Lesson 6 WW I: Tactics, Technology & Attrition. Lesson Objectives Understand the tactics employed in the opening months of the war and their incompatibility

Lesson 6

WW I: Tactics, Technology & Attrition

Lesson Objectives

• Understand the tactics employed in the opening months of the war and their incompatibility with the weapon technology of the period.

• Understand and be able to discuss the efforts to break the stalemate on the Western Front.

• Be able to list and discuss the impact of the new technology employed during the war.

• Understand the issues involved with the shift in prospects from a short war to a long war.

• Describe the outlooks for each of the Allied and Central powers as a consequences of the 1916 Western Front battles of attrition.

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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

Preview

Review of the War

August 3, 1914 Germany invades Belgium; war begins

“Miracle of the Marne”; German invasion haltedSept 5-10, 1914

October 1914 Race to the Sea ends; Stalemate on Western Front

1

Western Front

September – October 1914

BBC

Stalemate!Stalemate!

Western FrontThey Dug In

Excavating Machine

… and they got good at it

Western Front

Trench System, Loos, 1917



Western Front

What caused the stalemate?

Machine gun

Heavy artillery

Firepower

Western Front


Machine gun

Heavy artillery

Firepower

Outmoded Tactics

Outmoded Tactics

Meanwhile …

Muskets were replaced by machine guns!

Western Front


Machine gun

Heavy artillery

Inability to Innovate

Firepower

Outmoded Tactics




Breaking the Stalemate

What attempts were made to break the impasse?

Technology

• Poison gas

• Tank

• Light Machine Gun

Poison Gas

First used by the Germans (Ypres, April 1915)

• Initially chlorine gas

• Later mustard, phosgene

• Violated Geneva Conventions of 1899 and 1907

Total War: A war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territory or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued, especially one in which the laws of war are disregarded.

US Military Dictionary

Poison Gas

First used by the Germans (Ypres, April 1915)

• Initially chlorine gas

• Later mustard, phosgene

• Violated Geneva Conventions of 1899 and 1907

Total War: A war that is unrestricted in terms of the weapons used, the territory or combatants involved, or the objectives pursued, especially one in which the laws of war are disregarded.

US Military Dictionary

Poison Gas

Poison Gas

Dispensed directly from cylinders

Poison Gas

British Livens bomb projectors (mortars)(12 gal.oil cans buried in the ground)

Loading Livens projectors(chlorine gas canisters)

Poison Gas

Poison Gas

Poison Gas

First use by Germans had a devastating effect

• Significant gap in British line

Germans not prepared to exploit breakthrough

Poison Gas

Early French gas mask

Poison Gas

Gas mask drill

Poison Gas

Gas mask for horses

Poison Gas

Soldiers in full chemical gear

Poison Gas

Casualties

In perspective: Total Casualties (both sides): 30,900,000

Wounded: 21,200,000 Dead: 9,700,000

4.2% due to poison gas

Tanks

Attempt to create a mobile “pill box”

• Initially carried machine guns

• Later small cannon

British Mk IV “Male” tank

Tanks

First significant use at Cambrai (November 1917)

400+ tanks

Breakthrough achieved

but …

No exploitation !

Tanks

Imperial War Museum, Art 3539Learning Curvehttp://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/greatwar/g3/cs1/g3cs1s6b.htm

British Tanks

Mk V Tank

Female (machine guns)

Male (6-pdr cannon)Battlefield 1918http://ww.battlefield1918.de/history/sct/hisdbfahr/

British Tanks

Mk I TankMale (6-pdr cannon) BBC

British Tanks

Whippet Medium Tank

French Tank

Schneider CA1 Tank

French Tank

Renault FT-17

First tank with a traversing turret(AEF markings)

German Tanks

German A7V Tank

Anti-Tank Weapons

3.7 cm TAK Rheinmetall AT gun

1918

Anti-Tank Weapons

13 mm (top) vs. .50 cal8 mm vs. 13 mm

Mauser Tankgewehr 1918 13 mm AT Rifle

Light Machine Guns

First light machine gun?

Danish Madsen LMG

First produced in 1897

Probert Encyclopediahttp://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/FMJ.HTM

Light Machine Gun

French Chaucet

British Lewis Gun

Light Machine Guns

U.S. Browning Automatic Rifle – BAR – M1918



Technology

Tactics

• Strumtruppen (Stormtroopers)

(late in war)

StrumtruppenStormtroopers

Lightly equipped, specially trained shock troops

• Special weapons & tactics

Used small units, bursts of movement to overwhelm objectives

Bypassed strong points to attack from rear


Bypassed strong points to attack from rear

Blitzkrieghttp://www.bellum.nu/basics/concepts/blitzkrieg.htm

Strumtruppenhttp://www.worldwar1.com/arm011.htm


Special weapons & equipment

Body Armor

Machinegewehr 18 MG18 Schmeiser


Major impact during Offensive of 1918

but …

Too little, too late!

A



Technology

Strategy

• Dardanelles Campaign ( Gallipoli )

Tactics


A Strategic Flanking

48

48

(attempt)

Dardanelles CampaignGallipoli





1915-1916

British Commonwealth Operation

Amphibious landings

Attempted to force the Dardanelles, open passage to reinforce Russia


Landing operations, Sulva Bay


British force

Achieved tactical surprise (April 1915)

• Allowed Turks to reinforce

Stalemate developed on the beaches

British withdrew (Dec 1915 - Jan 1916)

Heavy casualties

• Allies: 180,000 • Turks: 220,000

• Predominantly Australian & New Zealand (ANZAC)

Dardanelles Campaign 1915-16

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

Living & Dying in WW I -YouTube: 0-2:48

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mtL-zeLyHA



Technology

Strategy

• Dardanelles Campaign ( Gallipoli )

Tactics

• Maritime Blockade

• Strategic Distraction

( both sides ) *

( Germany ) *

* Future Lessons



Technology

Tactics

Strategy

Review of the War




1915 Sea blockades established around UK and Germany

Feb 1915-Jan 1916 Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli)

Beginning of 1916 Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun

1




1916 - Attrition

The War in 1916

Battle of VerdunFeb - Dec 1916

• German attempt to force French capitulation by inflicting massive casualties *

• Targeted key position French could/would not surrender (Verdun)

* Controversial interpretation

• French generals had all but abandoned Verdun

• Preferred to defend in plains to west

• Politicians said “Hold at all cost!”

(Attrition Warfare)

Why Verdun?

Traditional “Gateway to France”

Vulnerable from three sides

Close to German railhead

French had reduced garrison, weak logistics prospects

• Relied on single 75 km road for supply

Battle of Verdun

La Voie Sacrée

21 February - 18 December 1916

Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

(The Sacred Way)

French convoy on La Voie Sacrée (1916)

Battle of Verdun

Battle began with huge artillery attack

Germans made initial gains but condition of battlefield stalled advance


Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

• 1,000,000 rounds in nine hours

No Man’s Land

Verdun 1916

Battle of Verdun

Battle began with huge artillery attack

Germans made initial gains but condition of battlefield stalled advance

French able to re-enforce

Bloody battle of attrition followed for both sides


Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

• 1,000,000 rounds in nine hours

Battle of Somme (July) relieved pressure on French

Battle of Verdun

Final French offensive 11 December

Germans driven back to initial starting point

Horrific casualties:

French: 163,000 dead 215,000 wounded & missing


Initial Forces:

France: 30,000

Germany: 150,000

German: 143,000 dead 190,000 wounded & missing

Battle of Verdun21 February - 18 December 1916

Significance

German losses were more telling • Fighting two-front war

• Fighting alone on Western Front

Germany realized unrestricted submarine warfare might be the only hope for ending the war

The Battle of Verdun exhausted our forces like a wound that never heals.

Field Marshall Paul von Hindenburg


Significance

Verdun became a rallying point for French people

They shall not passGeneral Robert Nivelle

Commander, Second French Army at Verdun

Ils ne passeront pas


Sidelights

Air superiority became a key factor in denying opponent reconnaissance capability

Germans had air superiority: the “Fokker scourge”

Fokker E.1 “Eindecker”

Fokker’s Synchronizer Gear

Anthony Fokker 1912

First confirmed victory 1 August 1915

Fokker E.1 “Eindecker”


Sidelights

Crucible of Future French Leadership

Marshall Phillippe Pétain Charles de Gaulle

Battle of the Somme1 July - 18 November 1916

Initial Forces:

British Empire: 15 divisions

France: 11 divisions

Germany: 10 1/2 divisions

Became an attempt to take pressure off French at Verdun

Frontal assault across 25 mile front

Planned as a major offensive to retake Channel ports

A


Initial Forces:




Battle began with five-day artillery preparation

• 1.7 million shells

• 17 mines under German positions

Barrage was ineffective

• Germans had dug in

• Too few heavy guns

• 2/3 of shells were fragmentation

British first-day losses very heavy

• 19,240 dead

• 38,230 wounded, missing, POW

Hawthorn Ridge


Initial Forces:




First two weeks:

• French advanced 10 km south of Somme River

• British advances minimal

• Poor organization & communications

Germans halted Verdun offensive (July 12th)

Developed into battle of attritionFinal Forces:



Germany: 50 divisions


Final Forces:




First use of tanks

• British: Battle of Flers-Courcelette • 15 September 1916

Not decisive (no follow-up)

British Mark I tank

Animated Map of Somme & Flers-Courcette

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/launch_ani_somme_map.shtml


Final Forces:




General Paul von Hindenburg became German Army Chief of Staff (Aug 1916)

• General Erich Ludendorff operational commander

Von Hindenburg (l) & Ludendorff

The Cost of 1916

VERDUNFrance UK Germany

Total Casualties

Killed

378,000

163,000

330,000

143,000

SOMME

Total Casualties

Killed

Total Casualties

Killed

204,000

50,000

420,000

96,000

465,000

164,000

582,000

213,000

420,000

96,000

995,000

307,000

2,000,000 Casualties* - 616,000 Dead

* Casualties = killed, wounded, missing, sometimes POWs

No Man’s Land

Somme 1916

Germany’s Dilemma

Hindenburg realized Germany could not win the war

German chancellor, Bethmann, appointed Hindenburg in hope the field marshal would back peace

• Advocated unrestricted submarine warfare as only hope

Bethmann feared this would bring US into war

Hindenburg advocated strong defense

• Hoped to wear down, knock out one of the Allied Powers

Prestige of Hindenburg prevailed over chancellor

Hindenburg Line

Allowed for prepared defenses in depth

Shortened German lines by 50 km

Freed 13 divisions for a reserve

Germans decimated vacated land

Construction began September 1916

The Battle of the SommeThe Movie

Released 1916

The Battle of the SommeMovie Excerpt


The Battle of the Somme – YouTube – 3:14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tv5gBa9DQs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tv5gBa9DQs

Western Front – December 1916December 1914

Review of the War




1915 Sea blockades established around UK and Germany

Feb 1915-Jan 1916 Dardanelles Campaign (Gallipoli)

Beginning of 1916 Germans accept futility of breakthrough on Western Front, adopt attrition strategy against French at Verdun

1

Review of the War

Battle of Verdun (German Offensive)Feb - Dec 1916

Battle of the Somme (Allied Offensive)Jul - Nov 1916

German decision for unrestricted sub warfare1 Feb 1917

Germans withdraw to Hindenburg LineMar 1917

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1916 - Attrition

1917 - Desperation and Anticipation

Lesson 7

World War I: Over There and Over Here:America In The War

Lesson Objectives

• Understand the role of the US in the war to 1916.

• Understand the concept of unrestricted submarine warfare and discuss its impact on the war.

• Understand how and why the U.S. entered World War I.

• Understand the impact of the war on British and U.S. society.

• Be able to describe the efforts made to mobilize the American public in World War I.

End

Video Title


Artillery in WW I


(6:50)

Tanks

Video Clip

British Mark V tank

Western Front

September – October 1914

BBC

January 1917

Documents

Lesson 6 WW I: Tactics, Technology & Attrition. Lesson Objectives Understand the tactics employed in the opening months of the war and their incompatibility