The Course of World War 1

• Stalemate on the Western Front means the fighting got stuck in one place for a long time.
• Trenches-

  • Deep ditches dug in the ground during wars.
  • Soldiers stay in them for safety from enemy attacks.
  • They are like long, narrow holes where soldiers can hide and protect themselves during battles.
• • The Western Front was a line of trenches that stretched from France to Switzerland.
  • For most of the war, neither side could make significant advances.
  • Both sides launched massive offensives that resulted in heavy casualties but little territorial gain.
• The battle of the Somme resulted in over a million casualties for both sides.

  The Battle of the Somme was fought between the Allied forces, primarily consisting of British and French troops, and the German Empire during World War 1.
• • The Western Front was a brutal and bloody battleground.
  • Soldiers stayed in tight, dirty trenches where diseases spread easily.
  • They were always in danger of being hit by big guns and machine guns.
  • When big attacks happened, lots of soldiers were hurt or killed, but they only moved a tiny bit of land, and it cost a lot.
• • Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, but it remained neutral at the beginning of the war.
  • Italy claimed that Austria-Hungary and Germany were the aggressors, so it did not have to join the war.
  • The Allies offered Italy territory and a loan if it joined them.
  • Italy agreed in 1915, but the fighting on Italy's borders did not lead to clear victory for either side.
• • World War I saw the introduction of many new and deadly weapons.
  • Machine guns dramatically increased firepower and casualties.
  • Flamethrowers and poison gas attacks added to the horrors of war.
  • Tanks were introduced to break through enemy lines, although early models were slow and unreliable.
  • Planes were used for spying, bombing, and air battles.
• • The stalemate on the Western Front, the introduction of new weapons, and the changing alliances all contributed to the war's deadliness.
  • World War I marked a turning point in history, ushering in a new era of warfare and global conflict.