The Great War
British Blockade - Sea
Britain controls trade routes because they’re an island
● They have a strong navy, but Germany is increasing naval strength through
dreadnought
● Troop movements is important, because they have a lot of colonies and a lot of
troops from other parts of the world
● Food supply, imported materials because this war becomes more
technologically advanced, so they need more stuff
● Neutralizing enemy fleet
Britain set up a “distant blockade” (August 4, 1914)
● Blockading sea to make sure Germany can’t access Atlantic
● Both sides used naval mines - self contained explosive devices
● North Sea Mine Barrage, summer 1918: 70K mines
○ Combated by minesweepers, lightweight ships that drag behind them a
cutting line that cuts the ropes anchoring the mines, neutralizing the
danger
Overall, the British Blockade was successful
● Not a decisive blown, but long-term significance
● By winter 1916, German population malnourished
● Austrian population starved, rioted
○ Damaged moral in central power countries
Schlieffen Plan - Western Front - Land
Germany’s plan created in 1905 to avoid a 2 front war (they’re surrounded by
enemies)
● They think France will be taken out easier, because they lost the
Franco-Prussian War in the 1970s
Four key assumptions by von Moltke
● Russia will take 6 weeks to mobilize bc they have a bad transportation system
due to lack of industrialization, large land mass, and large military force
● Belgium won’t resist
● Britain wouldn’t enter the war because they’re in isolation
○ They usually act in self-interest
● France would be really easy to defeat in 6 weeks
British Blockade - Sea
Britain controls trade routes because they’re an island
● They have a strong navy, but Germany is increasing naval strength through
dreadnought
● Troop movements is important, because they have a lot of colonies and a lot of
troops from other parts of the world
● Food supply, imported materials because this war becomes more
technologically advanced, so they need more stuff
● Neutralizing enemy fleet
Britain set up a “distant blockade” (August 4, 1914)
● Blockading sea to make sure Germany can’t access Atlantic
● Both sides used naval mines - self contained explosive devices
● North Sea Mine Barrage, summer 1918: 70K mines
○ Combated by minesweepers, lightweight ships that drag behind them a
cutting line that cuts the ropes anchoring the mines, neutralizing the
danger
Overall, the British Blockade was successful
● Not a decisive blown, but long-term significance
● By winter 1916, German population malnourished
● Austrian population starved, rioted
○ Damaged moral in central power countries
Schlieffen Plan - Western Front - Land
Germany’s plan created in 1905 to avoid a 2 front war (they’re surrounded by
enemies)
● They think France will be taken out easier, because they lost the
Franco-Prussian War in the 1970s
Four key assumptions by von Moltke
● Russia will take 6 weeks to mobilize bc they have a bad transportation system
due to lack of industrialization, large land mass, and large military force
● Belgium won’t resist
● Britain wouldn’t enter the war because they’re in isolation
○ They usually act in self-interest
● France would be really easy to defeat in 6 weeks
