Course Focus: Why were the central powers defeated? (M04, N06, M08)

Course Focus: Why were the central powers defeated? (M04, N06, M08) Main Themes: Misjudgement of the nature of the war; Failure of War of Movement; Stalemate/Attrition, Resources (USA!). Weak German Allies SAN GUP: Schlieffen Plan failure, Allies (Weak), Nature of war, German collapse, U-boat, Power of the Entente 1. Failure of the Schlieffen Plan - flawed from beginning – Russia managed to mobilize < 6 weeks, but defeated easily at Tannenberg/Masurian Lakes (1914) + enormous undertaking (70miles/day marches with equip.) - von Moltke alterations – only through Belgium + more troops sent to reinforce East/Verdun - obstacles – Belgian forts resistance, BEF slowed down attack, bad weather, exhausted troops - failed to encircle Paris – von Kluck turns east  battle of the Marne (Sep.5-12)  repulsed => trenches - race to the sea – 720km of trenches from Alps to Channel – November 2. Weak Allies – Germany was left alone after Nov. 2, 1918 - Austria-Hungary o Italy joined (1915) – attack on Trentino by Aus. failed. (1915); driven back in 1917 by IT/GB/FRA o Oct. 6 – Nov. 1st1918 – nationalities defect Austria-Hungary – Yugoslav, Pole, Czechoslovak and Hungarian independence declared o Mass desertions – 1,451 in a single day in Octover o Italian offensive on Oct. 24th (Battle of Vittorio Veneto) – whole Austrian divisions deserted to Italy  ceasefire on Nov. 3rd - Balkans – initial Central Power success o Bulgaria joined in Sep. 1915  attack on Serbia with GER/AUS – success o GB/FRA troops landed at Thessaloniki to assist Serbia, but repulsed into Greece o BUT 1918 General d’Esperey led Allied force from Macedonia to Bulgaria – collapsed after Battle of Doiran and surrendered on Sep. 25 th, 1918 - Turkey (Oct. 1914 joins) – Gallipoli campaign o ANZAC troops – April 25th, 1915 – disaster – trapped between Turkish positions and sea; 150,000 casualties  evacuated in December o BUT GER had to support Turkey + no major Turkish advance o General Allenby enters Damascus on Oct. 1st  peace within a month 3. Nature of the War