L09-WarEnd

Lesson 9

World War I: End of the War, Seeds of the Next 1

Lesson Objectives • Understand the situation Germany faced as it entered 1918. • Be able to describe the changes in the war on the Western front in 1918.

• Understand the role the US played in the fighting in Europe. • Be able to describe the operations of the US military in Europe in the years immediately following the armistice.

• Be able to discuss the major provisions of the Versailles Treaty and how this document sowed the seeds for World War II.

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Phases of World War I 1914 - Maneuver and Frustration 1915 - Search for New Solutions 1916 - Attrition 1917 - Desperation and Anticipation 1918 - Dénouement 3

Review of the War August 3, 1914

Germany invades Belgium; war begins

Sept 5-10, 1914

“Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion halted

October 1914

Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front

1915 Feb 1915-Jan 1916 1916

Sea blockades established around UK and Germany Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli) Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun

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Review of the War Feb - Dec 1916

Battle of Verdun (German Offensive)

Jul - Nov 1916

Battle of the Somme (Allied Offensive)

Late 1916

Germany realizes it cannot win • Adopts strategy to wear down Britain • strong defense • stormtrooper tactics • unrestricted submarine warfare

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Review of the War Feb - Dec 1916

Battle of Verdun (German Offensive)

Jul - Nov 1916

Battle of the Somme (Allied Offensive)

1 Feb 1917

German decision for unrestricted sub warfare

24 Feb 1917

Zimmerman Telegram revealed

Mar 1917 6 April 1917

Germans withdraw to Hindenburg Line US declares war on Germany 6

The Yanks Are Coming!

Video

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The Commanders Enlisted for the Franco-Prussian War (1870) Commissioned from École Polytechnique 1873 Cautioned against reckless attacks in writings Corps commander in Battle of the Frontiers 1914 Appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Armies Marshal Ferdinand Foch

March 26,1918

1851-1929

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The Commanders West Point Class of 1886 Combat Experience Indian Wars Spanish-American War Philippine-American War Russo-Japanese War (observer) Mexican Punitive Expedition World War I

General of the Armies John J. Pershing 1860 - 1948

Promoted by President T. Roosevelt (1905) Captain => Brigadier General

Commander of the American Expeditionary Force (1917-1919) 9

The Commanders

French wanted to integrate US forces into their formations Pershing insisted on US formations integrated into Allied command 10

Western Front 1917

Germans retire to Hindenburg Line Mar 1917 11

Passchendaele Third Battle of Ypres July - November 1917

British offensive Strategic Objectives Further bleed the German army Capture German submarine bases

Remove German bomber threat

Ghotha bomber

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First raid June 13, 1917

Passchendaele Third Battle of Ypres July - November 1917

Battlefield was reclaimed marshland - damp in dry weather “Flanders Fields”

Area experienced heaviest rains in decades as battle started

Battlefield became a sea of mud 13

Passchendaele Third Battle of Ypres July - November 1917

Another bloodbath Total Casualties *

UK

Germany

508,800

348,300 * Numbers very controversial

British commander, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig believed the Germans could not tolerate the losses as well as the British could

Haig

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Western Front 1917

British breakthrough at Cambrai Nov 1917 15

Eastern Front Meanwhile, …

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Eastern Front Huge Russian losses exacerbated social unrest Tzar at the front; tzarina not able to exercise control Russian Revolution (1917) effectively took Russia out of the war Dec 15, 1917 - Russia negotiated armistice with Central Powers • Began negotiations for peace treaty one week later

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Treaty of Brest-Litovsk March 3, 1918

Ended war between Russia & Central Powers

Russia ceded large territory to Germany Most significant: One million German troops released to Western Front

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Strumtruppen Stormtroopers

Special weapons & equipment

Machinegewehr 18 MG18 Schmeiser

Body Armor 19

Strumtruppen Stormtroopers Bypassed strong points to attack from rear

Blitzkrieg http://www.bellum.nu/basics/concepts/blitzkrieg.htm

Strumtruppen http://www.worldwar1.com/arm011.htm

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Strumtruppen Stormtroopers

Major impact during Offensive of 1918 but …

Too little, too late!

A

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Western Front 1917-1918 Spring Offensive

~ 500,000 US troops in France by March 1918 … and increasing by 300,000/month

Last ditch effort by Germany

German Spring Offensive March 21 - July 18, 1918 Ludendorff Offensive or Kaiserschlacht (“Emperor’s Slaughter”)

Western Front 1917-1918

Final Allied Offensive Aug-Nov 1918

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Western Front 1917-1918

Allied offensive Aug-Nov 1918 24

Americans In Europe

German Spring Offensive - March-July 1918

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Battle of Cantiny May 28, 1918

German Spring Offensive - March-July 1918

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Battle of Cantiny May 28, 1918

First offensive action by US troops in France 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (3,500 men) · Supported by French artillery, Schneider tanks

US took 1,000 casualties (dead, wounded, missing)

German Spring Offensive - March-July 1918

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Battle of Belleu Wood June 1-26, 1918

German Spring Offensive - March-July 1918

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Battle of Belleu Wood June 1-26, 1918

Allied Casualties: 1,800 dead, 8,000 wounded 2nd Division

3nd Division

French, British elements

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Battle of Belleu Wood Where legends were born

2nd Division

4th U. S. Marines Battle of Belleu Wood - June 1918 Frank Schoonover

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Battle of Belleu Wood

Battle of Belleu Wood - June 1918

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Battle of Château-Thierry July 16, 1918

German Spring Offensive - March-July 1918

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Battle of Château-Thierry July 16, 1918

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Battle of Saint-Mihiel September 12-15, 1918

Allied Offensive - 1918

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Battle of Saint-Mihiel September 12-15, 1918

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Meuse-Argonne Offensive September 26-November 11, 1918

Allied Offensive - 1918

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Meuse-Argonne Offensive September 26-November 11, 1918

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Americans In Europe

US soldiers escort German prisoners 38

Armistice

Armistice signed at Compiègne – November 11, 1918 39

Armistice

Armistice signed at Compiègne – November 11, 1918 40

Irony

French surrendered at Compiègne – June 20, 1940 Same place, same railroad car

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Occupation of Germany

Allied Occupation Zones

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Occupation of Germany

U.S. artillerymen cross the Rhine River for occupation duty Late November 1918

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The Cost of War

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The Cost of War

US

Participants

Deaths

4,744,000

126,000

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The Cost of War All Nations By number of dead

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The Cost of War All Nations By percent mobilized

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Summary of War’s End

"The Circle of Modern War" and logo © Thomas D. Pilsch 2007-2013

The Cost of War

Tyne Cote Cemetery (Ypres) Belgium

Somme American Cemetery 49

The Cost of War Douaumont Ossuary Verdun

Contains the bones of an estimated 130,000 unidentified French and German soldiers

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Seeds of the Next War Influences on World War II

Versailles Treaty Lessons of World War I Great Depression

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Treaty of Versailles Extremely harsh conditions • Significant territorial concessions • Huge reparations • Severe limitations on military • German admission of responsibility for war

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Treaty of Versailles

Florida Holocaust Museum http://www.flholocaustmuseum.org/history_wing/thirdreich/treaty_versailles.cfm

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Treaty of Versailles Reparations • 269 billion gold marks ( £ 24 billion) • Later reduced to 132 B gold marks ( £ 6.6 B) • Equivalent to $339 B (based on CPI)* Many feel this led to the economic collapse of the 1920’s that sewed the seeds of Fascism * 2013

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Treaty of Versailles Military Provisions • German army restricted to 100,000 men (long term contract) • No conscription or training

• No tanks or heavy artillery • Navy limited to 15,000 men • 6 small battleships, 6 cruisers, 12 destroyers, no U-boats • No air force

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Treaty of Versailles

War Guilt Clause ``The Allied and Associated Governments affirm, and Germany accepts, the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage to which the Allied and Associated Governments and their nationals have been subjected as a consequence of the war imposed upon them by the aggression of Germany and her allies.'' Article 231 56

Review of the War August 3, 1914

Germany invades Belgium; war begins

Sept 5-10, 1914

“Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion halted

October 1914

Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front

1915 Feb 1915-Jan 1916 1916

Sea blockades established around UK and Germany Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli) Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun

57

Review of the War Feb - Dec 1916

Battle of Verdun (German Offensive)

Jul - Nov 1916

Battle of the Somme (Allied Offensive)

1 Feb 1917

German decision for unrestricted sub warfare

24 Feb 1917

Zimmerman Telegram revealed

Mar 1917 6 April 1917

Germans withdraw to Hindenburg Line US declares war on Germany 58

Review of the War June 1917 3 Mar 1918

First American troops arrive in France Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (Russia out of the war)

21 Mar - 18 Jul 1918

Germans Spring Offensive

8 Aug - 11 Nov 1918

Allies’ Hundred Days Offensive

11 Nov 1918

Armistice

28 Jun 1919

Treaty of Versailles signed 59

Review of World War I Animated Maps

Start Animation ( 6:43 )

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Phases of World War I 1914 - Maneuver and Frustration 1915 - Search for New Solutions 1916 - Attrition 1917 - Desperation and Anticipation 1918 - Dénouement 61

What Would Weinberger Do? How The would U.S. was USnot decision directlytoattacked enter World duringWar WWII.have stood up against the test of the Weinberger Doctrine? Vital to our national interest? Clear intent to win? Clearly defined political & military objectives? Objectives, forces committed continuously reassessed? Support of the American people?

Last resort? 62

Exam 1 - Lessons 1-9

Review Slides

Study Notes These slides are provided to help you identify the key topics covered in the lectures. They will assist you in understanding the material but should not be your only review source. Of equal importance are the slides leading up to these summaries. Study these preliminary slides will help you understand the context and importance of the “Buzzword” summary slides. Another valuable review source is the study guide questions for each lesson. Some of the exam questions will come from these. I wish you all the best of success!

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