World War I: Key Battles, Strategies, and Turning Points
Quick War, 1914
Germany took the initiative in the war with a plan to launch its army through Belgium and Luxembourg to quickly subdue France. Simultaneously, Austro-Hungarian and German forces would hinder the Russians. Once France was defeated, all German forces would be redirected to Russia.
The campaign against France had two phases. In the first, the Germans entered France through Belgium and Luxembourg. While initially successful, these advances were not decisive, and the French and British allies were able to retreat in relatively good order. The second phase involved an Allied counteroffensive, forcing the Germans to withdraw from conquered French territory.
The German fear of fighting on two fronts became a reality. Although the initial German war plan failed, they had conquered Belgium and part of Poland, opening the possibility of a long war where economic potential would be decisive.
Warfare, 1915: Trench Warfare Emerges
Unable to break enemy lines, the war evolved into trench warfare, where armies defended fixed positions. The trench became the defining element of this war. Barbed wire barriers forced the enemy to advance slowly in the open under continuous fire. Soldiers endured harsh conditions for years in these trenches.
This system proved effective, and despite bloody offensives, the front remained stable for over four years. The new form of warfare required new weapons, such as grenades and mortars, which were essential in trench battles. More shocking weapons, forbidden by international agreements, like flamethrowers and poison gas, were also used.
The air gained importance, evolving from observation to attack and bombardment. Another new weapon was the tank, an armored vehicle that could destroy trenches, terrifying the enemy upon its first appearance. The German navy also utilized submarines.
War of Attrition, 1916
The goal shifted to exhausting the Allied armies. The Battle of Verdun, one of the most famous battles of the Great War, exemplified this strategy. Immediately afterward, the Allies launched the Battle of the Somme, lasting three months. Armored tanks were first used in these battles, but no significant breakthroughs were achieved.
The naval blockade imposed on Germany led to an attempt to attack the British fleet. This resulted in the Battle of Jutland, the only major naval battle of the war. On the eastern front, the war expanded to Mesopotamia and Palestine. The overall balance of the 1916 campaign was relatively even.
The Decisive Year, 1917
The withdrawal of Russia and the U.S. intervention shifted the balance between the two sides. While Russia’s exit benefited the Central Powers, the U.S. entry tipped the scales in favor of the Allies. Since 1915, Germany had engaged in unrestricted submarine warfare against Britain. The sinking of the merchant ship “Lusitania,” a British vessel carrying American passengers, triggered the U.S. entry into the war.
In the spring of 1917, new attacks were launched against the Germans. Riots erupted in the military, and civilian morale showed signs of weariness.
End of Conflict
In December 1917, Russia signed an armistice. Russia’s exit allowed the German High Command to concentrate on the French front. In mid-July, they launched an offensive to occupy Paris, but their exhausted troops failed. The Allied counterattack forced a general retreat.
By late summer, Germany was losing support. Bulgaria signed an armistice, as did Austria-Hungary, leaving Germany isolated. The high command informed William II of the army’s inability to continue the struggle and the need to agree to an armistice. The Great War was over.