World War I: Stalemate on the Western Front (1915-1918)

Overview

• Stalemate Period: 1915-1918 on the Western Front
  • Characterized by a lack of major movement on the front.
  • Despite stagnant lines, this period was extremely bloody.

Significant Battles of 1916

Battle of Verdun

• Date: February 1916
• Belligerents: Germany vs. France
• German Strategy:
  • Not necessarily to gain territory.
  • Aim to inflict heavy casualties on the French, potentially knocking them out of the war.
  • Exploit vulnerability in French lines due to multiple attack angles.
• Tactics: Heavy artillery shelling by Germans.
• Quote: French soldier describes the horror: "Humanity is mad... What a massacre... Men are mad."
• Outcome: Massive casualties on both sides, approximately a million, slightly more on French side.

Battle of the Somme

• Date: July 1916
• Belligerents: Anglo-French offensive against Germany
• Location: Near the Somme River
• Significance:
  • Also extremely bloody.
  • Notable for the first use of tanks by British forces.
• Outcome:
  • A million casualties on both sides.
  • No major front movement, but helped relieve pressure on Verdun as Germans had to redirect forces.

Eastern Front Developments

• 1916: Russians begin mobilizing effectively; Romanians join the Entente.
• Austro-Hungarian Struggles: Austro-Hungarians facing significant losses.

German Strategic Re-assessment

• Challenges:
  • Enormous losses at Verdun and Somme.
  • Increasing Russian aggression on the Eastern Front.
  • Austro-Hungarian difficulties.
• Hindenburg Line:
  • Germans decide to shorten their defensive front.
  • Preparations for a strategic withdrawal to a more defensible line named after Field Marshal Hindenburg.
  • The move begins in February 1917.

Conclusion

• 1916: An incredibly costly year with approximately two million casualties on the Western Front.
• Impact: Continued static front lines despite massive loss of life.