Course of WWI: Total War &
The Collapse of the Central Powers
The Collapse of the Central Powers
"This was... a demonstration of the prodigious strength,
resilience and killing power of modern states."
resilience and killing power of modern states."
Total War
World War One was like no other war before in history. The main theatre of war, the Western Front, was deadlocked from a few months after the war's start in 1914 until a few months before its end in 1918, stretching in a continuous line of trenches from the English Channel to the Swiss frontier. By 1916 the forces of Germany, France and the British Empire, armies millions of men strong, measured advances in terms of a few miles (or kilometres) gained over several months. Casualties for each big attack or 'push' ran into hundreds of thousands on both sides, with calculations for victory based on national birth-rates to replace the losses. This was not the kind of war that anyone, including the politicians and generals who directed it, wanted to fight.
World War One was like no other war before in history. The main theatre of war, the Western Front, was deadlocked from a few months after the war's start in 1914 until a few months before its end in 1918, stretching in a continuous line of trenches from the English Channel to the Swiss frontier. By 1916 the forces of Germany, France and the British Empire, armies millions of men strong, measured advances in terms of a few miles (or kilometres) gained over several months. Casualties for each big attack or 'push' ran into hundreds of thousands on both sides, with calculations for victory based on national birth-rates to replace the losses. This was not the kind of war that anyone, including the politicians and generals who directed it, wanted to fight.
This was the first mass global war of the industrialised age, a demonstration of the prodigious strength, resilience and killing power of modern states. The war was also fought at a high point of patriotism and belief in the existing social hierarchy; beliefs that the war itself helped destroy, and that the modern world finds very hard to understand.
By the middle of World War One it was known as 'Total War' - the organisation of entire societies for war in a social, economic, and even spiritual sense. There were, of course, protests and debates, but the vast majority of people fought in World War One, or supported it with the 'Home Front' because they believed that victory for their own country was worth the cost.
By the middle of World War One it was known as 'Total War' - the organisation of entire societies for war in a social, economic, and even spiritual sense. There were, of course, protests and debates, but the vast majority of people fought in World War One, or supported it with the 'Home Front' because they believed that victory for their own country was worth the cost.
Task 1: How WWI was Fought and the Technological Developments of WWI
- Read Chapter 3 of the text History - 20th Century World: Causes, Practices and Effects of War, Chapters 1 and 2 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The First World War - David Stevenson.pdf", "The Ludendorff Offensive.pdf", "The Collapse of the Central Powers.pdf" and "Why did Germany Lose?.pdf".
- Additional reading: Chapter 8 of the text History - 20th Century World: Causes, Practices and Effects of War.
- Complete the two tables below.
Task 2: In What Ways was WWI a Total War?
- Read Chapter 3 of the text History - 20th Century World: Causes, Practices and Effects of War, Chapters 1 and 2 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The First World War - David Stevenson.pdf", "The Ludendorff Offensive.pdf", "The Collapse of the Central Powers.pdf" and "Why did Germany Lose?.pdf".
- Additional reading: Chapter 8 of the text History - 20th Century World: Causes, Practices and Effects of War.
- Complete the following spider-diagram below.
The Collapse of the Central Powers
From the start, Germany and it's allies were set to have a tragic end; unlike the British, they did not have a strong Government to make good decisions involving the military, economic or cultural aspects of their country that was represented in the war. Towards the end, Germany's army began to completely deteriorate while England, France, and the USA were still standing confidently as they worked together and had strong and well-trained armies and navies, enough money to supply the soldiers with weapons, and the trust of their nation's people. Countless mistakes were made by the Central powers to drive them out of the war with which nothing was gained but millions of their own men dead. Events like the Zimmerman Telegram, the Von Schlieffen Plan, and the Battle of Jutland were all significant factors that greatly contributed to the downfall of Germany and her allies in WWI.
Task 3: The Collapse of the Central Powers
- Read Chapter 3 of the text History - 20th Century World: Causes, Practices and Effects of War, Chapters 1 and 2 of the text "Modern World History (blue text)", "The First World War - David Stevenson.pdf", "The Ludendorff Offensive.pdf", "The Collapse of the Central Powers.pdf" and "Why did Germany Lose?.pdf".
- Complete the following spider-diagram below and make sure you include the appropriate historiography.
Exam Questions
Paper 2: Topic 1 - Causes, Practices and Effects of War
May Exams
November Exams
Paper 3 Questions
Paper 2: Topic 1 - Causes, Practices and Effects of War
May Exams
- Compare and contrast the use of naval warfare in two wars, each chosen from a different region. (May 2005 & 2007)
- To what extent did technological developments ensure victory in twentieth century wars? (May 2006)
- To what extent did changes in military tactics and strategies determine the outcome of twentieth century wars? (TZ1 May 2008)
- “Even in the twentieth century the term ‘total war’ could not be applied to any war.” To what extent do you agree with this judgment? (TZ1 May 2008)
- Examine the role of warfare either at sea or in the air in two wars each chosen from a different region. (TZ2 May 2008)
- Why, and with what results, was the First World War not confined to Europe? (TZ2 May 2008)
- Assess the significance of naval warfare in determining the outcome of one twentieth century war. (TZ1 May 2010)
- “Many twentieth century wars had the characteristics of both a limited and a total war.” With reference to two wars explain to what extent you agree with this statement. (TZ1 May 2010)
- Assess the importance of air power in determining the outcome of one twentieth century war. (TZ2 May 2010)
- Analyse the reasons for the defeat of Germany in either the First World War or the Second World War. (TZ2 May 2010)
- In what ways did advances in technology affect the nature and outcome of warfare in the first half of the twentieth century? (TZ1 May 2012)
- Analyse the economic and social effects of two wars in the second half of the twentieth century. (TZ1 May 2012)
- “Technology is a key factor in winning wars.” With reference to two wars that took place in the second half of the twentieth century, explain to what extent you agree with this statement. (TZ2 May 2012)
- Analyse the social and economic effects of one war that occurred in the first half of the twentieth century. (TZ2 May 2012)
November Exams
- Account for either the defeat of the Central Powers in the First World War or the Axis powers in the Second World War. (Nov 2005)
- Define “total war” and examine to what extent either the First World War or the Second World War was a “total war”. (Nov 2008)
- With reference to two wars examine the impact of technological developments in air and sea power. (Nov 2008)
- In what ways, and for what reasons, did technological developments affect the nature and the outcome of two twentieth century wars, each chosen from a different region? (Nov 2010)
- “In twentieth century total war, victory depended as much on the contribution of the home front as developments on the military front.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? (Nov 2010)
- With reference to one war before 1945 and one war after 1945, assess the significance of either air power or naval power in deciding its outcome. (Nov 2011)
Paper 3 Questions
- Analyse the factors which led to the defeat of Germany and Austria-Hungary during the First World War. (Nov 2006)
- Why were the Central Powers defeated in the First World War? (May 2008)