Wars and ConflictsΒ permalink
reasons why germany lost WW1
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Message 1.Β
Posted by BeautyfulItsMeAgain (U3138415) on Saturday, 4th February 2006
Please could someone help and enlighten me
As part of 'my history homework' i have been asked to come up with as many reasons why germany lost World War One. Honestly, i am not getting very far. can anyone suggest reasons y germany lost the war and in doing so be a great use to me.
thank you -
Message 2
Posted by BeautyfulItsMeAgain (U3138415) on Saturday, 4th February 2006
detail i dont need
one line sentences is fine -
Message 3
Posted by countvillars (U2316644) on Sunday, 5th February 2006
Lack of resources. The blockade straved thousands of Germans to death and had a serious effect on moral.
That caused an uprising which ended the war.
Germany wasn't beaten military yet at that moment. -
Message 4
Posted by TonyG (U1830405) on Sunday, 5th February 2006
The entry of America into the war meant that Germnay threw just about everything into the Sprin Offensive in 1918 to try to win a military victory before enough US trops arrived to tip the scales. It didn't succeed. After that it was just a matter of time.
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Message 5
Posted by YellowSnow (U3136538) on Sunday, 5th February 2006
all the above
and ludendorff towards the end -
Message 6
Posted by Plank (U1462986) on Sunday, 5th February 2006
Let's have some honesty:
One German Colonel expressed it ; "We collapsed in August, (Amiens) 1918, and on the battlefield, not in consequence of the revolution in the homeland which followed the collapse. We were beaten for purely military reasons, it was not the homeland but the fighting forces of our opponents which brought our Armies to ruin."
Even before that in 1916:
Gervas Phillips:
"The Somme demonstrates clearly that Haig's offensives were not simply repeats of the same techniques, but that the BEF became increasingly potent as the war progressed. The citizen army was improving. During the first 24 days of the Somme offensive, the BEF captured 11,119 prisoners and 56 artillery pieces. During the first 24 days of the Arras offensive the BEF captured 18,128 prisoners and 230 artillery pieces. The Arras offensive also initially drew in, and wore out, more German Divisions than had the Somme."
And, taken from Sir John Davidson on 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele):
"What the British soldier achieved was something far greater. This was the bitterest campaign of the whole war, the one in which the British single-handed shouldered the whole burden, and of which the British nation may most justly feel proud; the one in which the British held the German Army in its grip, closed with it, and fixed it to its ground, thus preventing the enemy from taking the initiative in such a manner as to gain the decision elsewhere."
He goes on:
"...the deliberate manner in which the German counterattacks were repeatedly smashed with heavy loss, and were constantly discussing and altering the tactics of the defence so as to minimize the loss.
Not only does he (Gen Falkenhayn) admit this in his memoirs, but documents captured at the time showed that the German High Command recognized the failure of their methods."
Even at the Somme where divisions on both sides were roughly equal and where attack at least should be 3 to 1 ratio (and it wasn't) where defence favours the enemy, there were still more deaths on the German side at the end of it. And a retreat 50 miles, as they admitted not being able to go thru that again. Conceded defeat. A British phyrric victory a the very least. The Germans even lost attacking 1st Ypres to the small BEF.
Wikipedia casualty figures on the Somme:
The figures of just 95,575 dead (improvment from the first day of 19,000) for the whole episode, to 164,055 Germans is impressive. Especially when the numbers of Divisions were roughly equal in an enduring offensive.
When a final tally was compiled after the war, a count of 419,654 British Empire and 204,253 French killed, wounded and prisoners was reached; a total loss 623,907 of which 146,431 were killed or missing.
Major-General Sir Frederick Maurice was supplied by the German Reichsarchiv with a figure of 164,055 for the German killed or missing.
Falkenhayn was sacked after Somme and Verdun.
Overall the German strategy was poor and they never won anything. They were beat. In a pro war report they stated "Haig won the war." (that's now 2 German quotes for you
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Message 7
Posted by Eliza6Beth (U2637732) on Sunday, 5th February 2006
War on two fronts. Big mistake. Did it again second time around. Bigger mistake.
Haig, in Oh what a wonderful war says 'Thing is, we have more people than they have, so in the end, we'll win' - or words to that effect.
Finally, USA enters war. End game. (stupid Germans for sinking the Lusitania, eh?)
Eliza. -
Message 8
Posted by YellowSnow (U3136538) on Monday, 6th February 2006
the sinking of the lusitania certainly was a contributing factor for the US entering the war, but so was german secret agents running amuck on the east coast of america
the main reason for america entering the first world war was completely down to the zimmerman telegram, it was in a completly different class to anything else War on two fronts. Big mistake. Did it again second time around. Bigger mistake.
Haig, in Oh what a wonderful war says 'Thing is, we have more people than they have, so in the end, we'll win' - or words to that effect.
Finally, USA enters war. End game. (stupid Germans for sinking the Lusitania, eh?)
·΅±τΎ±³ϊ²Ή.Μύ -
Message 9
Posted by Eliza6Beth (U2637732) on Tuesday, 7th February 2006
Zimmerman telegram? Tell me more!
Thanks - Eliza -
Message 10
Posted by YellowSnow (U3136538) on Tuesday, 7th February 2006
it was a telegram that was intercepted by the british, the telegram was sent from the germans to the mexicans trying to provoke them into invading america
the british had been trying to get the yanks into the war for ages, but now with this they were gauranteed to have their support
Zimmerman telegram? Tell me more!
Thanks - ElizaΒ -
Message 11
Posted by Eliza6Beth (U2637732) on Tuesday, 7th February 2006
Amazing - I never knew this, never even heard of it! Was it genuine you think, or a set up by the cunning English?
Eliza. -
Message 12
Posted by YellowSnow (U3136538) on Tuesday, 7th February 2006
obviously this was the first thought, but its authenticity was confirmed (somehow)
the hun also had plans to invade ameirca itself, to capture the east coast Amazing - I never knew this, never even heard of it! Was it genuine you think, or a set up by the cunning English?
·΅±τΎ±³ϊ²Ή.Μύ
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