Unit 35.2 - The British experience of warfare, c1790-1918
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Summary British War - World War 1
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Unit 35.2 - The British experience of warfare, c1790-1918
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PEARSON (PEARSON)
Written by a Cambridge Law student with an A* at history A-level.
Outlines the start of the war, successes and failures in battles such as but not limited to Jutland, Messines Ridge, Cambrai, Amiens, Aubers Ridge, the Somme, and Passchendaele. Also discusses the Royal Flying Corps and Home Fron...
Unit 35.2 - The British experience of warfare, c1790-1918
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World War 1
Start of war
War quickly turned from one of movement to one of attrition
- Germany declared war on Russia then France, then declared war on Belgium after it
refused to allow German troops to move through its territory to go around French
defenses such as the fortresses from Verdun to Belfort
- Began with mobilisations + movement in which the German army failed to outflank
the French Defences through Belgium, and the French Army failed to penetrate
through the German line on the East both armies attempted to outflank each
other in a series of battles and movements North and South known as the ‘race to
the sea’ but ended in neither side being able to (eg at the First Battle of Ypres in
October the Germans tried to push the British out of the Belgian town of Ypres, but
the allies resisted the attack with heavy losses (120,000 British, French and Belgian
casualties)
- However two sides quickly settled into a static position on the Western front with
450 miles of entrenched fortifications stretching from the English Channel to the
Alps, in large part because the advanced weaponry of the period meant defensive,
entrenched positioning was much more effective than free roaming assault
French and British soldiers on one side (and Americans after 1917) + German soldiers
on the other
, Battles
Successes
Battle of Neuve Chappelle 1915
- RFC quickly secured aerial dominance, bombing German railways + reserves en route
as well as carrying out aerial photography which enabled the attack front to be
mapped (with 1,500 copies distributed to each corps)
- First army attacked with great attention to detail, achieving tactical surprise + break
in
bombardment destroyed German barbed wire in ten mins
howitzer artillery fired on German trenches (deep trenches unable to
withstand bombardment)
followed by infantry assault with artillery support and machine gun fire to
divert reinforcements
- But unexpected delays (eg communication failure) allowed Germans to reinforce +
entrench positions, preventing further gain from being made
Battle of Jutland 1915
- Only major battle between dreadnoughts
- 151 British v. 99 German victory + kept blockade on Germany navy
- But suffered over twice as many casualties (6000 compared to 2500)
Battle of Messines ridge 1917
- Meticulous, in depth planning using range of attack methods + forces underwent
training to ensure cohesion at time of attack
- Nineteen huge mines detonated simultaneously in tunnels beneath German
positions AND artillery (incl creeping barrage), air power + tanks also used
- One of most successful battles of war (objectives taken within hours + 7000 German
prisoners taken)
Battle of Cambrai 1917
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