​ The initial German attack As early as January 1916, French airmen had detected German preparations for the Verdun offensive, and on February 11, 1916, a French intelligence officer discovered a buildup of German troops on the right bank of the Meuse. As French commanders had been almost exclusively focused on their own offensive plans, their hasty efforts to bolster the defenses of Verdun were very nearly too late. Over the next 10 days, thousands of men and dozens of guns were moved to Verdun to oppose the expected German attack. Confronted with a massive logistical challenge—main rail lines to Verdun had been cut or were under constant barrage by German artillery—French officers organized a motorized supply chain on an unprecedented scale, transporting men and material to the front in a fleet of more than 3,000 trucks. The 37-mile (57-km) dirt road connecting the railhead at Bar-le-Duc to Verdun came to be known as La Voie ​ ​ ​ Sacrée (“the Sacred Way”) for its critical role in the French defense.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • If You Shed a Tear Part 2
    “IF YOU SHED A TEAR" PART 2 Unveiling of the permanent Cenotaph in Whitehall by His Majesty King George V, 11 ovember 1920 THIS SECTIO COVERS THE PROFILES OF OUR FALLE 1915 TO 1917 “IF YOU SHED A TEAR" CHAPTER 9 1915 This was the year that the Territorial Force filled the gaps in the Regular’s ranks caused by the battles of 1914. They also were involved in new campaigns in the Middle East. COPPI , Albert Edward . He served as a Corporal with service number 7898 in the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment 84th Brigade, 28th Di vision Date of Death: 09/02/1915.His next of kin was given as Miss F. J. Coppin, of "Grasmere," Church Rd., Clacton -on-Sea, Essex. The CD "Soldiers Died in the Great War" shows that he was born in Old Heath & enlisted at Woolwich. Albert was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal. He also earned the 1914-1915 Star At the outbreak of war, the 1st Battalion were in Khartoum, Sudan. On 20 ov 1907 they had set sail for Malta, arriving there on 27 ov. On 25 Ja n 1911 they went from Malta to Alexandria, arriving in Alexandria on 28 Jan. On 23 Jan 1912 they went from Alexandria to Cairo. In Feb 1914 they went from Cairo to Khartoum, where they were stationed at the outbreak of World War One. In Sept 1914 the 1st B attalion were ordered home, and they arrived in Liverpool on 23 Oct 1914. They then went to Lichfield, Staffs before going to Felixstowe on 17 ov 1914 (they were allotted to 28th Div under Major Gen E S Bulfin).
    [Show full text]
  • The Munster Fusiliers in France 1914-1918
    ,doned at the ime to OND MUNSTERS orders. ,ress of tics of n' was deput- mental asonic Le anti- 1s their he Royal Munster Army entered the town, they encount- :aders, Fusiliers were formed ered on the road a body of troops who ormer from the amalgamation of wore French uniforms and whose officer ster, in the 10lst and the 104th spoke in French. Suddenly, these troops, igious Foot Regiments, Bengal The Germans attacked on the 'without the slightest warning, lowered ligious Fusiliers. These two regiments became morning of Sunday, 23rd. As the battle their bayonets and charged'. They were ~g the the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Royal raged all that day around the coal fields German soldiers and, like the 1st Army, ism of Munster Fusiliers, under an order passed of Mons, the Munsters somehow escaped were also scheduled to billet that night at I prove in July, 1881. Although the regimental the German onslaught. About 5 p.m. the Landrecies. General Haig, thinking he by the headquarters were in Tralee, many of the French 5th Army, which was to the right was under heavy attack, telephoned the lasonic fusiliers and their officers were of the fusiliers, began to give way and headquarters to send help. Assuming the Limerickmen. retreat. Due to a lack of communication worst, GHQ sent orders altering Haig's French After spending their first 33 years on between the French and the British, Sir line of retreat for the next day. his move 'S anti- tours of duty through much of the British John French, the British commander, did was to split the force in two, the result anuary, Empire, the Munsters were stationed at not receive news of the retreat until I1 being that the 1st and 2nd armies lost isit to Aldershot when the German invasion of p.m.
    [Show full text]
  • World War I Concept Learning Outline Objectives
    AP European History: Period 4.1 Teacher’s Edition World War I Concept Learning Outline Objectives I. Long-term causes of World War I 4.1.I.A INT-9 A. Rival alliances: Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente SP-6/17/18 1. 1871: The balance of power of Europe was upset by the decisive Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War and the creation of the German Empire. a. Bismarck thereafter feared French revenge and negotiated treaties to isolate France. b. Bismarck also feared Russia, especially after the Congress of Berlin in 1878 when Russia blamed Germany for not gaining territory in the Balkans. 2. In 1879, the Dual Alliance emerged: Germany and Austria a. Bismarck sought to thwart Russian expansion. b. The Dual Alliance was based on German support for Austria in its struggle with Russia over expansion in the Balkans. c. This became a major feature of European diplomacy until the end of World War I. 3. Triple Alliance, 1881: Italy joined Germany and Austria Italy sought support for its imperialistic ambitions in the Mediterranean and Africa. 4. Russian-German Reinsurance Treaty, 1887 a. It promised the neutrality of both Germany and Russia if either country went to war with another country. b. Kaiser Wilhelm II refused to renew the reinsurance treaty after removing Bismarck in 1890. This can be seen as a huge diplomatic blunder; Russia wanted to renew it but now had no assurances it was safe from a German invasion. France courted Russia; the two became allies. Germany, now out of necessity, developed closer ties to Austria.
    [Show full text]
  • Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French
    About the Table of Contents of this eBook. The Table of Contents in this eBook may be off by 1 digit. To correctly navigate chapters, use the bookmark links in the bookmarks panel. The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French reveals the hidden cultural dimension of contemporary French, as used in the press, going beyond the limited and purely lexical approach of traditional bilingual dictionaries. Even foreign learners of French who possess a good level of French often have difficulty in fully understanding French articles, not because of any linguistic shortcomings on their part but because of their inadequate knowledge of the cultural references. This cultural dictionary of French provides the reader with clear and concise expla- nations of the crucial cultural dimension behind the most frequently used words and phrases found in the contemporary French press. This vital background information, gathered here in this innovative and entertaining dictionary, will allow readers to go beyond a superficial understanding of the French press and the French language in general, to see the hidden yet implied cultural significance that is so transparent to the native speaker. Key features: a broad range of cultural references from the historical and literary to the popular and classical, with an in-depth analysis of punning mechanisms. over 3,000 cultural references explained a three-level indicator of frequency over 600 questions to test knowledge before and after reading. The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French is the ideal refer- ence for all undergraduate and postgraduate students of French seeking to enhance their understanding of the French language.
    [Show full text]
  • The Night Operation on the Passchendaele Ridge, 2Nd December 1917
    Centre for First World War Studies A Moonlight Massacre: The Night Operation on the Passchendaele Ridge, 2nd December 1917 by Michael Stephen LoCicero Thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of History and Cultures College of Arts & Law June 2011 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Abstract The Third Battle of Ypres was officially terminated by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig with the opening of the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November 1917. Nevertheless, a comparatively unknown set-piece attack – the only large-scale night operation carried out on the Flanders front during the campaign – was launched twelve days later on 2 December. This thesis, a necessary corrective to published campaign narratives of what has become popularly known as „Passchendaele‟, examines the course of events from the mid-November decision to sanction further offensive activity in the vicinity of Passchendaele village to the barren operational outcome that forced British GHQ to halt the attack within ten hours of Zero. A litany of unfortunate decisions and circumstances contributed to the profitless result.
    [Show full text]
  • When Fear Is Substituted for Reason: European and Western Government Policies Regarding National Security 1789-1919
    WHEN FEAR IS SUBSTITUTED FOR REASON: EUROPEAN AND WESTERN GOVERNMENT POLICIES REGARDING NATIONAL SECURITY 1789-1919 Norma Lisa Flores A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2012 Committee: Dr. Beth Griech-Polelle, Advisor Dr. Mark Simon Graduate Faculty Representative Dr. Michael Brooks Dr. Geoff Howes Dr. Michael Jakobson © 2012 Norma Lisa Flores All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Dr. Beth Griech-Polelle, Advisor Although the twentieth century is perceived as the era of international wars and revolutions, the basis of these proceedings are actually rooted in the events of the nineteenth century. When anything that challenged the authority of the state – concepts based on enlightenment, immigration, or socialism – were deemed to be a threat to the status quo and immediately eliminated by way of legal restrictions. Once the façade of the Old World was completely severed following the Great War, nations in Europe and throughout the West started to revive various nineteenth century laws in an attempt to suppress the outbreak of radicalism that preceded the 1919 revolutions. What this dissertation offers is an extended understanding of how nineteenth century government policies toward radicalism fostered an environment of increased national security during Germany’s 1919 Spartacist Uprising and the 1919/1920 Palmer Raids in the United States. Using the French Revolution as a starting point, this study allows the reader the opportunity to put events like the 1848 revolutions, the rise of the First and Second Internationals, political fallouts, nineteenth century imperialism, nativism, Social Darwinism, and movements for self-government into a broader historical context.
    [Show full text]
  • The Western Front the First World War Battlefield Guide: World War Battlefield First the the Westernthe Front
    Ed 2 June 2015 2 June Ed The First World War Battlefield Guide: Volume 1 The Western Front The First Battlefield War World Guide: The Western Front The Western Creative Media Design ADR003970 Edition 2 June 2015 The Somme Battlefield: Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont Hamel Mike St. Maur Sheil/FieldsofBattle1418.org The Somme Battlefield: Lochnagar Crater. It was blown at 0728 hours on 1 July 1916. Mike St. Maur Sheil/FieldsofBattle1418.org The First World War Battlefield Guide: Volume 1 The Western Front 2nd Edition June 2015 ii | THE WESTERN FRONT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ISBN: 978-1-874346-45-6 First published in August 2014 by Creative Media Design, Army Headquarters, Andover. Printed by Earle & Ludlow through Williams Lea Ltd, Norwich. Revised and expanded second edition published in June 2015. Text Copyright © Mungo Melvin, Editor, and the Authors listed in the List of Contributors, 2014 & 2015. Sketch Maps Crown Copyright © UK MOD, 2014 & 2015. Images Copyright © Imperial War Museum (IWM), National Army Museum (NAM), Mike St. Maur Sheil/Fields of Battle 14-18, Barbara Taylor and others so captioned. No part of this publication, except for short quotations, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the permission of the Editor and SO1 Commemoration, Army Headquarters, IDL 26, Blenheim Building, Marlborough Lines, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8HJ. The First World War sketch maps have been produced by the Defence Geographic Centre (DGC), Joint Force Intelligence Group (JFIG), Ministry of Defence, Elmwood Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 7AH. United Kingdom.
    [Show full text]
  • THE WESTERN FRONT World War
    INTRODUCTORY NOTES movement in their efforts to win. Also there is the opportunity to examine other aspects of life on the By 1907 Europe was divided into two armed camps Western Front which affected the life of the ordinary that involved all the major European powers, the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente. While the alliances soldier, such as living conditions, food, medical problems, army routine, discipline and humour. were meant to increase the security of each country, instead they ensured that a war that involved any of these powers would probably involve all of them. WAR PLANS Between the Anglo-French Cordiale of 1904 and the outbreak of war in 1914, there were a number of There had not been major war in Europe since 1870. Teacher's Notes crises in Morocco and the Balkans, any of which Much had changed since then. Population growth meant could have sparked a war. more men were available to be conscripted, industrial advancements meant armies could be equipped with It was the assassination of the Austrian heir to the more devastating weapons, railways meant armies could throne, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, be more easily moved and supplied. Every army had a 1914, that finally ignited the European powder keg. general staff, whose job it was to ensure their nations THE WESTERN Following the declaration of war on Serbia by Austria- army was properly equipped and organised for war and to Hungary on July 28, 1914, the Russian Government prepare plans to cover the most likely scenario. ordered its army to mobilise.
    [Show full text]
  • Oce20801 WW1 Battle of the Somme Fact Sheet A4.Qxp
    LOCAL STUDIES CENTRE FACT SHEET NUMBER 27 Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was fought by the armies of the British and French Empires against the German Empire. It occurred between 1 July 1916 and November 1916 in France and was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War in which more than 1,000,000 men were wounded or killed. By the end of the first day, 20,000 men had been killed and another 40,000 injured. The first British tank to be used in warfare entered the battlefields of the Somme in September 1916. When the Battle of the Somme ended in November 1916 the Allies had managed to advance only five - seven miles in four months at the cost of over 420,000 British casualties, 195,000 French and 650,000 Germans. Over 500 Sunderland born soldiers were killed throughout this duration, over 170 Wearside soldiers on the first day of the battle alone. There are over 250 military cemeteries and memorials on the Somme battlefields for the many thousands of casualties who fell during this offensive. Pozieres British Cemetery 1914 - 1918 Sunderland and the Somme Sunderland affiliated units deployed in the Battle of the Somme included Durham Light Infantry (7th and 20th), 160th Brigade Royal Field Artillery and Northumberland Hussars to name but a few. These units were recruited in Sunderland and the Territorial Force units were based at the Drill Hall, which was situated near Green Terrace and the Empire Theatre in Durham Light Infantry 20th Division Sunderland city centre.
    [Show full text]
  • Tour Sheets Final04-05
    Great War Battlefields Study Tour Briefing Notes & Activity Sheets Students Name briefing notes one Introduction The First World War or Great War was a truly terrible conflict. Ignored for many years by schools, the advent of the National Curriculum and the GCSE system reignited interest in the period. Now, thousands of pupils across the United Kingdom study the 1914-18 era and many pupils visit the battlefield sites in Belgium and France. Redevelopment and urban spread are slowly covering up these historic sites. The Mons battlefields disappeared many years ago, very little remains on the Ypres Salient and now even the Somme sites are under the threat of redevelopment. In 25 years time it is difficult to predict how much of what you see over the next few days will remain. The consequences of the Great War are still being felt today, in particular in such trouble spots as the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Bosnia.Many commentators in 1919 believed that the so-called war to end all wars was nothing of the sort and would inevitably lead to another conflict. So it did, in 1939. You will see the impact the war had on a local and personal level. Communities such as Grimsby, Hull, Accrington, Barnsley and Bradford felt the impact of war particularly sharply as their Pals or Chums Battalions were cut to pieces in minutes during the Battle of the Somme. We will be focusing on the impact on an even smaller community, our school. We will do this not so as to glorify war or the part oldmillhillians played in it but so as to use these men’s experiences to connect with events on the Western Front.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of British Tactical and Operational Tank Doctrine and Training in the First World War
    The evolution of British tactical and operational tank doctrine and training in the First World War PHILIP RICHARD VENTHAM TD BA (Hons.) MA. Thesis submitted for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy by the University of Wolverhampton October 2016 ©Copyright P R Ventham 1 ABSTRACT Tanks were first used in action in September 1916. There had been no previous combat experience on which to base tactical and operational doctrine for the employment of this novel weapon of war. Training of crews and commanders was hampered by lack of vehicles and weapons. Time was short in which to train novice crews. Training facilities were limited. Despite mechanical limitations of the early machines and their vulnerability to adverse ground conditions, the tanks achieved moderate success in their initial actions. Advocates of the tanks, such as Fuller and Elles, worked hard to convince the sceptical of the value of the tank. Two years later, tanks had gained the support of most senior commanders. Doctrine, based on practical combat experience, had evolved both within the Tank Corps and at GHQ and higher command. Despite dramatic improvements in the design, functionality and reliability of the later marks of heavy and medium tanks, they still remained slow and vulnerable to ground conditions and enemy counter-measures. Competing demands for materiel meant there were never enough tanks to replace casualties and meet the demands of formation commanders. This thesis will argue that the somewhat patchy performance of the armoured vehicles in the final months of the war was less a product of poor doctrinal guidance and inadequate training than of an insufficiency of tanks and the difficulties of providing enough tanks in the right locations at the right time to meet the requirements of the manoeuvre battles of the ‘Hundred Days’.
    [Show full text]
  • First Battle of the Marne After Invading Belgium and North-Eastern France
    First Battle of the Marne After invading Belgium and north-eastern France during the Battle of Frontiers, the German army had reached within 30 miles of Paris. Their progress had been rapid, giving the French little time to regroup. The First Battle of the Marne was fought between September 6th through the 12th in 1914, with the German advance being brought to a halt, and a stalemate and trench warfare being established as the norm. As the German armies neared Paris, the French capital prepared itself for a siege. The defending French and British forces were at the point of exhaustion, having retreated continuously for 10-12 days under repeated German attack until they had reached the south of the River Marne. Nevertheless, the German forces were close to achieving a breakthrough against the French forces, and were only saved on the 7th of September by the aid of 6,000 French reserve infantry troops brought in from Paris by a convoy of taxi cabs, 600 cabs in all. On September 9th, the German armies began a retreat ordered by the German Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke. Moltke feared an Allied breakthrough, plagued by poor communication from his lines at the Marne. The retreating armies were pursued by the French and British, although the pace of the Allied advance was slow - a mere 12 miles in one day. The German armies ceased their withdrawal after 40 miles at a point north of the River Aisne, where the First and Second Armies dug in, preparing trenches that were to last for several years.
    [Show full text]