WWI Trench WarfareWWI Trench Warfare

Stalemate in the TrenchesStalemate in the Trenches

• When war began most people assumed it would be over in a few months.

• The German army invaded Belgium with the intention of getting to France.

• They were able to reach the Marne River, which was 40 miles outside of Paris.

• When war began most people assumed it would be over in a few months.

• The German army invaded Belgium with the intention of getting to France.

• They were able to reach the Marne River, which was 40 miles outside of Paris.

• Here the French supported by the British met the Germans.

• The First Battle of the Marne, in September of 1914 stopped the German advance.

• Instead of one side quickly defeating the other, the two sides stayed stuck in the mud for three years.

• Here the French supported by the British met the Germans.

• The First Battle of the Marne, in September of 1914 stopped the German advance.

• Instead of one side quickly defeating the other, the two sides stayed stuck in the mud for three years.

• Troops huddled in the bottom of rat-infested trenches.

• They fired artillery and machine guns at each other.

• Lines of trenches stretched across France• For more than three years the battle lines

remained almost unchanged.

• Troops huddled in the bottom of rat-infested trenches.

• They fired artillery and machine guns at each other.

• Lines of trenches stretched across France• For more than three years the battle lines

remained almost unchanged.

• Neither side could win a clear victory.

• In trenches soldiers faced the constant threat of sniper fire.

• Artillery shelling turned the area between the trenches into a “no man’s land” too dangerous to occupy.

• Neither side could win a clear victory.

• In trenches soldiers faced the constant threat of sniper fire.

• Artillery shelling turned the area between the trenches into a “no man’s land” too dangerous to occupy.

• Battles cost thousands of lives, often without gaining an inch for either side.

• The Battle of the Somme, between July and November 1916, resulted in more than 1.2 million casualties, and the allies only gained about seven miles.

• When soldiers left their trenches to attack enemy lines they rushed into a hail of bullets and clouds of poison gas.

• Battles cost thousands of lives, often without gaining an inch for either side.

• The Battle of the Somme, between July and November 1916, resulted in more than 1.2 million casualties, and the allies only gained about seven miles.

• When soldiers left their trenches to attack enemy lines they rushed into a hail of bullets and clouds of poison gas.

New TechnologyNew Technology

• Powerful new technology greatly increased causalities in WWI

• Poison gas• Tanks• Machine guns• Fighter planes • U-boats

• Powerful new technology greatly increased causalities in WWI

• Poison gas• Tanks• Machine guns• Fighter planes • U-boats

Poison GasPoison Gas

• Poison gas was first used by the Germans

• It caused 1 million causalities during the war

• Effects: choking, blistering, attacking oxygen in the blood, attacking the nervous system

• Poison gas was first used by the Germans

• It caused 1 million causalities during the war

• Effects: choking, blistering, attacking oxygen in the blood, attacking the nervous system

TanksTanks

• The British invented the tank

• Called the “iron monster”

• Tanks could smash through barbed wire, cross trenches, and clear paths through no man’s land.

• The British invented the tank

• Called the “iron monster”

• Tanks could smash through barbed wire, cross trenches, and clear paths through no man’s land.

Machine GunsMachine Guns

• Soldiers had machine guns that fired 600 bullets a minute.

• Machine guns were mostly used in the trenches as defense

• Soldiers had machine guns that fired 600 bullets a minute.

• Machine guns were mostly used in the trenches as defense

Fighter PlanesFighter Planes

• This was the first war in which airplanes were used in combat

• Planes were used to drop bombs on the front lines

• Allowed both sides to view opposing trenches

• This was the first war in which airplanes were used in combat

• Planes were used to drop bombs on the front lines

• Allowed both sides to view opposing trenches

U-BoatsU-Boats

• At sea the Germans used submarines which they called U-boats, to block trade.

• They were equipped with guns and torpedoes.

• German U-boats sank over 11 million tons of Allied shipping.

• At sea the Germans used submarines which they called U-boats, to block trade.

• They were equipped with guns and torpedoes.

• German U-boats sank over 11 million tons of Allied shipping.