Rise of the Dictators – Assignment 1
Why did the Allies win the First World War?
The First World War was the first war of its kind, with the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) against the Allies (Britain, France, Russia). The war resulted in an appalling number of casualties, the conflict was not specifically confined to the battlefield only, it was also waged in banks, farms, laboratories and on merchant ships. World War I cost vast amounts, it is estimated that eighty percent of war expenditure was due to borrowing. Every government strived to control foreign trade and credit, and took possession of national assets abroad. It was the end of the German, Ottoman, Russian and Austria-Hungarian Empires. Although Germany lost the war, they were highly organised and efficient. Prior to the war, the Schlieffen Plan was created against France under the impression that there would be a future war in the Western part of Europe. The plan was to infiltrate France via Belgium and launch a surprise attack, before retreating to fight…show more content… Otherwise, Germany would have launched an assault on unsuspecting France, which could have resulted in more casualties and destruction for France. Germany was forced to fight on the Eastern and Western fronts simultaneously for the duration of the war. In addition, Russia mobilised quicker than the Germans had expected, causing Germany to request for help on the two fronts from Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria, who refused to take on Russia as their skills could not match the Russians. As much of the combat happened in Allied territory, trench warfare was developed as a strategic means of defeating Central Power forces as combat was stagnant at times. Soldiers dug deep into the ground in a zigzag pattern in order to prevent enemy advancement. Life in the trenches was extreme; firing, diseases/sickness and death, which demoralised the