History - WW1

• • So what did von Schlieffen planTo go to the north to attack france through Belgium
• The German army was split into two parts: The right wing (north) under General Kluck and the left wing (west) under General Bulow.
• So what did von Schlieffen plan

  To go to the north, through Belgium
• • Von Schlieffen was a German field marshal and strategist
• What plan did Von Schlieffen create?

  • Capture Paris, forcing the French to surrender before Russia could mobilise its army to attack Germany.
• • The problem for the Germans during Schlieffen's plan

  • Series of massive forts along the border with Germany - the 'Maginot Line
• Trench warfare


  • Major part of World War One
  • Trenches on every front of the war
• Front


  A stretch of land where warring countries confront each other and engage in battle
• Western Front


  • 400-plus mile stretch through France and Belgium
  • Where the majority of British and Irish soldiers fought in World War One
• Trenches


  A defensive solution to modern weaponry, which had become much deadlier since the last war between major powers
• Trench network


  1. Fire trench

  2. Support trench

  3. Reserve trench

  4. Communications trenches
• The trench network became more complex over time, with some trenches even having street names
• Why were trenches necessary?

  The development of deadlier weapons made traditional military tactics obsolete. Defence became the priority, and trenches were dug as a defensive solution
• Trenches were used for the duration of the war, and were a valuable asset for armies on every front of World War One
• If you were a soldier on the front line, you would most likely be operating out of a trench
• Conditions in the trenches

  • Rats
  • Disease
  • Mud
  • Constant shelling and shooting
  • Fear of imminent death
• Trench warfare was characterized by its rats, disease, mud, constant shelling and shooting, and fear of imminent death
• Trenches were complex systems with street names to help soldiers know their location
• Conditions in the trenches varied depending on location, weather, and time of year
• Illnesses such as Trench Foot were common due to poor hygiene and overcrowding
• Lice and rats were also common pests in the trenches
• Most activity in front line trenches took place at night
• Soldiers used their free time to clean their rifles and write letters home
• The random nature of death took a heavy toll on the mental health of the soldiers
• No Man's Land


  The area between opposing forces at the Western Front
• Soldiers would receive the order to 'go over the top' and climb out in formation into No Man's Land
• Trench Foot


  • Common illness due to standing in muddy water for days on end
  • Small cuts and blisters would become infected, leading to numbness, swelling and even gangrene
  • Many soldiers lost toes and in extreme cases had a foot amputated
• Lice were also common and spread an infection known as 'trench fever'
• Soldiers would kill lice by 'popping' them with the end of a cigarette
• In other fronts, such as Gallipoli, flies caused hygiene problems and several thousand soldiers died of dysentery
• During the daytime, soldiers in the front line trenches took turns on lookout so that others could take a rest in the dugouts
• From small hollows to deep underground shelters, the places where you could rest varied according to your rank
• Soldiers couldn't peek their heads above the trenches because of the snipers' bullets
• Artillery could be fired randomly into the opposition trench, killing an unsuspecting soldier
• The random nature of death took a heavy toll on the mental health of the soldiers as it was a constant fear
• Many soldiers suffered trauma through what they experienced, but doctors at the time mistakenly thought that the psychological damage was a result of constant exposure to loud shellfire and named the condition 'shell shock'
• Soldiers had to cross 'No Man's Land' to reach the enemy trench
• Many were killed by machine gun fire
• The area was littered with unexploded shells and bombs
• Zone Rouge in France

  • Reminder of No Man's Land from WW1
  • Littered with unexploded shells and bombs from WW1
  • Government forbids entry to unauthorized people due to the deadly chemicals it still contains
  • Many believe that it will never be fully cleared
  • The French government estimates it will take another 300 years to clear the whole battlefield