WWI as a generational change in warfare

1. The First World War: A Military Revolution

2. Questions ? Why did WWI become a bloody stalemate? Why were casualty rates so high ? Why was defense safer than offense?

3. Both Alliances Hoped For A Quick Victory “ Keep the right wing strong” Von Schlieffen Von Moltke The Schlieffen Plan Invade Belgium and France with most German armies loaded on the extreme right The Central Powers:

4. The Allies: “ PLAN XVII” Aggressively invade Alsace-Lorraine , the province Germany took from France in 1870. Superior numbers of German troops will be beaten by the greater “ ELAN VITAL “ (fighting spirit) of French troops. The huge “ Russian Steamroller” invades Eastern Germany. Germany is defeated. Field Marshal Foch Field Marshal Joffre Both Plans Failed

5. Old Tactics vs. New Technology Old Tactics…..LOSES !!!!!!!

6. Generation Theory of Warfare First Generation : Second Generation : Third Generation: First generation warfare reflects tactics of the era of the smoothbore musket, Second generation warfare was a response to the rifle, barbed wire, the machinegun, and indirect fire - W.W. I. Speed and manuver to bypass the enemy strengths and force a collapse - WWII “ BLITZKRIEG”

7. The Killing Power of New Weapons Forced Soldiers to “Dig In” -Trench Warfare The trenches went for hundreds of miles….

8. No-Man's Land

9. Weapons of War “ The Queen of The Battlefield”: The Machine Gun .30 Browning M-1917 Bergmann MP18 Submachine Gun Vickers 7.7 mm Fired 400 - 1600 bullets each minute from .30 to .50 + caliber Killed 1.5 million soldiers by 1915

10. TANK: “ The Landship” - 13 - 33 Tons. Multiple 6 pound or 75 mm guns plus machine guns. 2-5 mph

11. The Paris Gun BIG BERTHA Heavy Artillery

12. POISON GAS Mustard Gas Chlorine Gas

13. Knights of the Air The Red Baron Oswald Boelcke Captain Eddie Rickenbacker

14. “ IN FLANDER'S FIELDS” by Lieut-Col. John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.