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Machine Guns
The first machine gun was made on January 1, 1884. The United states was the first to use the new invention of the machine gun. Machine guns became a standard tactic in the Great War. The new invention could burst over 100 rounds into the battlefield. This weapon was responsible for millions of deaths in the War. The Crude Machine Gun that was used in the American Civil War wasn’t good enough for WW1. -
Trench Warfare
Trench warfare started to make the war unpredictable. Trench warfare provided plenty of cover for soldiers inside of it, but it also had very some bad things that happened. With all the mad and water that would flood the trench, soldiers would get trench foot and would begin to rot. The long exposure to wet areas caused the soldiers foot to rot and their toes would fall off. Trenches also caused stalemate between the two sides. -
Archduke Assassination
The assassination of the Archduke, Franz Ferdinand is what fueled WW1 to start. Germany built their army by 73% above everyone else. This caused other countries to form alliances. On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on the Serbian empire. A week after this happened, Britain, France, and Serbia had lined up against Germany and Austria-Hungary and World War 1 had officially begun. -
The Western Front
The Western Front is where Germany invaded the French the the neutral country of Belgium. On August 4, 1914 Germany crossed into Belgium in the first battle of World War 1. Germany used the most powerful weapons in war. Germany invade the powerful city of Liege. Germany used large cannons that destroyed the large city, and left lots of people dead, or injured. -
The First Battle of Marne
The First Battle of Marne was fought between the British, French armies that confronted the invading German army. The allied forces checked the German army, and successfully pulled a counterattack on the German Army. Germany's defeat meant an instant victory for France. Both Sides dug trenches and the western front was the setting for a Hellish war. -
The Battle of Verdun
This battle was the longest and the biggest in WW1. The Germans grew tired of trenches and wanted to end everything by dropping shells on a French Fort. The Germans then entered No man's land and rushed the French Fort. But the French held their ground and fought the German army off. A French general managed to sneak around this and bring in more reinforcements to help the french. -
Battle of Somme
This battle was fought between the allies against Germany. The two allies were France and Great Britain. This was one of the bloodiest battles in history. On the first day of the battle, there we 57,000 British deaths, and by the end of this battle both the allies and central powers lost 1.5 million men. -
New Machinery
After the industrial revolution, new machinery was being used in the war. Tanks, machine guns, gas, submarines, planes and many more were being used in warfare. Machine guns were a big factor during the war because it was a faster gun than all of the rifles that were used before. When used on the beaches, the machine guns killed anything walking in the battlefield. -
Norvel Clotfelter
On November 26, he and 20 other men hiked three miles to meet other men at the 359th field hospital. While in France with the 357th infantry Regiment, Clotfelter noted that his unit’s movements, the weather, commented on the food and shortly described his duties. -
America Enters WW1
During WW1 America remained neutral under president Woodrow Wilson. As it began to be tougher to remain neutral behind Germany’s submarines sinking of neutral ships. After the Germans sank the Lusitania which had 100 American on it, congress passed a $250 million arms appropriations to prepare America for war. Later the next month, Germany sunk four more merchant ships. President Woodrow Wilson appeared in front of congress on April 2 to declare war on Germany. -
Russian Revolution
After the industrial revolution, new machinery was being used in the war. Tanks, machine guns, gas, submarines, planes and many more were being used in warfare. Machine guns were a big factor during the war because it was a faster gun than all of the rifles that were used before. When used on the beaches, the machine guns killed anything walking in the battlefield. -
Norvel Clotfelter
Norvel Clotfelter’s life was upended when he was drafted into the United States Army. He left his job, postponed his wedding, and soon began his service at camp Travis, Texas. He would then go on the serve with the American expeditionary forces in England and France. There was one thing that he always kept with him since 1912. It was his diary. He maintained writing inside of it for 37 years, and the long 17 months he spent in the army. -
Toward Armistice
By the fall of 1918, the central powers had unraveled on all of the fronts. Austria-Hungary sinking within due to nationalists power growing. Germany was finally forced to seek armistice on November 11, 1918 ending World War 1. -
Treaty Of Versailles
In 1919 at the Paris Peace Conference, the allied leaders would state their desire to build a post world war that would safeguard itself against future conflicts. World war 1 was called the war to end all wars. But on June 28,1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and it wouldn’t achieve that lofty goal. Saddled with war guilt, Germany felt tricked into signing the treaty. Through the years, nations began to hate the treaty. Two decades later this caused World War 2 to start. -
Legacy of WW1
World War 1 took lives of more than 9 million soldiers plus 21 million more that were wounded. The political disruption surrounding World War 1 also contributed to the fall of four venerable imperial dynasties. German, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and also Turkey. The war brought about a massive social upheaval. Many women began to enter the war to help the men. The first global war also helped to spread one of the world’s most deadliest disease. Spanish Flu which killed 20 to 50 million people.