Chapter 13 – The Great WarS. 2 – Europe Plunges into War

The Great War Begins- A-H declared war on Serbia - Russia mobilized its forces along A-H and German borders

- Germany declared war on Russia, & then France 2 days later

Updated Alliances:

Central Powers- Germany- Austria-Hungary- Ottoman Empire- Bulgaria

The Allied Powers

- France- Russia- Great Britain- Serbia- Japan- Italy

B. A Bloody Stalemate

-The Schlieffen Plan – German war strategy – quickly overwhelm France,then wheel around to confront Russia in the east- Called for cutting through

Belgium – Belgium refusedgrant passage to the GermanForces

- Belgians held up Germansfor 2 weeks – Germans dealtharshly w/ resistors, earnreputation of cruelty

First Battle of the Marne – Allies made a stand outside of Paris, Germans retreated, Schlieffen Plan ruined

The Western Front – battle lines stretched 500 mi. across France and Belgium

Trench Warfare – seeking cover from enemy fire, both sidesdug trenches, movement ground to a halt

No-Man’s Land – the space between the trenches – litteredw/ rotting corpses, shattered trees, torn earth, misery

New Military Technology – was expected to deliver a fast-moving war – it just resulted in more killing

Battle on the Eastern Front

Eastern Front - Russia & Serbia vs. Germany & A-H

- Russia Struggles - not yet industrialized at outset of war

- Short on all supplies – Allies couldn’t help

- Germany controlled the Baltic access to Russia, Ottomans controlled the access from the Mediterranean

- Russia had huge population, massive troop losses were sustained for 3 years, engaging millions of Germans

- Central Powers blocked sea routes for supplying Russia

http://www.history.com/topics/world-wari/videos

Video clips WWI

http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/videos