Pearson Baccalaureate – World History:
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Overview of the war: The Western Front (p.45-53)
The failure of the Schlieffen Plan
Plan: Rapid mobilization, strong opening attack
→ Sweep into northern France through neutral Belgium, advance to west of Paris
→ after quick victory, return to the east to crush Russia (slow mobilization)
Problems: 1. Stronger Belgian resistance than expected = advanced very slowly
2. Britain moved into war after invasion of Belgium
3. German forces moving to Paris were weakened because Russia had mobilized
faster
than expected and some troops had to be deployed
4. Germans (exhausted and starved) were halted by British & French troops in Marne
→ Battle of the Marne ensured that there would be NO short war! Followed by “race to the sea”
and the building of a continuous series of trenches stretching from the Alps to the Channel
coast.
1915: Stalemate
Stalemate situation between France and Britain against Germany. Many attempts were made to
break it and many battles were fought but both, the Allies and the Germans, didn’t advance.
1916: Verdun and the Somme
Key battles which both failed to achieve their aims but were terrific in terms of loss of life
(800’000 causalities)
Verdun: Series of attacks & counter attacks of between Germany and France
Somme: Series of attacks led mainly by the British. Aim → take of pressure of the French at
the Verdun and to ensure that Germany couldn’t sent any reinforcements to Eastern Front
1917: the USA joins the war
Germany was in the process of withdrawing and the French and British continued offensive
actions (most of them w/o any results). At the Battle of Cambrai though, British and Australian
forces managed to advance 8 km but the advance was slowed by a German counterattack soon
enough.
4. April: USA declared war on Germany
→ attacks on American ships, loss of lives
→ German policy of unrestricted submarine warfare
→ Zimmermann Telegram: Germans proposing military alliance to Mexico. Offered US
territory in return for Mexico joining German cause.
Success of Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the armistice signed between Bolsheviks and
Germany led to Russian troops being withdrawn from Eastern front.
→ Germans could focus on the Western front
, 1918: victory for the allies
Germany was on the verge and thus decided to risk everything on a quick victory.
They made gains over many km and ultimately reached the River Marne, 80km from Paris.
But they had overstretched themselves. Meanwhile the Allies got into offensive and
achieved the furthest advance since the beginning of the war. Germans were suffering
from hunger, low morale, disciple and were in full retreat.
→ Germany requested armistice
Eastern war fronts and other fronts (p. 53-56)
The Armistice (11. November 1918)
o Termination of military hostilities
o Removal of German troops from F, LX, BE, Alsace-Lorraine, Eastern Front
→ left German territory as it was before war
o Removal of German troops from territory on both sides of the Rhine (w. ensuing
occupation of Allies
The Eastern Front 1914
Germany’s aim to avoid fighting on both wars failed totally because Russia had mobilized
much faster than predicted. Germans were forced to divert troops from the west to the
east.
Although Russia had helped causing the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, the Russians were
defeated by the Germans many times. Russia’s position was worsened when Turkey entered
the war on sides of Germany as the Turks could cut Russia’ main supply route through
Dardanelles.
The Eastern Front 1915
Russia was against defeated by the Germans and the Austro-German offensive, in addition
Warsaw was captured. Russians had withdrawn with enormous losses of territory and lives.
The Eastern Front 1916-17
1916= greatest Russian success of war, massive offensive, advances in territory, better
equipment
million causalities → more opposition to the ruling Romanov dynasty,
February 1917: Tsar was forced to abdicate
→ Provisional Government got criticized (military defeats, economic crisis)
→ support for Bolshevik Party, overthrew Provisional Government in October
→ Bolsheviks removed Russia from war
= Germany could concentrate on the Western Front
The Balkan Front
1914: AH failed to occupy Serbia
1915: Bulgaria’s entry on the side of Central Powers → successful offensive
1916: Romania joined allies, but was quickly overrun
1918: Allies made advances against Bulgaria = SURRENDER
Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars
Overview of the war: The Western Front (p.45-53)
The failure of the Schlieffen Plan
Plan: Rapid mobilization, strong opening attack
→ Sweep into northern France through neutral Belgium, advance to west of Paris
→ after quick victory, return to the east to crush Russia (slow mobilization)
Problems: 1. Stronger Belgian resistance than expected = advanced very slowly
2. Britain moved into war after invasion of Belgium
3. German forces moving to Paris were weakened because Russia had mobilized
faster
than expected and some troops had to be deployed
4. Germans (exhausted and starved) were halted by British & French troops in Marne
→ Battle of the Marne ensured that there would be NO short war! Followed by “race to the sea”
and the building of a continuous series of trenches stretching from the Alps to the Channel
coast.
1915: Stalemate
Stalemate situation between France and Britain against Germany. Many attempts were made to
break it and many battles were fought but both, the Allies and the Germans, didn’t advance.
1916: Verdun and the Somme
Key battles which both failed to achieve their aims but were terrific in terms of loss of life
(800’000 causalities)
Verdun: Series of attacks & counter attacks of between Germany and France
Somme: Series of attacks led mainly by the British. Aim → take of pressure of the French at
the Verdun and to ensure that Germany couldn’t sent any reinforcements to Eastern Front
1917: the USA joins the war
Germany was in the process of withdrawing and the French and British continued offensive
actions (most of them w/o any results). At the Battle of Cambrai though, British and Australian
forces managed to advance 8 km but the advance was slowed by a German counterattack soon
enough.
4. April: USA declared war on Germany
→ attacks on American ships, loss of lives
→ German policy of unrestricted submarine warfare
→ Zimmermann Telegram: Germans proposing military alliance to Mexico. Offered US
territory in return for Mexico joining German cause.
Success of Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the armistice signed between Bolsheviks and
Germany led to Russian troops being withdrawn from Eastern front.
→ Germans could focus on the Western front
, 1918: victory for the allies
Germany was on the verge and thus decided to risk everything on a quick victory.
They made gains over many km and ultimately reached the River Marne, 80km from Paris.
But they had overstretched themselves. Meanwhile the Allies got into offensive and
achieved the furthest advance since the beginning of the war. Germans were suffering
from hunger, low morale, disciple and were in full retreat.
→ Germany requested armistice
Eastern war fronts and other fronts (p. 53-56)
The Armistice (11. November 1918)
o Termination of military hostilities
o Removal of German troops from F, LX, BE, Alsace-Lorraine, Eastern Front
→ left German territory as it was before war
o Removal of German troops from territory on both sides of the Rhine (w. ensuing
occupation of Allies
The Eastern Front 1914
Germany’s aim to avoid fighting on both wars failed totally because Russia had mobilized
much faster than predicted. Germans were forced to divert troops from the west to the
east.
Although Russia had helped causing the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, the Russians were
defeated by the Germans many times. Russia’s position was worsened when Turkey entered
the war on sides of Germany as the Turks could cut Russia’ main supply route through
Dardanelles.
The Eastern Front 1915
Russia was against defeated by the Germans and the Austro-German offensive, in addition
Warsaw was captured. Russians had withdrawn with enormous losses of territory and lives.
The Eastern Front 1916-17
1916= greatest Russian success of war, massive offensive, advances in territory, better
equipment
million causalities → more opposition to the ruling Romanov dynasty,
February 1917: Tsar was forced to abdicate
→ Provisional Government got criticized (military defeats, economic crisis)
→ support for Bolshevik Party, overthrew Provisional Government in October
→ Bolsheviks removed Russia from war
= Germany could concentrate on the Western Front
The Balkan Front
1914: AH failed to occupy Serbia
1915: Bulgaria’s entry on the side of Central Powers → successful offensive
1916: Romania joined allies, but was quickly overrun
1918: Allies made advances against Bulgaria = SURRENDER
