World War I: Key Phases and Turning Points 1914-1918
The Phases of World War I
The Schlieffen Plan and the Outbreak of War
The German General Staff had a war plan, called the “Schlieffen Plan,” with which they sought a quick victory based on the speed of movement, avoiding the danger of a war on two fronts, which would be catastrophic for a central power like Germany. It was based on the idea that the Russians would take longer to mobilize, as their level of technological development was much lower. The plan was launched on the French front through two neutral countries, Belgium and Luxembourg. Once France was defeated, all German forces would be launched against Russia. The success of the plan involved a momentary sacrifice: giving the Russians the region of East Prussia, a region of historical value to the Germans. However, General Helmuth von Moltke the Younger would not abandon it and defeated the Russians at the Battle of Tannenberg. But this determined that General Joseph Joffre was able to halt the German advance in the Battle of the Marne. Furthermore, the German invasion of Belgium ended England’s doubts and encouraged it to intervene in the conflict.
The War of Position (Trench Warfare)
Thus began the second phase of the war, the “War of Position.” The two armies were set in lines through a new system: the trenches. These were open ditches that came to constitute an authentic, subhuman city. In all the battles that took place, the defender always had the military advantage against the attacker. In order to break the front, new weapons were introduced, such as hand grenades, short-range artillery, and even weapons prohibited by international agreements, such as flamethrowers and poison gas. The trench system was finally overcome by aviation and, above all, by the invention of the tank.
The Eastern Front and the Treaty of London
Given the stability of the Western Front, the Germans launched a series of major offensives against the Russians. French attacks to help the Russians failed to meet their objective. Thus, the balance of 1915 was favorable to the Central Powers, although Italy had signed the secret Treaty of London and ended up entering the war on the side of the Entente.
The Naval Blockade and the Battle of Jutland
Eventually, as the war became a war of attrition, the advantages shifted to the side of the Entente. With its easy access to the sea, the Entente had access to raw materials and products from its colonies. England used its naval power to block Germany’s exit into the North Sea, which greatly weakened German endurance. In 1916, the Germans tried to break the siege at the Battle of Jutland. They did not succeed, and the Germans lost much of their fleet. Henceforth, Germany was forced to resort to general mobilization and the employment of the submarine.
US Entry into the War and the End of the Conflict
In 1917, when the Germans sank an American ship, the US decided to intervene in the war on the side of the Entente. The US entry broke the balance between the continents, due to the fact that the Americans sent a fresh army to fight against exhausted troops and because America did not suffer directly the evils of war. In 1918, the Germans tried to launch an offensive against France before the Americans reinforced the line, but the German army was exhausted, and the French General Ferdinand Foch held them up while receiving the reinforcement of the Americans. In the fall of that year, Germany was losing support. Bulgaria, Turkey, and finally Austria withdrew from the war. Germany was not alone. The Kaiser abdicated on November 9th, and the republic was proclaimed. For now, the war was over.