Even before the war, it was safe to assume that the Western Front will take away a lot of lives.It touched the two great civilizations - French and German.In 1871, Bismarck took from Napoleon III Alsace and Lorraine.The new generation of neighbors eager for revenge.
German invasion
According to the Schlieffen Plan, the German troops were to strike a quick blow to his main rival in the region - France.In order to pave a convenient way to Paris, planning to seize Luxembourg and Belgium.The tiny principality was occupied by 2 August 1914.That it was made the first blow.The Western Front was opened.Two days later, Belgium turned out to be under attack, which refused to allow the aggressor troops through its territory.
key battle of the early days of the war is considered the siege of the fortress of Liege.It was a key point of crossing the river Maas.The military operation took place from 5 to 16 August.Defenders (36,000 reservists) have at their disposal 12 forts and 400 guns.Maaskaya army of attackers was almost 2 times more (almost 60 thousand soldiers and officers).
City was considered an impregnable fortress, but he fell as soon as the Germans brought up siege artillery (August 12).Following the August 20 fell Liege capital city - Brussels, and on August 23 - Namur.At the same time, the French army tried unsuccessfully to invade and gain a foothold in Alsace and Lorraine.The outcome of the siege was the implementation of a rapid onset of German troops.At the same time after the August fighting, it became clear that the strengthening of the old type is not able to restrain the troops, equipped with a new weapon - XX century.
Little Belgium quickly left behind, and fighting abroad transported to France, where he stayed the Western Front.1914 - it is also a series of battles at the end of August (the Ardennes operation, the Battle of Charleroi and Mons).The total number of troops on both sides exceeded 2 million.Despite the fact that the French 5th Army helped several British divisions, the troops of the Kaiser by 5 September reached the river Marne.
Battle of the Marne
plans Berlin command environment was Paris.That goal seemed achievable because in early September some units were already at a distance of 40 kilometers from the French capital.In 1914 the Western Front seemed to forge unqualified success of the Kaiser and his General Staff.
That's when Allied troops went to the counter-attack.The fighting spread out over a large area.At a critical moment to help the French arrived Moroccan Division.The soldiers came, not only on the railways, but even with the help of a taxi.It was the first time in history when the war as mass transport vehicles used.Communication of the German army were stretched across Belgium and replenishment in manpower stopped.In addition, the same 5th French Army broke through the enemy defenses and went to the rear, where many German soldiers threw in East Prussia, where Russia opened the North-Western Front.Seeing this situation, General Alexander von Kluck gave the order to retreat.
Soldiers Triple Alliance received a strong psychological impact.Irremovability personnel led to the fact that the prisoner took the sleeping soldiers.However, France and England were unable to take advantage of his victory.The pursuit was sluggish and slow.Allies failed to cut off fleeing enemies and fill the gaps in their defense.By October
active battles were transferred to the north, closer to the coast.The infantry on both sides tried to bypass the enemy's flank.Success has been variable, up to the end of the year no one was able to deal a decisive blow.On Christmas Eve, some division informally agreed to a cease-fire.Each case receives the name "Christmas truce".
Trench warfare
After the events of the Marne Western Front has changed the nature of the confrontation.Now opponents entrenched in their positions, and the war became positional throughout 1915.Plan blitzkrieg, who had hatched in Berlin fell.
Individual attempts by the parties to move forward turned around disasters.So, after the attack in Champagne Allies lost no less than 50 thousand people, advancing only half a kilometer.In a similar scenario Battle of Neuve-Chapelle village, where the British have lost more than 10 thousand soldiers, advancing only 2 kilometers.Western Front became the largest in the history of the meat grinder.
might as well go ahead Germans.In April and May there was the battle of Ypres, which became tragically famous and thanks to the use of poison gas.Unprepared for such an eventuality infantry perished, the loss of thousands.After the first attack on the battlefield were taken urgently masks, which have helped to survive the re-use of the gas weapon of the German army.Overall, Allied casualties at Ypres made 70 thousand people (from the German Empire - half).The success of the offensive was limited and, in spite of mass casualties, line of defense had not been breached.
fighting the Western Front continued at Artois.Here, the Allies tried to develop the attack twice - in spring and autumn.Both operations have failed, not least through the use of machine guns Reich.
Battle of Verdun
comes the spring of 1916, Western Front met by large-scale military actions in the town of Verdun.Unlike previous operations, especially the next plan of the German generals became settlement attack on a narrow piece of land.By this time - after a series of bloody battles - German army simply did not have sufficient resources to advance over a wide area as it was, for example, on the Marne in 1914.
attacks have become an important part of the shelling which destroyed the fortified position of the subjects of the Third Republic.After the bombing destroyed fortification occupied infantry.Also, it was used such innovative weapon as flame throwers.Since the beginning of the cast of the Triple Alliance troops gained the strategic initiative.
At that time, Russia continued to harass its North-Western Front.In the midst of the events of Verdun began lake naroch offensive.Russian army made a feint in the area of contemporary Minsk region, followed by the command of the Reich decided to transfer some powers to the East, as in Berlin felt that there began a general offensive.It was a mistake, because its main blow inflicted Russia towards Austria-Hungary (Brusilovsky breakthrough).
way or another, but a precedent has been created.Western and Eastern fronts simultaneously exhausted army Kaiser.In October, after a series of local failures of the French came to the lines they held in February before the start of the enemy offensive.No strategic results did not reach Germany.The amount of losses on both sides have reached more than 600 thousand people (killed about 300 thousand).
Battle of the Somme
In July 1916, when the Battle of Verdun dragged compounds allies started their own offensive on other fronts.Operation on the Somme began with an artillery barrage, which was conducted a week.After a systematic destruction of the infrastructure of the enemy infantry start its movement.
As it was before, in 1916 the Western Front was shaken by a long and protracted battles.However, the events of the Somme were remembered in the history of several features.Firstly, there were first used tanks.They were invented by the British and the different technical imperfection: deteriorating rapidly and broke.Nevertheless, this did not prevent the new product cause serious psychological impact on the enemy infantry.Ordinary fled in terror at the mere form of outlandish art.This success gave a major boost to the development of tank.Secondly, their advantage has confirmed aerial photography, which was conducted in order to survey enemy positions.
fighting was attrition, and take a lot of character.By September, it became clear that the recent strength in the German left.As a result, in the first days of autumn allies moved deep into enemy positions at several tens of kilometers.September 25 were occupied heights that had strategic importance in the region.
Western Front bled German troops who fought already with several enemies alone.They lost important and fortified positions.Somme and Verdun led to the fact that the Allies captured the strategic advantage and could now impose the war the Kaiser and his staff.
Hindenburg Line
Vector events changed - back rolled away the Western Front.The First World has entered a new phase.Imperial Army was withdrawn behind the Hindenburg.It was a system of fortifications great length.She even began to build during the events of the Somme in accordance with the instructions of Paul von Hindenburg, in whose honor was named.Field-Marshal was transferred to France from the Eastern theater of operations, where he successfully waged war against the Russian Empire.His decision to support other military figure - Erich Ludendorff, in the future, raises his head had supported the Nazi party.
Line constructed throughout the winter 1916-1917.It is divided into five lines, received the names of the characters in German epic.Western Front of World War 1 even remembered kilometers of trenches and barbed wire.Army finally relocated in February 1917.The retreat was followed by the destruction of cities, roads and other infrastructure (scorched earth).
Nivelle Offensive
The first remember the First World War?Western Front - a symbol of the senselessness of casualties."Mincer Nivelle" has become one of the greatest tragedies in the history of this conflict.
in the operation on the side of the Entente was attended by over 4 million people, while Germany had only 2.7 million.However, the use of this margin was not possible.Shortly before throwing the Germans captured a French soldier who had with him a plan of operation in writing.Thus, it became aware of the impending diversionary attacks, preparing Britain.As a result, its use has been reduced to zero.
very offensive bogged down, and the Allies were unable to break through the enemy's defenses.Losses on both sides exceeded half a million.After the failure in France began strikes and discontent among the population.
noteworthy that in the infamous attack participated Russian army.Russian expeditionary force was formed specially for shipment to Western Europe.After many losses in April and May 1917, it was disbanded and the remaining soldiers were sent to a camp near Limoges.In the autumn of soldiers stationed in a foreign country revolted, and after the October Revolution broke out, someone came back to the battlefields, while others were on the plants in the rear, and the third went to Algeria and the Balkans.In the future, a lot of officers returned home and died in the Civil War.
Pashendeyl and Cambrai
Summer 1917 was marked by the Third Battle of Ypres, which is also known by the name of a small village Pashendeyl.At this time, the British command decided to break the Western Front.World forced to recall many of the resources of the colonies of the Empire.It is part of the fight from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.Expeditionary Force received the first mass loss due to the use of the new enemy of the gas weapon.That was mustard gas or mustard gas, which hit the respiratory system destroys the cells, disrupt the metabolism of carbohydrates in the body.Wards Field Marshal Douglas Haig died by the thousands.
affected by natural conditions.Local marshes were buried in the pouring rain and had to walk through thick mud.The British lost a total of 500 thousand people dead and wounded.We managed to move only a few kilometers.No one knew when the world will end 1.Western Front continued to blaze.
Another important initiative of the British - offensive at Cambrai (November-December 1917), where with unprecedented success hitherto been used tanks.They managed to go through the Hindenburg Line.However, the flip side of fortune was lagging behind the infantry and, as a result, extension of communications.The enemy took advantage of this, having a competent counterattack and threw the British to their original positions.
Completion Campaign
As in 1914, the Western Front until the last months of the war practically did not change its location.The situation remained stable exactly to the moment when Russia was set power of the Bolsheviks and Lenin decided to stop the "imperialist war."The world was postponed several times due to the throwing of the delegation headed by Trotsky, but after the next attack of the Germans contract still was signed on March 3, 1918 in Brest.After that, from the east in a hurry were transferred 44 divisions.
And on March 21 began the so-called spring offensive, which was the last serious attempt of the army of Wilhelm II to impose its course of the war.The result of several operations was crossing of the river Marne.However, after the crossing was able to move only 6 kilometers, then in July, the Allies began the decisive offensive, called the hundred day.Between August 8 and 11 November were subsequently liquidated Amiens and Saint-Miyelsky projections.In September, it began a general roll from the North Sea to Verdun.
In Germany, the economic and humanitarian disaster.Demoralized soldiers surrendered en masse.The defeat was aggravated by the fact that the United States had joined the Entente.American divisions were well trained and full of energy, as opposed to those who were on the other side of the trenches, which rolled back by 80 kilometers.By November, the fighting was already in Belgium.Number 11 in Berlin, there was a revolution, destroy the power of William.The new government signed an armistice.The fighting stopped.
Results
war officially ended only June 28, 1919, when the Palace of Versailles was signed the corresponding contract.Authorities in Berlin agreed to pay a huge indemnity, to give a tenth of the country, to demilitarize.For several years the economy of the country was plunged into chaos.Mark depreciated.
How many lives took the First World War?The Western Front was the main place of battles throughout the years of conflict.Both sides killed several million people, many wounded, concussion or crazy.The use of new weapons like never devalued human life.New technology has received intelligence.Western Front, the first blow which was as bad as the attack after 4 years, remain non-healing scar in the history of Europe.While the bloody battles were fought in other regions, they do not have such strategic importance.It is on the Belgian and French soil the German army suffered the most serious losses.
These developments were reflected in the culture: books Remarque, Junger, Aldington, and others.It served as a young corporal Adolf Hitler.His generation was embittered unfair outcome of the war.This led to the growth of chauvinistic sentiments in the Weimar Republic, the Nazi rise to power and the outbreak of World War II.
