WORLD WAR IWORLD WAR I

• The Great War• Causes and Issues• Political Objective• Military Conduct• Lessons Learned• Progress in Flight • Women Progress in Aviation

• The Great War• Causes and Issues• Political Objective• Military Conduct• Lessons Learned• Progress in Flight • Women Progress in Aviation

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

DEVELOPMENTS AFTER THE SPANISH - AMERICAN WAR

Military TechnologySubmarine, 28 by 1911DestroyersTelescopic sight, range finders, centralized fire control (ships)Improved 30-caliber Springfield rifle45-caliber automatic pistolBreechloading cannons w/ smokeless powderRecoil system to prevent rolling back

Military Forces100,000 Army end strength authorized, 1901Aeronautical Division in Signal Corps, 1907Aviation Section of Signal Corps, 1914Militia Act (1903) provided funds, regular drill and annual training periodsBetween 1902 and 1906, 52 ships added to Navy

Now 3rd behind England and France12 First-class battleships by 1914

~400 miles

• “War fought to end all Wars”• The Great War

• Largest, bloodiest war to that time• Claimed almost 20,000,000 lives

• 650,000 in one battle• Accident!

• Sparked by assassination of Archduke Ferdinand• Heir to throne of Austria, blamed on Serbia• Countries aligned, Russia began mobilization because they

needed more time to move their forces to their frontiers• Other nations mobilized in turn• No one knew how to turn it off• Attack before other side was ready• Plans were very detailed,

but no plan if timetable upset• Trench warfare, stalemate

• “War fought to end all Wars”• The Great War

• Largest, bloodiest war to that time• Claimed almost 20,000,000 lives

• 650,000 in one battle• Accident!

• Sparked by assassination of Archduke Ferdinand• Heir to throne of Austria, blamed on Serbia• Countries aligned, Russia began mobilization because they

needed more time to move their forces to their frontiers• Other nations mobilized in turn• No one knew how to turn it off• Attack before other side was ready• Plans were very detailed,

but no plan if timetable upset• Trench warfare, stalemate

THE GREAT WARTHE GREAT WAR

• Allies– British Empire, France, Russia, Japan,

Italy, and finally, the United States

• The Central Powers– Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and

Bulgaria

• Allies– British Empire, France, Russia, Japan,

Italy, and finally, the United States

• The Central Powers– Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and

Bulgaria

CAUSES AND ISSUESCAUSES AND ISSUES

• Protection of their interests in region

• No real political objective, war took on a life of its own after fighting started

• Protection of their interests in region

• No real political objective, war took on a life of its own after fighting started

POLITICAL OBJECTIVEPOLITICAL OBJECTIVE

• American objectives toward the war changed from the period of neutrality to military participation to victory– “Peace without victory”

– Isolationism

• American objectives toward the war changed from the period of neutrality to military participation to victory– “Peace without victory”

– Isolationism

POLITICAL OBJECTIVEPOLITICAL OBJECTIVE

• Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare caused the United States to enter World War I in April, 1917

• Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare caused the United States to enter World War I in April, 1917

CAUSES AND ISSUESCAUSES AND ISSUES

• Military Forces – National Defense Act of 1916

– Authorized increase in army and national guard

– Selective Service Act in 1917

– Draft– Chosen by lot– No substitutes or purchasing of exemptions

• Military Forces – National Defense Act of 1916

– Authorized increase in army and national guard

– Selective Service Act in 1917

– Draft– Chosen by lot– No substitutes or purchasing of exemptions

POLITICAL OBJECTIVEPOLITICAL OBJECTIVE

• Military Technology and Technique – Trench Warfare Steel Helmet

– Weapons and Artillery Anti-Aircraft Guns– Railroads Zeppelins and Blimps– Sea Warfare Parachutes (balloons)

– Air Warfare Flamethrowers– Airplanes Camouflage– Tanks– Poison Gas (chlorine, mustard gas, phosgene)– Barbed Wire– Hydrophone– Depth Charges– Aircraft Carriers– Telephones– Radio– Submarines

• Military Technology and Technique – Trench Warfare Steel Helmet

– Weapons and Artillery Anti-Aircraft Guns– Railroads Zeppelins and Blimps– Sea Warfare Parachutes (balloons)

– Air Warfare Flamethrowers– Airplanes Camouflage– Tanks– Poison Gas (chlorine, mustard gas, phosgene)– Barbed Wire– Hydrophone– Depth Charges– Aircraft Carriers– Telephones– Radio– Submarines

POLITICAL OBJECTIVEPOLITICAL OBJECTIVE

• Military Technology and Technique – Four Primary Developments

•Rapid fire weapons•Heavy artillery pieces (150, 210, 305,

420mm)•Airplanes 6” 8” 12” 17”•Submarines

• Military Technology and Technique – Four Primary Developments

•Rapid fire weapons•Heavy artillery pieces (150, 210, 305,

420mm)•Airplanes 6” 8” 12” 17”•Submarines

POLITICAL OBJECTIVEPOLITICAL OBJECTIVE

• Military Conduct• All war plans called for quick offensive• Russia needed 6 weeks to mobilize• Germany needed to knock France out of the

war quickly to concentrate on Russia• Interior lines enabled Germans to successfully

fight on both fronts for years, but not forever• American entry enabled Allies to wear down

German ability to continue• Communist Revolution forces Russia out of

WWI in 1917

• Better State of the Peace• French wanted Germany to pay for war• Peace was short-sighted and vindictive• Set stage for WWII

• Military Conduct• All war plans called for quick offensive• Russia needed 6 weeks to mobilize• Germany needed to knock France out of the

war quickly to concentrate on Russia• Interior lines enabled Germans to successfully

fight on both fronts for years, but not forever• American entry enabled Allies to wear down

German ability to continue• Communist Revolution forces Russia out of

WWI in 1917

• Better State of the Peace• French wanted Germany to pay for war• Peace was short-sighted and vindictive• Set stage for WWII

MILITARY CONDUCTMILITARY CONDUCT

• Considered uncivilized prior to WWI•Hague Treaty, 1899, prohibited the launching of projectiles containing asphyxiating or poisonous gas• French used first, Aug 1914, tear gas• Germans fired shells at the French, Oct 1914, irritant that induced a violent fit of sneezing• Germans, Jan 1915, tear gas• Germans, Apr 1915, chlorine, caused the victim to violently cough and choke• The Germans use of chlorine gas provoked immediate widespread condemnation and certainly damaged German relations with the neutral powers, including the U.S. • British Special Gas Companies were not allowed to refer to the word "gas" in their operations, instead they referred to their gas canisters as "accessories“• It was desirable that a light wind exist in the direction of the enemy trenches…if the wind were to turn…• At Loos, 1915, the wind shifted and quantities of the smoke and gas were blown back into the British trenches…it has been estimated that more British gas casualties were suffered that morning than German• Britain, France and Germany - suffered similar self-inflicted gas reversals during 1915• Phosgene caused much less coughing with the result that more of it was inhaled• Mixture of chlorine and phosgene• Mustard gas, an almost odorless chemical, was distinguished by the serious blisters it caused both internally and externally, brought on several hours after exposure• While inflicting serious injury upon the enemy, the chemical remained potent in the soil for weeks after release…making capture of infected trenches a dangerous undertaking• By 1918 the use of use of poison gases had become widespread, particularly on the Western Front…if the war had continued into 1919 both sides had planned on inserting poison gases into 30%-50% of manufactured shells

– “Ace” - a pilot who shot down five enemy aircraft

– “Ace of Aces” - a name given to pilots of each nation with the most kills.

– “Ace” - a pilot who shot down five enemy aircraft

– “Ace of Aces” - a name given to pilots of each nation with the most kills.

PROGRESS IN FLIGHTPROGRESS IN FLIGHT

• Ace of Aces – Edward V. Rickenbacker,

American, 26 victories– Rene Fonck, French, 75

victories– Edward Mannock, British,

13 victories– Manfred von Richthofen,

German, 80 victories

• Ace of Aces – Edward V. Rickenbacker,

American, 26 victories– Rene Fonck, French, 75

victories– Edward Mannock, British,

13 victories– Manfred von Richthofen,

German, 80 victories

PROGRESS IN FLIGHTPROGRESS IN FLIGHT

• Control of air only possible for limited periods over small areas

• By 1918 Allies were so dominant in air that German Air Force was increasingly unable to intervene in ground battles

• German technology allowed photo reconnaissance up to 24,000 feet, above Allied fighters

• Zeppelin (dirigible) attacks on England and British fleet• British Grand Fleet never went to sea without ~150

aircraft, some operating on flight decks on a variety of warships

• Both sides proved strategic bombing possible, but costly and not immediately decisive• Greater impact was psychological threat on population

• Engines were behind airframes• High waste of airframes, 66% a month in England

• Squadron of 18 consumed 130 airframes every 12 months

• Fog, rain, snow and high winds made flying difficult

• Control of air only possible for limited periods over small areas

• By 1918 Allies were so dominant in air that German Air Force was increasingly unable to intervene in ground battles

• German technology allowed photo reconnaissance up to 24,000 feet, above Allied fighters

• Zeppelin (dirigible) attacks on England and British fleet• British Grand Fleet never went to sea without ~150

aircraft, some operating on flight decks on a variety of warships

• Both sides proved strategic bombing possible, but costly and not immediately decisive• Greater impact was psychological threat on population

• Engines were behind airframes• High waste of airframes, 66% a month in England

• Squadron of 18 consumed 130 airframes every 12 months

• Fog, rain, snow and high winds made flying difficult

PROGRESS IN FLIGHTPROGRESS IN FLIGHT

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

• The Great War• Causes and Issues• Political Objective• Military Conduct• Lessons Learned

• The Great War• Causes and Issues• Political Objective• Military Conduct• Lessons Learned