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World War I
The War To End All Wars
World War One (WWI) was also known as the Great War and the War to End All Wars and started when the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was shot to death along with his wife, Sophie on the 28th June 1914. This action launched a war across Europe that lasted four years from the 28th July 1914 to 11th November 1918. Most of the battles took place in Europe but also the Middle East.
Before WWI, European countries had formed alliances 'friendships' with each other to protect themselves. By doing so, this divided the world into two groups. Tensions had been rising throughout Europe for years before WWI started, especially in the troubled Balkan region of southeast Europe and the Austro-Hungarian Empire's actions.
During the four year conflict, 'the Allies' consisting of Great Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the United States fought against 'the Central Powers' which consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey).
By the time the war was over, the war claimed approximately 20 million lives.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination on the 28th June 1914 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie in Sarajevo by a Bosnian Serb nationalist named Gavrilo Princip who was also a member of the Black Hand group. This triggered the events that led to WWI in early August 1914 and Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assignation of the emperor’s nephew and his wife. Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on the 28th July 1914.
Both countries asked for help from their alliances. Austria-Hungary asked Germany and Italy to support them and the group was called the Triple Alliance. Serbia was a small country, but Russia protected them and the Russian alliances were France and Great Britain, their group was called the Triple Entente.
World War 1 Begins
Since Emperor Franz Joseph declared war on Serbia on 28th July 1914, this set off a chain of events between the 31st July to the 28th August 1914.
Germany declares war on Russia, France and Belgium and then invades Belgium. Britain declares war on Germany, Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Belgium, Montenegro, France and Britain declare war on Austria, Montenegro and Japan declared war on Germany.
Most of the countries of Europe were at war and the group called the Triple Alliance became known as the 'Central Powers' and the Triple Entente became 'the Allies'. Italy did not join the war until 23rd May 1915 when they declared war on Austria-Hungary, entering WWI on the side of the Allies.
The Western Front
There was fighting in many different areas during WWI. The Western Front was Germany's western front line. In order to free Belgium, which was already occupied by Germany, the Allies could not go around this line but had to go through it. The Western Front ran for 700 kilometres from the Belgian coast through France to the Swiss border.
Many battles between the Allies and the Central Powers took place on the Western Front. At the start of WWI the Germans had tried to defeat France quickly by invading Belgium and northeastern France where the Germans came within 48 kilometres of Paris. At the First Battle of Marne, the French army and the British Expeditionary Forces pushed the Germans back 72 kilometres, saving Paris from invasion. The Western Front saw many battles during WWI and the Battle of the Somme was one of the largest and most bloodiest battles of WWI.
Eastern Front
The battlefields east of Germany was called the Eastern Front. Troops from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Russia, and the Balkans fought here and the front was larger than the Western Front. In 1914, Russian armies pushed west into Germany and Austria-Hungary and the Germans responded to the Russian advance with a crushing defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg in August 1914. Russia lost many battles, but the situation for Russia improved on the Eastern Front when more and more Allies entered the war.
The Eastern Front ended when the Russian Revolution between the Communists and Russian Social-Democratic Party where the Communists signed a peace treaty with Germany in1917.
Trench Warfare
Trenches were used in Gallipoli and the Western Front. They were networks of ditches, hand dug into the ground to protect the soldiers from enemy bullets and artillery. Soldiers would fight, eat and sleep in the trenches that were constructed with sandbags, wooden planks, tangled barbed wire and smelling mud. Soldiers were dying not only from war but from the terrible conditions in the trenches. Lice, ticks, flies and rats were a major problem spreading 'trench fever'. Soldiers standing in the muddy conditions would experience 'trench foot,’ which could lead to amputations or even death. On the Western Front the trenches started as simple ditches and then became complex networks stretching through France and Belgium.
Between the German and Allied trenches on the Western Front was treeless and shell hole land which was known as No Man's Land.
No Man's Land
‘No man’s land' was the land between the narrow trenches of the Central Powers and the Allied trenches. The land was a wasteland with tree stumps, shell holes filled with water, twisted barbed wire and dead bodies.
It was called 'No Man's Land' because no man actually controlled it. During the day no one moved unless there was a big attack and by night there was constant fighting for control over the strip of land. In battle, soldiers had to charge out of the trenches and across no-man’s land into a hail of bullets, shrapnel and poison gas and quickly became the killing field. Over 2,000,000 German, 1,000,000 British, 1,700,000 Russian and French soldiers died in no mans land.
Gallipoli
Gallipoli was an Allied attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula, in Turkey that starting in February 1915 after the Ottoman's bombed a Russian port.
At dawn on 25th April 1915, thousands of allied troops landed at three main points on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The British Army landed at Cape Helles, while French troops landed in a ruse at Kum Kale before moving to the Helles and the Anzac's (Australian and New Zealanders) landed a little north at Ari Burnu of the intended landing site of Gaba Tepe.
When the 16,000 Australian and New Zealand troops together with British, French and Indian troops stormed the beaches, Turkish shelling had begun within an hour and the Allies had suffered heavy casualties. Trench warfare quickly formed and a stalemate between the Allies and Ottoman Empire continued throughout much of the campaign. By November 1915, it was clear that the stalemate was unlikely to be broken and it was recommended that the Allies evacuate. The last Allied troops left Cape Helles on 9th January 1916.
America Declares War
When WWI began in 1914, the United States of America officially announced that they were neutral. On the 7th May 1915, 123 Americans were killed by a German submarine when the British ocean liner Lusitania was sunk killing a total of 1,195 passengers. Following the sinking of an unarmed French boat in the English Channel in March 1916, the US President threatened to cut diplomatic relations with Germany, unless the German Government stopped attacking all passenger and merchant ships. The German Government accepted these terms but in 1917, Germany submarine's attacked passenger and merchant ships. On the 17th January 1917, British intelligence intercepted a telegram known now as the 'Zimmerman Telegram' from Germany to Mexico which exposed a plot by Germany to ally with Mexico against the American's. This prompted the American President, Wilson to ask for a declaration of war against Germany. The United States officially entered the WWI on 6th April, 1917.
Russia Revolution
The Russian Revolution started in February 1917, with Russia dealing with many defeats by the Germans and the Tsar Nicholas II 'monarch' and his government were failing to direct the war efforts and this caused additional suffering to the Russian people. There were no systems, weapons, transport, shortage of food and medical care and the Russian people protested. The Revolution saw the end of the monarch and Tsar Nicholas II stepped down and a new government took over. The government was ran by two political parties the Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Government. The Provisional Government was unpopular and this led to the Bolshevik Revolution that stood to represent the people of Russia and the Soviet. In October 1917, a coup 'takeover' was completed and the Bolshevik's arrested the Provisional Government and put themselves in charge. After the Revolution the Bolshevik Government signed a peace deal between Russia and Germany and Russia exited the war.
The End of WW1
In October 1918, an armistice 'an agreement to stop the war' between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies ended fighting in the Middle East. Only days later, the Austro-Hungarian Empire signed an armistice with Italy. The news of military defeats led to unrest and revolutions in Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm II, a German Emperor abdicated which marked the end of the German Empire in November 1918. On the 10th November 1918, the Germans received instructions from the new government that they should sign the armistice and on 11th November 1918, the Armistice was agreed. The guns feel silent on the Western Front and celebrations commenced across the world.
The war lasted exactly 4 years, 3 months and 14 days. 135 countries took part in WWI and million's of people died.
The First's in WWI
War by Land, Sea & Air
WWI was the first war to be fought on land, at sea and in the air. This was made possible by mechanised warfare: machine guns, bombs, tanks, airplanes and submarines, that caused so much destruction.
First Tank
The first tank ever to be used at war was in WWI and invented by the British -named Mark I and went into action for the first time on 15th September 1916 at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, part of the Battle of the Somme.
Poison Gas
The first use of poisonous gas in war was used by the Germans in April 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres. A chlorine gas was released from cylinders placed in the ground that caused choking and death to many soldiers.
Gas Masks
A modern upgraded gas mask was development to protect soldiers from the new chemical weapons being used by the Germans. In 1916, the British Small Box Respirator was introduced with the aim to provide protection against chlorine and phosgene gases.
Women in Service
In December 1916, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was established, the Women's Royal Naval Service was formed in November 1917 and the Women's Royal Air Force was set up in April 1918. Over a 100,000 women joined Britain's armed forces during the WWI.
Shell Shock
Shell shock was not unique to WWI but it was during this war that it was first recognised by medical professionals and the public. The symptoms include nightmares, tremors, confusion, screaming and loss of sight and hearing. and left many psychological issues.
Major Battles of WWI
First Battle of the Marne
The First Battle of the Marne took place between the 6th -12th September 1914 at the Marne River between French/British and German forces who had invaded Belgium and northeastern France. The retreating French and British troops were exhausted by the advancing German army and the Germans plan to win the war in 40 days and occupy Paris was about to be destroyed. The French/British used for the first time during warfare, radio intercepts and aircraft to outsmart the Germans. The Germans were eventually pushed back towards the River Aisne where they dug the trenches for the first time. A major number of French forces were transported by taxis and buses to the front lines, making the victory possible for the Allies. In France this battle is known as the Miracle on the Marne.
Gallipoli Campaign
The Gallipoli campaign was an
attack by the Allies on the Gallipoli peninsula between 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. The Allies were fighting the Ottoman Empire after the bombing of the Russian port and was hoping to break the stalemate on the Western and Eastern Front. The campaign started with a naval attack along the Dardanelles but naval mines sank or damaged several allied ships and the Turks fought back. A land invasion was needed and at dawn on 25th April 1915, Allied forces including Australian and New Zealand troops landed at various locations along the Gallipoli peninsula. Trench warfare took place immediately and much of the campaign was at a stalemate which lead to the decision to evacuate all Allied troops. The campaign is widely viewed as a failure by Winston Churchill.
Battle of Ypres
The Battle of Ypres was multiple battles that took place around the town of Ypres, Belgium. After the first battle of the Marne ended both the Allies and Central Powers were racing northward towards the English Channel and in October 1914, they both met at Ypres. Fierce battles began as both sides tried to gain control of the town. The fighting halted in November when winter settled on the troops and began again in April 1915. The Germans released chlorine gas, destroying two French units. When the gas was aimed at Canadian troops, they quickly soaked handkerchiefs in urine to put over their faces and held their position. The Allies invented gas mask and their own chemical weapons. The last two engagements around Ypres were in Passchendaele and Lys which led to an Allied victory on 14th October 1918.
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun took place at Verdun in northeastern France from 21st February to 18th December 1916. The battle lasting 10 months and is considered to be one of the longest battles of the war. The Germans began the battle by launching artillery shells at the French and for the first few days, Germany advanced easily, then French reinforcements came and France counterattacked. In July the Germans realised their plan had failed. From October until the end of 1916, France managed to regain the forts and territory they had lost during the battle. By its end approximately 400,000 French and 350,000 Germans soldiers died.
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme took place at the River Somme in France and lasted from 1st July to 18th November 1916. It was one of the most bloodiest and horrible battles, thousands dead or wounded every single day. By its end there were over 1 million casualties on both sides. On the first day alone, the British lost over 50,000 men. Using tanks for the first time, the British thought they would steamroll over the German defense but unfortunately the tanks malfunctioned and the Germans responded to the attack, armed with machine guns. Overall the British suffered over 420,000 casualties, the French 200,000 and the Germans 500,000.
The Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland took place over 2 days between the 31st May to 1st June 1916 off the North Sea, about 97 kilometres off the coast of Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle between the British and Germans of WWI. The British and German fleets met in a face-to-face encounter for the first time and ended as a major naval battle between the British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet. After heavy losses of both ships and men (mostly British), the German fleet narrowly escaped in the dead of night. No one really knows who was victorious because both sides claimed victory!
Albany, Western Australia
The First Convoy
On 1st November 1914, the first fleet of 38 troopships assembled in King George Sound, 28 from Australia, ten from New Zealand, carrying approximately 29,000 men and just over 7,000 horses with seven of the warships as escorts. They left Albany on 1st November 1914, travelling in a convoy from King George Sound via Ceylon and the Suez Canal to training camps in Egypt. For many, their last contact with Australia.
On 31st December 1914, the second convoy left Albany of 16 ships, including three from New Zealand, bound for Egypt. HMAT Ajana joined the convoy on 2 January 1915. Ajana underwent a conversion to a troopship at Cockatoo Island Drydock (Sydney) on the 9th and 10th December 1914, she transport 427 troops and 304 horses.
Animals of WWI
Digger the Bulldog
Digger the bulldog accompanied his owner, Sergeant James Harold Martin during his service in WWI and is said to have served three and a half years with the Australian Imperial Forces. Digger was a stray dog and followed the soldiers onto the troopship and Sergeant Martin adopted him as a mascot and he and Digger sailed from Melbourne in October 1914. Sergeant Martin served initially with the 1st Divisional Signal Company at Gallipoli and also on the Western Front in France and Belgium. Digger and Sergeant Martin returned home to Australia on 12th May 1918.
Kangaroo in Eygpt
In December 1914, with the pyramids in the background, an Australian Imperial Force infantryman sits with a kangaroo at Mena Camp - the British Empire’s training ground in Egypt. Up to a dozen kangaroos and wallabies are believed to have been stationed at Mena Camp. The kangaroo from the picture, likely belonged to either the 9th or 10th Battalion stationed in Cairo. Many soldiers smuggled animals from home onboard transport ships. When the Australian troops were ordered off to Gallipoli, the animals were left behind at the camp and some went to the Cairo Zoo.
AustralianHorse
Walers were the type of horse used by light horsemen in the Middle East during WWI. The horses were called Walers because although they came from all parts of Australia, they were originally sold through New South Wales. Australia shipped over 120,000 horses overseas during the war. Only about 29,000 served with Australians and other Allied troops in Egypt and the Middle East. At the end of WWI, Australians had 13,000 surplus horses which could not be returned home. 11,000 were sold, the majority as remounts for the British Army in India and 2,000 were destroyed.
World War One Facts
The Great War
World War I was known at first as the Great War and the War to End All Wars. It was the largest war the world had seen up to that time.
Most of the battles took place in Europe and the Middle East.