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Germans attacked France through Belgium. Britain, having
a pact with Belgium, entered the war.
The German plans had not considered a gallant defence by the
tiny Belgian army, giving the French and British time to be better
prepared. After initial German success the two massive armies
became bogged down in a new type of warfare – trench warfare.
The war on the Western Front took on a pattern of attack and
counter- attack with any ground gained being soon recovered.
In February 1916 the Germans mounted a massive attack
on the French fortified position at Verdun. The French were
suffering over 60% casualties and a German breakthrough
seemed imminent. If the Germans broke through at Verdun,
then the road to Paris was open, and if the capital fell then it was
probably the end of the war in the west.
To help the French, the British made massive attacks at the
Somme, which succeeded in drawing significant German forces
away from Verdun and the day was saved.
Little is said in popular history of the role that the Royal Navy
played in WW1. The Germans had built a massive fleet of
advanced ships to counter the advantage that Britain had with
the Royal Navy. The two navies eventually met at Jutland where
both lost many of their main battleships and cruisers, the British
more than the Germans. The German fleet, however, retired
to port and their capital ships played no further part in the war.
Besides countering submarine activity, the Royal Navy played
a major part in the outcome of the war by waging a blockade
of Germany, starving its army and people of essentials. This,
together with the entry of the USA, proved too much for the
Germans.
8
a pact with Belgium, entered the war.
The German plans had not considered a gallant defence by the
tiny Belgian army, giving the French and British time to be better
prepared. After initial German success the two massive armies
became bogged down in a new type of warfare – trench warfare.
The war on the Western Front took on a pattern of attack and
counter- attack with any ground gained being soon recovered.
In February 1916 the Germans mounted a massive attack
on the French fortified position at Verdun. The French were
suffering over 60% casualties and a German breakthrough
seemed imminent. If the Germans broke through at Verdun,
then the road to Paris was open, and if the capital fell then it was
probably the end of the war in the west.
To help the French, the British made massive attacks at the
Somme, which succeeded in drawing significant German forces
away from Verdun and the day was saved.
Little is said in popular history of the role that the Royal Navy
played in WW1. The Germans had built a massive fleet of
advanced ships to counter the advantage that Britain had with
the Royal Navy. The two navies eventually met at Jutland where
both lost many of their main battleships and cruisers, the British
more than the Germans. The German fleet, however, retired
to port and their capital ships played no further part in the war.
Besides countering submarine activity, the Royal Navy played
a major part in the outcome of the war by waging a blockade
of Germany, starving its army and people of essentials. This,
together with the entry of the USA, proved too much for the
Germans.
8
