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SoundingtheSomme–SommeStartsFactFile:WW1AtthebeginningofthetwentiethcenturyGermanyattemptedtobecomeasuperpower,whichworriedneighbouringcountries.Between1900and1914severaldiplomatictreatiesweretriggeredincreasingthefearanddistrustfeltbetweenEuropeanleaders.Hugemonieswerealsospentdevelopingarmiesandnavies.By1907,Europehadsplitintotwomaincamps,theTripleAlliance(German,Austria-HungaryandItaly)andtheTripleEntente(Britain,FranceandRussia).Butacrisesrapidlyspreadandthecontinentbecomedivided.On28June1914,aSerbian-backedterroristshotdeadArchdukeFranzFerdinand,theheirtotheAustro-Hungarianthrone.
ArchdukeFranzFerdinandAustriasetouttopunishSerbiaanddeclaredwar.LeaderswerewillingtoprotecttheirnationalinterestsbyriskingwarsoGermanystoodbytheirmainally.RussiathendecidedtostandupfortheSerbs.GermanybelieveditcouldgainanadvantagebystrikingfirstanddeclaredwaronRussiaandthenonRussia’sallyintheWest,France.TheBritishGovernmentagonisedoverwhethertosupportFranceandRussia,butavictoriousGermanywouldthreatenBritain’ssecurityandpositionintheworld.Germany’sinvasionofFranceviaBelgiumtippedthebalance,asBritainhadpromisedtoprotectBelgium’srighttobeneutral.So,on4August1914,Britain(withit’sglobalempire)declaredwaronGermany.Germanyneededaquickvictorytostoptheirpanickingsoldiers,sociviliansinBelgiumandFrancesoonbecamethefirstvictimsofwarwiththousandsofdeathsandtheattackofculturalbuildingsandlandmarks.TheiractsweresoappallingthatforBritainandFrance,thiswasawartodefendcivilisationitself.EarlybattlesinthewarwerecentredaroundtheBelgiantownofYpresandfoughtbytheBritishExpeditionaryForce(BEF).Asanislandnation,ourbiggestdefenceatthistimewastheNavy.DespitedefendingGermanattacks,thecoreofBritain’sBEFwasalmostdestroyedsoitcalleduponitsEmpiretoprovidetroops.Italsobeganrecruitingtroopsathome.
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GovernmentPosterMeanwhile,peoplebackhomenotabletofightforthecountrylookedforotherwaystosupporttheirnation’scause.Theydonatedmoneytowarcharitiesandprovidedcomfortsuchasfood,clothingandtobaccoforthetroops.Peoplefeltitwastheirdutytosupportthewareffort,andtheywerescaredoftheeventsthathadtakenplaceonthecontinent.IftheGermanswon,thiscouldhappenathomeaswell.Forcedtoprotectitsempire,BritainsawopportunitiestowinthewarbyattackingGermany’sAsianandAfricancolonies.ThisledtothousandsofpeopledyinginAfrica.TherewerealsobattlesinTurkeyandIraqandGallipoliintheEasternMediterranean.AEuropeanwaractuallymeantaworldwarastheoverseasempiresoftheEuropeancountiesweredrawnintotheconflict.Asthewarspread,sodidthesuffering.
https://mastromaurowh.wikispaces.com/World+War+IFromtheoutsetofthewar,Germanytriedtodistractandweakenitsenemies,By1915itsmaintargetwasRussia.IfRussia.IfitcouldforceRussiafromthewar,FranceandBritainmightalsobreak.Germanywonvictoryaftervictory.ButRussiawouldnotcrack.Acrossthecontinent,theAlliedforcesandtheirenemyweretryingtocoaxleadersofneutralnationstojointhewar.FromItalytoBulgaria,GreeceandAlbania,thewarwasbeingfoughtandmoreandmorelivesweresubjecttopain,sufferinganddeath.Thewaratseawasjustasbrutal.TheBattleofJutlandoffDenmarkin1916saw9,000liveslostwithinminutes,alongwithshipsthathadtakenyearstobuild.
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Wideningthewardidnotbringvictoryforeitherside,sobylate1915theyturnedtheireffortsbacktotheWesternFront.ThisbeganwiththeBattleofVerdunwhichdraggedonfortenmonthsandcostover700,000lives.
en.wikipedia.org www.ypres2016.comTheAlliesforcesthenplannedtodefeattheGermanandAustro-Hungarianforceswithaseriesofmassivecoordinatedoffences.BritainandFrancewouldattackontheSomme,aruralregionofnorthernFrancethatwasuntouchedbywarandarmiesstoodalongsideeachother.BecauseofVerdun,Britainwouldnowleadthis‘bigpush’asthousandsoffreshkeensoldiersfromthevolunteerarmywerereadyfortheirfirst‘large-scale’battlethatBritishCommandershopedwouldbringthemvictory.ThiswastheBattleoftheSomme.HugeamountsofmunitionandsuppliesweresentouttoFranceandon24Juneaweek-longbombardmenttosmashGermandefencestookplaceinpreparationforthebattle.At7.30amonSaturday1July11916,Britishsoldiersclamberedfromtheirtrenchestoadvanceonto’nomansland’towardsGermanlines.Thebattlewasadisaster.Byearlyevening20,000ofthemlaydeadandjustover37,000werelistedaswoundedormissing.AlthoughtheBritishbombardmentwasthebiggestyet,theirshellingwasscatteredonawideareaanditdidnotdestroyGermanguns,cutthroughbarbedwireorsmashwellprotecteddugouts.TheBritishattackfailedonmostoftheirfronts.TheFrenchattacksweremoresuccessful.TheAllieskeptonattacking,buttheGermansfoughtbackeveryinchofground.SoldiersfromacrosstheBritishEmpiretookpart,andformanyitwastheirfirstexperienceofbattle.TheBattleoftheSommelastedforfivemonths.Itfinallyendedon18Novemberwithacostof420,000BritishandEmpireliveslost,200,000Frenchlivesandnearly500,000Germanlives.As1916drewtoaclose,therewasstillnosignofvictory.Newleadersencouragedtheirwearycitizenstoworkevenharder.TotalwaronthebattlefieldmeanttotalwarontheHomefronttoo.NobodyinBritaincouldescapethewar.Womenfilledmanyjobsbackhomeassomanymenwereawayfightingonthefront.BritainalsostartedcomingunderattackfromtheGermansthroughairattacksandseaattacksstoppingsuppliesfromenteringthecountry.America’sentryintothewaratthistimesuppliednewhopetoBritainanditsAllies.TheeventsintheSommegrippedthenation.TheGovernmentemployedartiststodocumentthewar.TwocameramenweregivenpermissiontofilmtroopsonthefrontlineandbyAugust1916,anofficialdocumentaryfilmentitledTheBattleoftheSommewasshownincinemasacrossthecountry.Anestimated20millionpeoplesawthefilmwithinmonthsofitsrelease,manytryingtocatchaglimpseofalovedone.
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TheBritishmilitarywantedtomotivatethehomefront.Theyhopedthatpeoplewouldseehowimportantitwastosupportthesoldierswhowerefightinganddyingfortheirfreedom.By1917theharshrealitiesofwarwerewearingthininBritain,butpeopleweredeterminedtowin.Theeffortsathomecontinuedandwomenwerenowemployedinwarindustries,onfarmsandinoffices.SomeservicedinthenewlyformedWomen’sMilitaryServices.Thiswasrevolutionary.Butthestrainwasalsobeginningtoshow.Asteepriseinthecostoflivingandlongworkinghoursintoughconditionsledtostrikes.
GovernmentPosterIn1917GermanyplannedtostarveBritainoutofthewar.Asanislandnation,itreliedheavilyonimportsfromallovertheworldtosupportitswareffortandfeeditspeople.Germanyorderedsubmarinestosink,withoutwarning,anyshipsheadingtowardsBritain’sshores.Germanleadersweretakingahugeriskwagingunrestrictedsubmarinewarfare,andAmericanshipswerenowinthefiringline.Theattackdestroyedmillionsoftonnesofgoods,butBritainsurvivedandAmericanangerhadbeenarousedandthischangedthecourseofthewar.AlthoughAmericawasneutral,ithadactedasbankersandsupplierstoBritainanditsAllies.ItwasalsofuriousatGermanyforsinkingitssubmarinesandkillingitscitizens.ThelaststrawfortheUSGovernmentwasaGermanattempttogainMexicoasanally.On6April1917,GermanydeclaredwaronAmerica.Thealliedforcesrejoiced,thismeantmorefinancialandmilitaryresourcesforthewar,buttheAmericans,withalargeNavy,wouldnotreadytofightforanotheryear.Newtechnologies,inventionsandtacticswerebeginningtochangethewaythewarwasfought.Afterthreeyears,armieshadlearnthardlessons,oftenfrombitterexperience.Britishcommanderswerelearningtoexploitthedeadlypotentialoftanksandaircraft.
http://eandt.theiet.org/magazine/2014/06/relics-of-the-great-war.cfmArtillerycouldnowlocateanddestroyhiddenenemiesandobliteratebarbedwiredefences.Soldierscouldadvanceintobattlebehindtheprotectivestormofsteelandfire.Allarmiessuccessfullyusedinnovativetacticsandtechnologiesduring1917andmanybattlesatthetimewerewonusingthem.
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Therewasstillnodecisivebreakthrough.InJuly1917BritainlaunchedanewoffensiveinYpres,aimingtorecapturevitalraillinksandsubmarinebases.Attackswerehamperedbyrainturningthebattlefieldintoliquidmud.EventuallytheGermanswereforcedbackwithterriblelosesandvictoryseemedpossible.Buttherainsreturned.BritishcommandersfelttheyhadpushedtheenemytobreakingpointbutmanyBritishsoldiersfeltutterlydemoralised.Confidencewaslow.TheBritishGovernment’swarartschemebegantoemploymenwhoweresoldiersandartiststopainttheshatteredworldtheysawaroundtheminstrikingnewways.Theartwashugelypopularandandappearedinexhibitions,magazinesandpostcards.Largecrowdsweredrawntodisplaysofofficialphotographsandpaintings.Britishpeoplewantedvisualimpressionsofwhattheirlovedonesweregoingthrough.
JohnNash:studyforOverTheTopArtistsRifles–28th(CountyofLondon)BattalionofTheLondonRegimentBy1917,thewarwasputtingagreatstrainonall.Manyleaders,soldiersandcivilianswerelookingforawayout.Statesmenthoughtaboutnegotiatinganendtothewar.Onthebattlefield,soldierswentonstrikeandonthehomefrontstherewashardshipandhunger.Publiccallsforpeacecamelouder.Somenationsbegantocrumble,thenRussiabrokeanddeclareditselfoutofthewar.By1918,GermanyconcentrateditseffortontheWestFrontforonelastoffensivetotryandbreaktheBritishandFrench.Asthewardraggedon,somepoliticiansandintellectualsmademorepubliccallsforpeace.Governmentssecretlyexplorednegotiatedsettlements,butcompromiseprovedimpossible.Thepriceforthewarhadbeenpaidinbloodbyallthefightingnations-thatmeantthatanythingbutvictorywouldmeandefeat.Bytheendof1917,800,000menfromBritainandtheCommonwealthhadbeenkilledandtobargainwithGermanywouldmeanthatpeoplehaddiedfornothing.Onbothsides,aslongaspeoplebelievedvictorywaspossible,theywerepreparedtokeeponfighting.By1917,hungercausedbyseablockadesthreatenedacollapseonthehomefront.TheGovernmentintroducedrationingtoeasetheeffortsofGermany’ssubmarinecampaignwhichprovedsuccessful.Foodwaslimitedbutpeopledidnotstarve.ButinGermanyandAustria-Hungary,aBritishblockadecausedrealsufferingandstarvation.Seriousshortagesoffoodandresourcesledtopricerises,riotsandstrikes.Abadharvestin1916turnedtheproblemintoacrisis.Thesupplyoffoodwasalsobadlymanaged.Whilsttroopswerefed,civiliansovertherewenthungry.
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GovernmentPosterOn21March1918tenthousandGermangunsbegantopoundtheBritishlinessurgingthroughdefences.Theyadvancedup40milesoftheWesternFrontandseemedonthebrinkofvictory.ByJulytheattackshadbrokendownandtheGermanswereexhausted.Thebattlehadcostthemtheirbestmen,theiradvancessofasttheycouldnotkeepgunsandsuppliesup.Withtheirbackstothewall,theAlliesstoodfirmandfoughtback.1918sawthedramaticendoftrenchwarfareasbothsidesusednewtacticsandcolossalfirepowertobreakthedeadlock.TheGermanarmylaunchedtheirmostgiganticoffensivesontheWesternFrontsince1914andtheAlliesfeareddefeat.ButAlliescounterattacked.Theyhadmoreweaponsandsupplies,whichstruckdevastatingblowsagainsttheGermans.InOctober,GermanyapproachedUSPresidentWilsonforanarmistice.Whenthisbecamepublic,Germanswonderedwhytheywerestillfighting.ToavertarevolutiontheKaiserwasforcedtoabdicate.Germany’sarmyretreated,itsalliescrumbledawayanditspeoplebegantorevolt.Germany’sarmywasdefeated.On11November1918,abeatenGermanysignedthe1918Armistice,forcingthemtoleavealloccupiedterritory,surrenderweapons,aeroplanesandwarships.ForGermany,theArmisticewasbothadefeatandabitterhumiliation.BritainanditsEmpirewastriumphant,butthewordhadchangedbeyondrecognitionduringthefouryearsofwar.Itgaverisetonewambitions,rivalriesandtensions.Oldempireshadfallenandnewnationshadbeenborn.Revolutionaryideologieslikecommunismandfascismemerged.Warswerestillbeingfought.LeadersmettogetherinParistosettlethepeace.Theywerefacedwithexhaustedpeopleandashatteredworld.Peoplehadhighhopesthattheywouldcreateanew,saferandbetterworld.AdaptedfromtheImperialWarMuseumsWorldWarOneGalleryandreproducedwithkindpermission.
