key aspects of the western front
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Stalemate on the western front & Trench warfare
Along the borders of the "Western Front", which ran from Belgium down through northeastern France into western Germany, Allied and Central forces reached a stalemate with neither side being able to advance successfully.
This is in large part due to TRENCH WARFARE and the futile nature of its design, "resulting in a grueling form of warfare in which the defender held the advantage" (Murray, 2013). A crisscrossed network of interconnected dugouts averaging twelve feet deep, usually booby-trapped down below and lined with barbed wire above, created a battlefield of close proximity that racked up the casualties even in success. Mortar shells, grenades, and other projectiles proved devastating, and the area between opposing trenches was known as "no man's land." With neither side daring or even able to cross "no man's land," this stalemate cost millions of lives throughout World War I, being broken only by mobile warfare in the form of tanks and air raids.
This is in large part due to TRENCH WARFARE and the futile nature of its design, "resulting in a grueling form of warfare in which the defender held the advantage" (Murray, 2013). A crisscrossed network of interconnected dugouts averaging twelve feet deep, usually booby-trapped down below and lined with barbed wire above, created a battlefield of close proximity that racked up the casualties even in success. Mortar shells, grenades, and other projectiles proved devastating, and the area between opposing trenches was known as "no man's land." With neither side daring or even able to cross "no man's land," this stalemate cost millions of lives throughout World War I, being broken only by mobile warfare in the form of tanks and air raids.
The concept of total war
The idea of total war is when you as a nation have all the resources, people and nationalism behind you to go into war. It's like the scene in an action film when once incident triggers a nation to want to seek justice and a war effort is created. There was a draft and many young men had to serve their country. In doing that many families were shaken, as they had to say goodbye to loved ones and then take on the roles those loved ones left behind. It was a nation coming together to take down the ultimate enemy, so that total war was just like the total package.
sTalemate broken
GERMANY 'S 1918 WESTERN OFFENSIVE
March 21, 1918: Germany's western offensive was launched. As countries began to exit the war, Germany's leaders made the decision to launch the offensive. "By the end of the first day, German troops had advanced more than four miles and inflicted almost 30,000 British casualties...By the time the Allies hardened their defense at the end of the month, Ludendorff's army had crossed the Somme River and broken through enemy lines near the juncture between the British and French trenches" (A&E Television Networks, LLC., 2016). |
THE ALLIES' ARGONNE OPERATION
August 30, 1918: The Allies' Argonne operation happened. According to American Battle Monuments Commission (n.d.), "The Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I ranks as one of America's most significant battles in terms of men and equipment engaged, the numbers of dead and wounded, and the strategic consequences...The scale and results of this offensive underscored America's emerging role on the world stage, and helped bring an end to the war." |
U.S.A. ENTERS THE WAR
April 6, 1917: The United States joined the war, which ended the stalemate along the Western Front.
According to Office of the Historian (n.d.), after months of waiting and preparing, "President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany. Wilson cited Germany's violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, as well as its attempts to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States, as his reasons for for declaring war."
April 6, 1917: The United States joined the war, which ended the stalemate along the Western Front.
According to Office of the Historian (n.d.), after months of waiting and preparing, "President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany. Wilson cited Germany's violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, as well as its attempts to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States, as his reasons for for declaring war."
References for this page
Jaimie Gaffney's References: U.S.A. Enters the War, Germany's 1918 Western Offensive, The Allies' Argonne Operation
A&E Television Networks, LLC. (2016). Germany Begins Major Offensive on the Western Front. Retrieved on June 16th, 2016 from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-begins-major-offensive-on-western-front
American Battle Monuments. (n.d.). The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, A World War I Online Interactive, Released. Retrieved on June 16th, 2016 from http://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/meuse-argonne-offensive-world-war-i-online-interactive-released#.V2TMpkrLIU
Office of the Historian. (n.d.). U.S. Entry into World War I. Retrieved on June 16th, 2016 from http://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/wwi
Lindsey Sessions' Reference: Stalemate on the Western Front & Trench Warfare
Murray, N. (2013). The Rocky Road to the Great War: The Evolution of Trench Warfare to 1914.
Cathrine Ramos' References: Concept of Total War, Battle of Somme, and Battle of Verdun
Andrews, E. (2016). 10 Things You May Not Know About the Battle of Verdun. Retrieved on June 17th, 2016, from http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-battle-of-verdun
History.com Staff. (2009). Battle of the Somme. Retrieved on June 17th, 2016, from http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/battle-of-the-somme
A&E Television Networks, LLC. (2016). Germany Begins Major Offensive on the Western Front. Retrieved on June 16th, 2016 from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-begins-major-offensive-on-western-front
American Battle Monuments. (n.d.). The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, A World War I Online Interactive, Released. Retrieved on June 16th, 2016 from http://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/meuse-argonne-offensive-world-war-i-online-interactive-released#.V2TMpkrLIU
Office of the Historian. (n.d.). U.S. Entry into World War I. Retrieved on June 16th, 2016 from http://history.state.gov/milestones/1914-1920/wwi
Lindsey Sessions' Reference: Stalemate on the Western Front & Trench Warfare
Murray, N. (2013). The Rocky Road to the Great War: The Evolution of Trench Warfare to 1914.
Cathrine Ramos' References: Concept of Total War, Battle of Somme, and Battle of Verdun
Andrews, E. (2016). 10 Things You May Not Know About the Battle of Verdun. Retrieved on June 17th, 2016, from http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-battle-of-verdun
History.com Staff. (2009). Battle of the Somme. Retrieved on June 17th, 2016, from http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/battle-of-the-somme