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Kriegsgeschichte
Scenes of War - Rear Area
The rear area was the link between the front and the homeland. Without a well-functioning rear area the front was not effective.
Kriegsgeschichte
The Course of the First World War (1916)
On 04.01.1916 the OHL decided to attack Verdun. The intention was not a breakthrough battle, but limited German forces were to fix strong enemy troops at this prestigious point of the Western Front and thus sustainably weaken the enemy through heavy losses. On 21.02. the Army of the German Crown Prince began the attack and achieved initial successes. Thus Fort Douaumont could already be captured on 25.02., the village of Douaumont on 02.03. and the village of Vaux on 08.03. On 14.03. the height known as “Toter Mann” was stormed.
Kriegsgeschichte
The Course of the First World War (1917)
On 19.01. a German alliance offer was made to Mexico. This inevitably led to tensions with North America. On 01.02. Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare. The demand for such a massive trade war also came from ranks of the Reichstag and put Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg under pressure.
Kriegsgeschichte
The Course of the First World War (1915)
On 16 February 1915 the French High Command ordered a renewal of the offensive in the Champagne. For the first time, hours of artillery fire prepared the infantry attacks, which nevertheless failed against the strong defensive power of the German positions. The French lost about 240,000 men, the Germans only 45,000. The British offensive at Artois beginning on 10 March also failed. The Germans remained on the defensive in the West and concentrated on further expanding their positions. Up to then these had lacked tactical depth; a second and third line were now created. It remained problematic that on both sides each main battle line was absolutely to be held in the event of enemy attacks. This rigid doctrine led to senseless losses; only slowly did the leading military commanders realize that both the classical form of attack and an overly rigid defensive posture did not lead to success or led to unacceptable losses.
Kriegsgeschichte
The Course of the First World War (1914)
From August 2, 1914 the VIII German Army Corps occupied Luxembourg. On August 3/4 German troops crossed the Belgian border. Liège was shelled and captured. Following the defeats of the small Belgian army, German victories over the French in Lorraine followed in the second half of August. Namur was captured. The French withdrew because of the German offensive; the British Expeditionary Force was defeated at Mons (August 23/24) and fell back to the Channel coast. This was followed by the Battle of the Meuse (August 24–29). Longwy and Montmédy were captured by the Germans, and on September 5, 1914 the 3rd German Army crossed the Marne.
Kriegsgeschichte
Scenes of War - Marches
Figure above: Soldiers on the march. Photo: W. Braemer/ Berlin. Around 1914/15.