Monday 17th- Trenches had sand bags to help defend against shrapnel. Very high casualties due to barb wire and slow advances. U.S. troops had heavy casualties in the beginning, but German commanders looked on with horror. They realized we would only grow stronger over the coming months.
Tuesday 18th- German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm was the leader of Germany in ww1 and long before that. Japan was used to take over German land in Asia.
Wednesday 19th- Allied Powers (Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, and Russia. Portugal, Japan, Italy. Associated power. Central Powers (Triple/Quadruple Alliance): Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. Over 40 Countries and dozens of colonies participated in WW1, 27 of which sided with the allied powers. Haiti, Brazil, Panama. Frances’s plan is to weaken German industrial power and become the dominant continental power for Europe. Japan saw the war as an opportunity to seize Germany’s Pacific colonies and gain control over its Chinese concessions. They were not treaty bound to fight but they readily join the war to gain land.
Thursday 20th- There were 12 battles of Isonzo. It was against Austro-Hungarian and Italian armies. It lasted about 2 years. September 6, 1914. The French commander Joffre stopped the Germans from winning the war by using a counter attack that split the German army in two and forced a retreat. Around 500,000 Soldiers lost their lives in the first battle as the Germans retreated they followed along the Marne River. “Race to the Sea”. The first battle of Ypres began October 19th, 1914 near the Belgian city of Ypres. Ypres was near the Marne River, which led into the English Channel. The second battle began on April 22nd, 1915 and was the only major German attack that year. The Germans launched over 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas against two French colonial divisions. Third battle was fought during July, 1917. This battle was known as Passchendaele, and it was an attempt to remove the Germans from the High ground around Ypres. Battle began on February 21st, 1916. General Falkenhayn of the German army led to the Germans to attack Verdun. Verdun was a historic fortress town that the French army felt they needed to protect. Battle ended with no clear winner, 500,000 French casualties, and 450,000 German casualties. Amiens was not a specific group of battles, but another name for the 2nd battle of the Marne. The major point of Amiens was the Allies breaking through the German front lines. This caused German moral to fall. Eventually the Germans asked for an Armistice on November 11th, 1918. Was a compilation of multiple German attacks in the western front. Germany realized that they needed to attack and achieve victory over before America could deploy its overwhelming amount of human and material resources. 4 main German Offensives- Michael, Georgette, Gneisenau, and Blucher-Yorck. Michael was the main attack and was expected to take the brunt of the allied attack. They were supposed to break through allied lines, and overtake the British who were break down and eventually they would surrender. (Somme was a major tactical advantage point. In taking down the British, they would have free reign to attack France, but expected them to call for an armistice before Germany could attack. The other 3 offensives were subsidiary to Michael. They were used to draw the fire from Somme so Michael could proceed easily. Overall this plan failed. The British held to their ground, and there as much confusion amongst the ranks as the Axis offensive had hoped, and planned for. The offensives supplies and reinforcements couldn’t keep up with the rate of which the Germans advanced. Eventually, the German lines became too thinly spread, and were easily took down. They ended up losing most of the ground. They ended up losing most of the ground they had gained by biting off more than they could chew.
Friday 21st- Taxes and Tariffs raised to try and pay for the cost of the war. Potentially led to Great Depression. People bought less things because price rose. Gas and oil usage- way down. Price way up. Nobody had much money. Nobody can buy resources. Led to great depression. Woodrow Wilson started War Industry Board. Bernard Baruch- chairman. Controlled industrial establishment of country 3 years. Coordinate purchase of war supplies. Encouraged companies to use mass production. Eliminate waste by standardizing products. Influenced the views on the war. Changing people’s opinion to get involved. Herbert Hoover- leader Responsible for allies food reserves. Hoover kept everyone well fed. America produced the most food. Monitor food. “Raise food not waste it”. Food was used as a weapon. Franklin Roosevelt is known as FDR. He was the 32nd president. During World War 1 was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Traveled in Europe inspecting U.S. Navy Facilities. Ensured that the Navy could play a vital role in WW1. Navy had 300 Warships and 30 Submarines. Helped establish a submarine base in Connecticut. Joseph Stalin Missed most of the war, was an activist exiled to Siberia. Was going to be a priest. Influenced the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx. Left the seminary, joined the Social Democratic Party. Arrested in 1902. Led Marxist Revolutionary strikes. Arrested 8 times for being communist. Became Dictator of the Soviet Union after the war. Settle house movement was the provided social services and education to the poor workers.
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