WW1 by Olivia_March

Syllabus Dot Point

olivia_march — 2015-11-18 23:53:06 UTC

3.Turning Points: Impacts of the entry of the USA and the Russian withdrawal

The Entry of the United States into the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-18 23:53:50 UTC

The Impact of American Entry into the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-18 23:54:52 UTC

The Withdrawal of Russia from the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-18 23:55:14 UTC

The Impact of Russia's Withdrawal from the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-18 23:55:28 UTC

The German Spring Offensive of 1918

olivia_march — 2015-11-18 23:55:57 UTC

The Entry of the US into the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-19 09:56:14 UTC

After gaining independance from Britain at the 18th Century the US had tried to avoid bein involved in European conflict. When war broke out in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it clear that America would remain neutral. However later events would force him to change his policy. Germany's policy of unrestricted submarine warfare was the issue that brought the US into the war. It wasn't inevitable that the US would enter the war, or even that it would fight on the Allies side. Indeed, both Allied and German propaganda tried to influence the American publics opinion. However as the war continued, more effective Allied propaganda and German actions were turning the Americans against Germany. On May 1st 1915, the Biritsh Cunard Liner, the Lusitania, set sail from New York with passengers and cargo bound for England. On May 7th it was attacked by a German submarine, the U20, off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes the ship sank and 1198 civillians lost their lives, including 124 Americans. The US was outraged. The New York Times of May 8th stated "In the history of war, no single deed is comparable in inhumanity with this horror." The Lusitania was not one single incident either. On May 1st, an American tanker, the Gulflight, had been sunk off the Scilly Isles, with the loss of 3 Americans. The British hoped that the Lusitania incident could be used to force America into the war. But in 1915 America was not ready for war and Wilson's cabinet was not united in it's response to the German attacks. By September tempers had calmed and the German government announced an end to attacks on non-enemy vessels. However in 1916, Germany renewed attacks on armed merchant vessels. The US threatened to break off diplomatic relations and again Germany backed down. In fact, in mid 1916 , the US had sharper differences with England than with Germany. By 1917 relations between the US and the Central Powers had reached an all time low. The issue that finally forced President Woodrow Wilson into the war was the announcement by the German High Command in February 1917 of the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, which would have greatly impacted on the American economy.Germany had gambled that Britain could be broken before the prescence of America in the war could be felt. In mid-january, the German government made a fatal mistake when the German foreign minister, Zimmerman, sent a secret note to the German Minister in Mexico suggesting joint German-Mexican action against the US. British intelligence intercepted this telegram and gave it to the Americans, sparking outrage. The combination of unrestricted submarine warfare, the telegram and the sinking of the Lusitania led Wilson seek a declaration of war from the Congress. On April 6th the US declared war oon Germany. On December 7th 1917 the US declared war on Austria-Hungary.

Sinking of the Lusitania

olivia_march — 2015-11-19 23:16:20 UTC

America's entry in to the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-19 23:26:12 UTC

Major Reasons for America's Entry

olivia_march — 2015-11-19 23:28:24 UTC

1: Sinking of the Lusitania 2: Unrestricted Submarine Warfare 3: Zimmerman Telegram

The Impact of American Entry into the War- American Naval Assistance to the Allies.

olivia_march — 2015-11-22 22:22:11 UTC

American Naval forces were deployed to assist the allies after President Wilson declared war on Germany and in doing this entered America into the war. America supplied munitions and supplies to Britain and her naval forces along with strategic plans to minimize the risk of allied ships being sunk. The most effective strategy employed by the allied navies was the convoy system which meant any passenger or attacking fleet would be escorted by armed ships to counter-attack the Germans if they were to attack. the combination of the allied navies further increased the size and firepower of the naval forces allowing the allies to gain certain advantageous positions in the battle at sea against the Germans. America assisted the allies as much as they could and the increased use of their munitions, supplies, troops and strategies effectively assisted the allies to go on to win the war.

Without the American Navy the Allies may have lost the war.

olivia_march — 2015-11-22 22:38:27 UTC

The American navy had an immediate effect on the course of the war. Rear Admiral William S Sims was sent to London to liaise with Royal Navy officers. The influence of Sims and others, and the friendly and effective cooperation between the British and American staff, were to have an enormous impact on the war at sea. Sims established the convoy system, in which merchant ships were protected from unrestricted submarine warfare by being accompanied by cruisers and destroyers. Without this tactic the war, may not have been lost, but the effects of the German's unrestricted submarine warfare would have had more severe consequences. Such as a cut off food supply and higher death rates. The strategy enabled American troops and supplies to cross the Atlantic safely. America also suppled replacements to ships that, prior to their entry into the war, had been sunk. It was the US Navy that initiated, planned and executed the colossal mine barrage across the North Sea which, beginning in June 1918, practically closed that exit to enemy submaries. Without the work of the US Navy, the Allies might have been defeated before American ground forces could have arrived.

Key Dates

olivia_march — 2015-11-24 02:19:09 UTC

1 May 1915: Lusitania set sail 7 May 1915: Lusitania attacked and sunk by a German submarine 1916: Germany renewed attacks on armed merchant vessels. February 1917: resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare. mid-january 1917: Zimmerman telegram. 6 April 1917: US declares war on Germany. 7 December 1917: US declares war on Austria-Hungary.

The Withdrawal of Russia from the War

olivia_march — 2015-11-24 02:25:36 UTC

General notes: In March 1917 more Russian setbacks and deterioration in conditions on the home front culminated in the forced resignation of Tsar Nicholas II. With concerted pressure from the Allies, and against the general feeling of the Russian people, Russia’s new Provisional Government chose to continue with the war effort. In July 1917 a new Galician offensive was launched. After initial success against both Austrians and Germans the Russians were defeated. Attempts to keep Russian soldiers in the fields were met with mutiny and desertion. By early August the Russians were in general retreat. “It (Russia’s withdrawal) was no surprise. Events had been pointing in that direction for almost a year.” (Marshall, SLA, World War 1, American Heritage Press, New York, 1964, p.331). Russia’s withdrawal had a very significant impact on the war on the Western Front. No longer fighting a war on two fronts, Germany was now free to transfer large numbers of extra troops and resources across to the Western Front. In November 1917 there were 150 German divisions in the West; by the 21^st of March 1918 Ludendorff had 192 divisions at his disposal. Thus, even though America had entered the war on the Allied side, it was the Germans who were reinforced first with troops who were already well-trained and experienced in battle. Ludendorff planned to use these reinforcements in a final major push to achieve victory before American troops could begin to make a difference on the Allied side.

The Impact of American Entry into WW1

olivia_march — 2015-11-24 02:37:53 UTC

Key Dates

olivia_march — 2015-11-24 02:40:33 UTC

1917: Russian army is in a state of collapse. March 1917: Tsar's forces loose control of the capital. March 1917: Provisional Government takes power. April 1917: Lenin (leader of the Bolshevik party) calls for an end to the war and land for the peasants. August 1917: Prime Minister Kerensky defends his government against an attempted rightwing coup led by General Kornilov. October 1917: the Bolsheviks decide to overthrow the Provisional Government. 7 November 1917: Bolshevik Red Guards take control of the key points of the capital Petrograd. March 1918: The Decree on Peace 3 March 1918: Germany and the Bolshevik regime agreed to peace terms in the Treaty of Brest Litovsk.

The impact of Russia's withdrawal from the war

aidan_ballinger — 2015-11-25 23:31:01 UTC

Russia's withdrawal from the war gave German chief of staff Ludendorff his 'window of opportunity' to strike at the Allies before America's prescence in the war could be felt. With Russia on it's knees descending into a civil war, Ludendorff was able to transfer troops and supplies from the Eastern Front to the Western Front. The signiing of the Treaty of Brest Litovsk gave birth to Operation Michael, the giant German Spring Offensive of 1918. The Russian withdrawal led to Ludendorff's great amble to finish the war with one more mighty offense. As Russia was France's 'bodyguard' the withdrawal of Russia meant that the Germans could turn all forces to France. Ludendorff had his plan so that his forces could crumble the France-British troops and American troops would not be an issue.

Timeline

olivia_march — 2015-11-25 23:52:32 UTC

1915: May: Sinking of the Lusitania 1917: February: Germany recommences unrestricted Submarine warfare. March: Revolution in Russia leads to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II & the establishment of a provisional Government. Publication of the ZImmerman telegram. April: The US declare war on Germany Lenin returns to Russia from exile in Switzerland. June: First American troops arrive in France. November: Bolsheviks seize power in Russia and Lenin issues the Peace Decree. 1918: March: Treaty of Brest Litovsk. July: American troops involved in the second battle of the Marne. September: American troops attack the St Mihiel salient. American troops fight in the Meuse-Argonne Battle. November: Germany signs the armistice.