THE FIRST WORLD WAR PART 2

The bloodiest battle of the First World War, and up to that point, the bloodiest battle of world history, this battle occurred along the Somme River in France. On the first day alone, 57,000 British soldiers parish. This battle is notable for being one of the first battles involving tanks more heavily. By the end of the battle, there are more than one million casualties reported.

Battle Of The Somme - July-November 1916

On January 17th, 1917, the Germans would send a telegram to Mexico telling them to invade and take back territory they lost to the United States. However, the British would intercept this telegram and show it to the Americans. This event, coupled with the Germans’ unrestricted submarine warfare which caused the sinking of the Lusitania, would be the final straw and would bring the United States of America into the First World War.

The Zimmerman Telegram and Entry Of America Into WWI

Ordered by Russia’s Minister of War, Alexander Kerensky despite massive calls for peace (perhaps because there was a certain revolution happening at the time), this battle fought against both the Germans and Austrians. Though the Russians see initial gains, the Germans and Austrians launch a counter-attack leading to the retreat, revolt, and disintegration of the Russian Army.

Kerensky Offensive - July 1917

After the horrible attempt at an offensive by the Russians, their army revolts and the revolution known as the Russian Revolution culminates with the Bolshevicks overthrowing the Provisional Government which overthrew the Tsar. The Bolshevicks signed the treaty with the German Empire and it gave Germany land spanning from the Black Sea in modern day Ukraine to modern day Estonia. It was a massive victory for the Germans. Additionally, they could move troops from the Eastern Front to the Western Front. However, the Americans are now in the war and the Western Front is becoming difficult.

Signing Of The Treaty Of Brest-Litovsk - March 1918

After the Germans get extra troops from the Eastern Front to help in the West, they launch an offensive and it is their single biggest territorial gain in the Western Front, however this new advance would not last long because the Allies within a week would regroup and grind it to a halt.

Second Battle Of The Somme - March-April 1918

The Ludendorff Offensive was a series of attacks on the Western Front, and even though they claim a brief victory, they do not have long term gains. American soldiers arrive on the Allied Front, and the Germans are internally exhausted. The writing is on the wall, and a few months later, with Allied armies pushing on all fronts of the Central Powers, Germany officially surrenders. The war is over.

The Ludendorff Offensive - March-July 1918

SOLDIERS RETURNING HOME - 1918

For every country that fought against the allies there was a treaty that either forced them to pay reparations, cede territory, or both. The Ottoman Empire had to be abolished from the treaty of Sevres, Austria and Hungary had to give up huge amounts of land for their respective treaties (Saint-Germain & Trianon) and Bulgaria even had to give up some land as well. A lot of these treaties had some questionable parts to them, but none of them would leave an impact like the treaty presented to the German Empire; The Treaty of Versailles.

Treaties For The Central Powers

A full circle moment it is, that Germany would sign an incredibly harsh and detrimental peace treaty in the same place they proclaimed the creation of their new empire just 48 years prior. The Treaty of Versailles forced Germany to give up territory to Poland, France, and Denmark. It also forced Germany to pay huge amounts of reparations which they did not have the money to pay for, as well as reducing their army to only 100,000. On top of that, for French security, they had to demilitarize the Rhineland. It was horrible for the Germans and would have lasting effects.

The Signing Of The Treaty Of Versailles - June 1919

What followed the war was different for many countries. For the Germans the 20’s and 30’s would be a time of difficulty, partly due to the demands of the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty would ultimately be a driving force for a new generation and a new movement that would engulf Germany in the 30’s that would lead to the onset of another world war. For the United States and for other countries the 20’s were pretty good but the 30’s had the Depression, for Russia it would be civil war and then growth during the 30’s under the new Soviet regime.

Aftermath

World War One was fought not for ideology but for honor and furthering the expansion of one’s empire. It also could have very well been avoided if it weren’t for the poor diplomacy every country in Europe engaged in. It was the biggest war in history up until that point. And, ironically, it was given the name: “The War to End All Wars.” If only the people of that time knew what was to come. But that’s for a different time.

Conclusion

TSAR NICHOLAUS II OF RUSSIA AND KING GEORGE V (COLORIZED)

KAISER WILHELM II OF GERMANY

SULTAN MEHMED VI OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. WOODROW WILSON

VLADIMIR LENIN - LEADER OF THE BOLSHEVICK REVOLUTION IN RUSSIA

GENERAL ERICH LUDENDORFF OF THE GERMAN ARMY

SERGEANT STUBBY OF THE AMERICAN 26TH DIVISION

TSAR NICHOLAUS II OF RUSSIA FOOLING AROUND

This is a walkthrough of the causes, events, and aftermath of the First World War. Pt. 2

This World War I timeline of battles outlines the most important engagements of the 1914‑1918 war, from the first Battle of Mons to the final 1918 armistice.

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The First World War Part 2 

SETTING THE STAGE

In 1871 after a brief war with the French known as the Franco-Prussian War, the Prussian high officials proclaimed the new German Empire in the hall of mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. This new German Empire spanned from modern day Kaliningrad all the way to the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. This new powerhouse of a nation would ultimately upset the balance of power in Europe.

A New Germany

Europe at the turn of the 20th century was a land mostly made up of imperial states. All of these imperial nations ultimately wanted to further control over others even if it meant at the expense of diplomacy and war. For the ruling class of an empire, it was the sole objective for your empire to have control over as much land as possible and to accrue the most amount of wealth you could from colonies. These are conflicting interests the nations in Europe had in the early 20th century. On top of that, ethnic minorities were treated badly, and this caused tensions throughout all of Europe.

A Land Of Empires

In the Austro-Hungarian Empire, there are many south Slavic ethnic groups that at this point in time have resentment towards their Austrian monarch, and because of that, a Serbian gentleman by the name of Gavrilo Princep assasinsted the heir to the Austrian throne; archduke Franz Ferdinand. Princep was supposedly working with the Serbian Government, and the Austrian government was understandable angry at this whole situation. The Austrian government sent a list of demands to the Serbian Government only for the Serbs to reject them, thus making the Austro-Hungarian empire declare war on Serbia.

The July Crisis - July 1914

With Austria declaring war on Serbia, this drags the German Empire into the war, because they offered a diplomatic “blank check” to Austria where they would support them unconditionally. Since Austria is invading Serbia; a Slavic nation, Russia joins in on Serbia’s side, and France also joins in with Russia since they are allies, all of the sudden you have a continent at war, and soon it will become global.

A Chain Of Alliances

What we learn from history is that no one learns from history.

TIME FOR WAR

The German Empire had to fight a war on two fronts, and how they planned to do it is to first invade France and then invade Russia. In order to get to France, Germany asked if they could march troops through Belgium towards the start of the war, Belgium said no, so Germany proceeded to invade Belgium and commit some atrocities along the way. The Belgian army didn’t just let the Germanys through however, they did slow them down a bit but in the end they fell to Germany and the German army would proceed to move into France. After this invasion Britain would join the war with France.

German Invasion Of Belgium - August 1914

This is the first significant battle on the Eastern front between Germany and Russia, which resulted in a victory for the Germans thus allowing them to push forward into Russian terriory. This battle was fought in Eastern Prussia (modern day Poland) and it resulted in around 30,000 casualties.

Battle Of Tannenburg - August 1914

This is the first big battle on the Western front between the French, British, and Germans. This was at first a success for the Germans but soon they would have to retreat in what would result as one of the only battles to occur before trench warfare would happen on the western front.

First Battle Of The Marne - September 1914

Trench warfare was a common tactic used in the Western Front during World War I, with soldiers digging deep trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire. These trenches would often be the cause for sickness and disease amongst soldiers and battles fought with trench warfare were often long and hard and saw little no gains even with victory.

Trench Warfare In The West

This battle being the first of three occurred on Belgian soil and it was fought for the ports on the English Channel which would grant the victor access to the North Sea. This brutal battle involved 420,000 allied troops and 600,000 German troops and despite mass casualties, no significant gains were made..

The First Battle Of Ypres - October 1914

In October of 1914 the declining Ottoman Empire joined the war. The struggling empire was seeking to regain lost territory in the Balkans and looking to have a bigger influence over the Black Sea. The Ottomans would side with the Germans and Austrians, wishing to challenge Russian and British spheres of influence.

The Ottoman Entry Into The War

Throughout 1915 the Western front would not move that much, with both sides making very little gains. The Eastern front, however, would favor the Germans in the fight against the Russians. Up until this point, the war had claimed 9 to 11 million lives.

WW1 In 1915

This battle is the first beach landing to occur in the era of modern warfare, and was the landing of the British and French on the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Dardanelles straits, now western Turkey. The British and French were hoping to get a quick victory on the declining Ottoman Empire with the end goal being the capture of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), but they ended up struggling themselves and withdrawing. The total casualties for the allies being 180,000.

The Battle Of Gallipoli - February 1915 - January - 1916

The Germans launch a surprise offensive on the French along the backs of the Meuse River on the fort of Verdun. This battle is the single longest battle in the First World War and is responsible for 600,000 casualties alone. It starts off the Germans advancing and attempting to cripple part of the French Army but it it ends up with the French retaking what they lost and leading into the First Battle of The Somme.

The Battle Of Verdun - February-December 1916

The British had the biggest navy in the world, but the Germans wanted to rival it, and so that commenced an arms race of creating Dreadnaughts. These ships had the biggest guns and were the biggest battleships of the time. The Dreadnaughts would only see the limelight of battle one or two times throughout the duration of the war. Later in the war the German Empire would develop their attack submarine better known as U-Boats. These U-Boats get their name from the trajectory of the torpedos they would launch at allied ships. These attacks would result in the U.S. eventually joining the war.

Naval Warfare In WW1

The battle of Jutland is the only big naval battle the Germans and British would engage in with their big dreadnaugts off the coast of Denmark. It was a battle with 250 ships in total (not all of them being dreadnaughts) and 100,000 men. Though there is no clear winner, the British did end up securing the shipping lanes in the North Sea thus putting up trade blockades which would end up impacting the Germans later in the war.

The Battle Of Jutland - May-June 1916

PAINTING OF A GERMAN U-BOAT ATTACK.  END OF PART 1

This is a walkthrough of the causes, events, and aftermath of the First World War.

World War I was fought from 1914 to 1918. Learn more about World War I combatants, battles and generals, and what caused World War I.

The First World War Part 2

The First World War Part 1

Grayson Ophoven