Five major battles:
Verdun - Dec 1916
French willing to sacrifice everything for Verdun due to its historical significance
Germans tried to wipe out French in battle of atrition
500000 French casualities, 400000 German
narrow front
A change in German command allowed French to recapture lost forts and everyone was back where they started
phosgene gas & flame throwers
Somme - July-Nov 1916
Offensive developed by Haig - he wanted breakthrough initially but when this failed he amended his diary to indicate he wanted to relieve Verdun and wear down the Germans
Allies couldn't keep plans secret, Germans found out and took higher ground
Artillery bombardment huge (400000 shells on final day)
1st day of Somme battle was worst in British military history - 60000 casualities, 20000 dead
used linear advance - no training in concealment, men advanced at walking pace
New recruits = inexperienced soliders
Weather a problem - fog etc
3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) - 31st July - 6th Nov 1917
Haig seeks to breakthrough Germans at Ypres salient
Inital attack failed - men just sank in mud
Haig persists against torrential rain - - little success
Only indepedent British attack in WW1
No strategic value
Ended with capture of Passchendaele
German Offensive 1918 (Operation Micheal)
at this point the war could be won by either side
Aimed to breakthrough Allied defences, paralyse forces and compel them to peace
used element of surprise
Ludendorff saw need for breakthrough before the US got involved
Launched massive attacks
Without any aid from French Allied armies either fell or suffered greatly
Germany had overwhelming artillery superiority
Failed due to lack of supplies, difficulty of terrain, problems on German homefront and the arrival of US trouble
New weapons = mustard gas
Allied Counter Offensive July-Nov 1918
Haig's attack ner Amiens 8th August = 1st effective use of tanks = blackest day of German army in war
Continued to push Germans back
Oct - Ludendorff resigns, new government calls for Wilson's 14 points to be implemented
allied advanced + mutinies + threat of communist revolt on home front = armistic 11/11/1918
Allies had superiority in men & firepower
Hope that helped some