1.2 Europe goes to war

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• Leerjaar 3

1.2 Europe goes to war

Russian army going to war with Germany and Austria-Hungary

Goals for this lesson

At the end of this lesson you...

• can explain the Von Schlieffen plan.
• can name the chain of events after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
• can describe what it was like to fight and live in the trenches.

Von Schlieffenplan

• German plan to quickly defeat France while their larger enemy Russia was still getting its army together.
• Goal: avoiding war on two fronts. 

Assassination

(28 June 1914)

• Franz Ferdinand (Austria-Hungary) and his wife Sofie were shot dead by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip in broad daylight.

Outbreak WW1

1. Assassination
2. Austria sends Serbia ultimatum (open borders, or else)
3. Russia starts mobilising to aid Serbia
4. Germany sends Russia ultimatum (stop mobilizing, or else) Von Schlieffenplan
5. Russia continues mobilisation.
6. Germany declares war on Russia, then France
7. Germany violates Belgian neutrality leading England to declare war on Germany
8. German offensive fails to beat the French and English and both sides dig in.

Russia mobilising

Germans invade neutral Belgium

The Netherland mobilises

www.pan3sixty.co.uk

Life in the trenches

Daytime

• Often little to do (bored)
• Surroundings are dangerous
• Constant shelling

Nighttime

• Work is done at night
• Patrols
• Rebuilding trenches and barbed wire
• Bringing materials to the front line
• Constant shelling

My dear beloved

My darling if this should ever reach you it will be a sure sign that I am gone under and what will become of you and the chicks I do not know but there is one above that will see to you and not let you starve. You have been the best of wives and I loved you deeply, how much you will never know.

Dear heart, do think sometimes of me in the future when your grief has worn a bit, and the older children, I know won't forget me, and speak sometimes of me to the younger ones.

Dearest, if the chance should come your way for you are young and good looking and should a good man give you an offer it would please me to think you would take it, not to grieve too much for me.

I should not have left you thus bringing suffering and poverty on a loving wife and children for which in time I hope you will forgive me. So dear heart I will bid you all farewell hoping to meet you in the time to come if there is a hereafter. Know that my last thoughts were of you in the dugout or on the fire step my thoughts went out to you, the only one I ever loved, the one that made a man of me.

Albert was killed in action on 26 October 1917. His last letter was treasured by Edith until her death. She never remarried and as she lay dying in February 1956 she said she could see Albert in the corner of her bedroom.

Goals for this lesson

At the end of this lesson you...

• can explain the Von Schlieffen plan.
• can name the chain of events after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.
• can describe what it was like to fight and live in the trenches.