World War I Timeline
- June 28, 1914- Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary's throne and his wife, Sophie were assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip while the couple were visiting Sarajevo, Bosnia.
- July 5, 1914- Kaiser William II promised German support for Austria-Hungary against Serbia.
- July 28, 1914- Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
- July 31, 1914- Germany warns Russia to stop mobilizing.
- August 1, 1914- Germany declares war on Russia.
- August 2, 1914- Germany invades Luxembourg.
- August 3, 1914- Germany declares was on France.
Trench WarfareTrench warfare was the act which consisted of miles of trenches cut into the earth which were supported by machine guns and artillery. If either side of the army tried to move forward they would be mauled by the machine guns. So many people were killed by even taking a few feet off the ground, which soon led to the war reaching a stalemate (a situation in which no one can win.) Trench Warfare was a cruel and unusual way for many soldiers in WWI to die.
WWI Battles in EuropeThe Battle of Somme, 1916-German and Triple Entente forces engaged in an nearly 6-month long (July 1-November 18, 1916) trench-warfare known as The Battle of the Somme. It was one of the worst battles in the history of the World in terms of human lives lost, with over a million casualties. The British suffered over 50,000 killed and wounded on the first day alone. Total casualties eventually reached astonishing totals. There was no victory in this battle.
The Battle of Cambrai, 1917- On November 20, 1917, the British launched the first full-scale offensive that was designed exclusively to accommodate the British secret weapon, the tank (so-called because when the first shipment came from England they were described as water tanks to maintain secrecy). A surprise artillery barrage started the offensive and 476 tanks, packed tightly for a mass attack moved against the German lines. Supported by infantry the gains were dramatic, breaching the almost impregnable Hindenburg line to depths of 4-5 miles in some places. However, these gains seemed to surprise British High Command equally as much as the Germans, and the following cavalry failed to take advantage. Although the British captured 8,000 German prisoners and 100 guns, and the Germans lost about 5,000 soldiers the result was a draw. |
Quotes From WWI Soldiers“It was a long and weary night, that first one of mine in the trenches. Everything was strange, and wet and horrid. First of all I had to do and fix up my machine guns at various points, and find places for the gunners to sleep in. This was no easy matter, as many of the dugouts had fallen in and floated off downstream."- Bruce Bairnsfather
“The water in the trenches through which we waded was alive with a multitude of swimming frogs. Red slugs crawled up the side of the trenches and strange beetles with dangerous looking horns wriggled along dry ledges and invaded the dugouts, in search of the lice that infested them.” - Unknown Journalist “Whilst asleep during the night, we were frequently awakened by rats running over us. When this happened too often for my liking, I would lie on my back and wait for a rat to linger on my legs; then violently heave my legs upwards, throwing the rat into the air. Occasionally, I would hear a grunt when the rat landed on a fellow victim.” - R L Venables “If you have never had trench foot described to you, I will explain. Your feet swell to two to three times their normal size and go completely dead. You can stick a bayonet into them and not feel a thing. If you are lucky enough not to lose your feet and the swelling starts to go down, it is then that the most indescribable agony begins. I have heard men cry and scream with pain and many have had to have their feet and legs amputated."- Harry Roberts "We must looked out for our bread. The rats have become much more numerous lately because the trenches are no longer in good condition. The rats here are particularly repulsive, they are so fat - the kind we call corpse-rats. They have shocking, evil, naked faces, and it is nauseating to see their long, nude tails."-Erich Maria Remarque |
New Weapons Used in WWI
There were many improvements during the WWI era and many of these include weapons that enhanced the performance of armies in the war.
Poison gas- Poison gas was probably the most feared of all weapons in WWI. Poison gas was indiscriminate and could be used on the trenches even when no attack was going on. Airplane- The use of aircraft changed the whole art and science of warfare. The great conquest of the air was first by the dirigible balloon and then by the airplane. Tanks- The tank was first used at the little known Battle of Flers. The tank soon became a very important tactic in intimidating the enemy. Vickers Machine Gun- The Vickers machine gun was the standard issue machine gun for the British Army in WWI. The Vickers was formally introduced to the British Army in 1912 and quickly saw use in the war. Ships- Ships became very useful during WWI in order for countries to control the seas as well. |