The Eastern Front

Opening Stages

• Russian invasion of Galicia – AH prepared defenses

(artillery rips apart) – Russians gain territory

• Will be traded back and forth

• Nov 11 1914 Germans push on Russian lines Battle of Lodz – 1 German army vs. 2 very

unorganized Russian armies

Austria Hungary’s Attack on Serbia

• David vs. Goliath

• AH unsuccessful 3 times, have to abandon hopes of taking Serbia

• Half of 450,000 strong AH army killed or wounded

• 170k of 400k Serbs killed or wounded

• Eventually Serbs taken out by Germans, AH, and Bulgaria

Ottomans Enter War

• Oct 1914

• Want to reassert selves in area

• Go to war vs. Russia

• Little Gains

• England uses as chance to gain land in Middle East – Lawrence of Arabia

Battle of Gallipoli

• Strategic point in Turkey – Can control access to

Black sea

• Stupid Brits – Attack heavily fortified

position

– ANZAC • Mainly Aussies, Kiwis,

and Indians

• HEAVY losses

Italy Enters the War

• 1915

• Italy almost worthless to allies

• Italy wants to gain land from AH

• Forces CP to fight 3 front war

Isonzo Front

• Italian offensive – Italy vs AH

• Brutal Mountain Fighting

• Fighting goes back and forth

• Germans forced eventually to help AH in Italy

War Reaches the World

• Wars of Empire possession

• Japanese attack German Holdings in China

• Brits attack German Holdings in German East Africa, Southwest Africa, Cameroon, and Togo

• Citizens of Empire disillusioned with white supremacy

War turns in Central Power’s Favor

• 1917 • Germans capture Russian City of Riga • 1918 Russians duck out

– Sign treaty of Brest-Litovsk – Romania has to follow with out big brother

• 1918 • Easterners collapse

– Famine

• Bulgaria – Accomplished all war aims (take land from Serbia by 1916) – Last to enter, first to leave

Germany’s Secret Weapon

• Vladimir Lenin

• Had been exiled from Russia

• Germans smuggle Lenin back into Russia to have him start Revolution against Russian Tsar

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

• Treaty signed by Russians and Germans

• Russians Surrender

• Give up most of European Lands

• Negated later by Treaty of Versailles