Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
WWI Past Paper Questions (The Essay: Evaluate the Reasons for an Allied…
WWI Past Paper Questions
The Essay: Evaluate the Reasons for an Allied Victory in WWI
Introduction
discuss how multiple factors contributed to their victory
argument: allies won because of
technological/strategic/tactical advantages
weakness of Germany
strength of its allies (especially USA)
ultimately, allies won because they had resources to sustain a prolonged war
manpower/food/equipment/good allies
when was broke out on July 28th 1914 - it was not inevitable that the allies would win
Paragraph 1: Strategic/Tactical Advantages
technology did not play a decisive factor in determining the allied victory
but it did shape the nature of the war
allies maintained naval superiority (mainly because of Britain)
Britain used its navy in a pivotal blockade (1914-1918)
intended to limit Germany's supplies/trade flow
German supplies often intercepted - made it hard to import sufficient military resources for the home front/military
made worse by harsh winters (1916-17 turnip winter)
heavy rationing
malnutrition
in contrast, Britain used its empire/control of the sea to keep its people well fed
they had plenty of raw materials for wartime industry
by January 1917, Germany had a fleet of 110 U-boats
to counter the allied blockade they announced unrestricted submarine warfare
summer 1918, Britain merchant shipping faced heavy losses
Britain sent out decoy ships and used aircrafts to send torpedoes
Britain had a superior convoy system to counter U-boat warfare - could detect German U-boat locations
allies had superior technology
1917: Britain 1,000 tanks, France 4,000 and Germany 20
when first used at Battle of Cambria (1917) they were successful
demonstrated potential of tanks
despite Germans regaining territory within a week
allies constantly had superior military power
May 1916: Battle of Jutland - naval battle between Britain and Germany
Germany inflicted greater losses but Britain still had the larger navy
some strategies failed
Battle of Somme resulted in war of attrition in which many lives were lost but barely any territory was gained
but the stalemate was a weakness of Germany too
Paragraph 2: Weakness of Opponents
tactical advantages alone do not account for allied superiority
Germany made numerous ambitious gambles
Schlieffen plan
invade France through Belgium, assumed Russia would take 6 weeks to mobilise
resulted in Britain joining the war
Ludendorff offensive in Spring 1918
Germany made an 80 km advance but lost 800,000 troops
Allies gained troops daily from USA
weak allies
central powers weaker than Triple Entente
even though Russia left in 1917
allies had strong members - including USA (economic support)
Italy switched sides in 1915 (Treaty of London)
Ottoman Empire in decline: 'sick man of Europe'
Austria-Hungary weak - constantly dealing with internal unrest
Bulgaria not on par with other nations strengths
Germans had lower morale
food supplies were limited by naval blockade
starvation at homefront causes unhappiness
Germany: 2% of government expenditure went to civilian sector
Britain: 16%
internal divisions in Germany - 28th October 1918, naval mutiny spread across Germany
at the point of revolution
forced to sign Armistice as a result
Paragraph 3: The Entering of the USA
unrestricted u-boat warfare led to the sinking of Lusitania (1915) and over 120 were killed
caused public pressure to enter the war
May 1916: Sussex (French ship) sunk
Wilson declared that if Germany continued with unrestricted u-boat warfare, diplomatic ties would be broken
Germany momentarily stopped, but resumed in 1917 - allied blockade was too exacting on German supplies
January 1917: Zimmerman telegram
Germany attempted to get Mexico to join war by promising territory in USA in return
deciphered by Britain
6th April 1917: USA declared war
bu August 1918: USA sending 300,000 troops per month
Allies already had a larger reserve than Germany (due to Britons empire) - now had even more
provided necessary force to tip the balance of power
morale boost huge
US propaganda for joining war gave allies high morale - Germans morale was dwindling
US helped armed allies with metals, ammunition and huge loans
enabled allies to sustain war until 1918 - Germany could not