3. The course of the war The war lasted from 1914 to 1918, and went through different phases. (11) War of movement (1914) At the beginning of the war, Germany tried to execute the Schlief fen Plan, which was to defeat France quickly and then attack Russia . However, the French stopped the Germans at the Battle of the Marne (September 1914). At France's request, Russia launched an offensive against Germany at the end of August 1914. The Russians were defeated at Tannenberg, but this offensive forced the Germans to move troops to the east, which helped France. Trench warfare, or war of positions (1915-1916) In 1915, the fronts stabilised . Trenches were built and barbed wire was erected to prevent the enemy from advancing. 8. Football match between British and German soldiers. An unofficial truce took place at various points along the front during Christmas 1914. List the phases of the war. Explain the difference between the war of movement and the war of positions. Make a hypothesis. Would the war have ended differently if the USA was not involved? Explain your answer. In 1916, the Germans tried to break through the western front at the Battle of Verdun (9) and the British tried to do the same at the Battle of the Somme. However, neither side advanced far and hundreds of thousands of soldiers died . The western front This front was stable. However, there was discontent among the Russian soldiers because of the poor treatment they were receiving. The eastern front In the Mediterranean, the British tried to take the Dardanelles Strait in order to isolate Türkiye, but they were defeated at Gallipoli. With the help of Arab nationalists, the Allies occupied several Ottoman territories in the Middle East. The Mediterranean and the Middle East Britain conquered many German colonies in Africa and Asia . At sea , the British f leet blockaded Germany, preventing supplies from arriving. Germany counterattacked with submarine warfare. Other theatres of war K E Y Q U E S T I O N S 9. French soldiers during the Battle of Verdun 30
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