Summary Class Notes on Unit 1 World War I - Lesson 2 Battles of WW1
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Course
Canadian history
Institution
10th Grade
A concentrated summary integrated with class notes on the Battles of WW1 in correspondence to the Ontario Grade 10 History Curriculum. *Lesson 2 of 5 in Unit One WW1
2. Battles of World War I
2.1 The Schliefen Plan
Germany plan to defeat France and turn to the Eastern front for major offensive on Russia.
2.1.1 Alfred Von Schliffen
He was asked to plan in the way of preventing a war on two fronts. His plan proposed
- to defeat France quickly before Russia had a chance to mobilize her armed force
- attacking France through the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg
- To use 90% of German military forces to deliver a knockout blow to France
- The remaining 10% would defend the eastern border of Germany against Russian attack
2.1.2 Van Molktes
He replaced Von Schliffen in 1906 and made some alterations to the plan:
- avoid invading the Netherlands, instead concentrating attack through Belgium
- The Belgium army would be unable to resist a powerful German military and would rapidly
enter France
2.1.3 Assumptions
- Russia would take at least six weeks to mobilize while France would be easily defeated in six
weeks
- Belgium would not resist any German attack
- Britain would remain neutral
2.1.4 Realities
- The Germans were held up by the Belgium army backed up by the British Expeditionary Force
which arrived extremely quickly
- Russia mobilized in just 10 days and Germany was forced to withdraw troops from the plan to
defend the eastern border
- Germany did not take the chance to take Paris, instead decided to attack east of the capital
2.1.5 Trenches
Germany didn't want to give up any of the land it had gained so it build fortified trenches in well-
elevated areas. The trench is extended from the North Sea all the way down to Switzerland. This
area was known as the Western front.
, 2.2 Battle of Ypres (Belgium, April 1915)
- Germans released chlorine gas and attacked
- This was the first battle that Canadians fought
• The French from Morocco troops fled for the lives
• The Canadians without gas mask stayed and fought
• They used urinated handkerchiefs to cover their mouth
• They managed to hold off the German troops until reinforcement arrived
- 6000 Canadian were killed
- Canadian troops earned a reputation for bravery. Because of the Canadians , the Allies held the
lines against the Germans
- It led to the development of gas mask and further use of chemical weapons
2.3 Battle of Verdun (France, Feb 21 - Dec 19, 1916)
- A trap designed by German army to lure as many French soldiers to death and cost over
700,000 casualties
2.4 Battle of Somme (France, July 1 - Nov 18, 1916)
- the battlefield was a 34 km ribbon of land near the River Somme
Newfoundland regiment
- It stationed in trenches near the French village of Beaumont Hamel, 300 to 500 m behind
German lines down a grassy slope and heavily guarded by barbed wire
- The German 119th reserve regiment I had turn the natural defences of a deep Y-shaped ravine
into one of the strongest positions on the entire Somme front
General Douglas Haig
- nicknamed the butcher, he wanted to draw German troops away to help the French army at
Verdun and hoped to break through the German line
2.4.1 July 1, 1916 - 6:00 a.m.
- Allies forces bombarded the Germans with an artillery for about an hour
- They detonated more than 18,000 kg of explosives under Hawthorn Ridge
- The blast turned the area into a giant crater
- The explosives were off target and German defences and barbed wire remain intact
- It devastated no man's land so there was no where to hide for Allied troops
2.4.2 July 1, 1916 - 7:30 a.m.
- Most were killed within minutes as the first wave of Allies soldiers attacked
- A second wave of troops left the trenches soon after and was met with the same faith
2.4.3 July 1, 1916 - 8:00 a.m.
- Soldiers were ordered to charge German machine guns in broad daylight
- Those who survived crossing no man's land faced hand to hand bayonet combat in the enemy
front trench
The Danger Tree
- The survived apple tree watch the only place the soldiers could hide from German guns
- It became a rally point for Newfoundland regiment and many soldiers died here
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