End of the Stalemate
- The Allies and Central Powers were deadlocked along a 400-mile of fortified trenches. The stalemate was finally broken in March of 1918 when the Germans launched an all out offensive for the first time in four years. For five hours, the Germans fired a highly accurate concentration of artillery fire. Then a million German soldiers attacked a 50-mile stretch of British defenses. The Germans did advance for 40 miles but at a fatal price. Many of Germany’s best soldiers died during the offensive. In August of 1918, the British supported by the French launched a surprise counter offensive. Tanks played a huge part of the Allied offensive. With the help of Canadian and Australian elite forces, they were able to advance 50 miles. (Laity, 1998)
(1)
- Meanwhile, the neutral United States found it hard to remain neutral as the war raged in Europe. They continued their trade relationship with both Germany and Great Britain during the war. The U.S. considered they were using free international waters. But Great Britain thought otherwise and considered any cargo destined for Germany as contraband and searched and seized American trading ships, holding them for months. Because of Britain’s tactics, trade between the U.S. and Germany dropped dramatically between 1914 and 1916. In response to Britain’s tactics, Germany created a submarine war zone around the British Isles and declared that they would sink any merchant ships encountered in the war zone.
(2)
- American President Woodrow Wilson responded by declaring that Germany would be held liable if they injured American ships and citizens. Despite Wilson’s threat, Germany began to sink both British and American ships. The United States finally had enough after a German submarine or U-Boat as the British called them, sunk the Lusitania, a British liner that was traveling from New York to Liverpool, England. 1,200 people were killed, including 128 Americans. The U.S. did not declare against Germany right away. What would bring America into the war was the sinking of more American ships and the intercepted telegram proposal from Germany to Mexico of a German-Mexican alliance. In return for their support for Germany, Mexico was to retake the states of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona from the United States. On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson received a declaration of war from Congress. (“AP Study Notes”, 2016)
(3)
- When the United States entered World War I on April of 1917. Great Britain and France recommended that the U.S. enter the war as replacements, or as tactical units serving under the commander of the American Expeditionary Force, John J. Pershing. The 47-day Meuse-Argonne offensive, of 1918, brought more than 1.2 million Americans directly into the war. On September 26, 1918, nine American divisions began the first assault along a twenty-four mile front that ran from the Argonne Forest to the Meuse River, approximately 150 miles from Paris, France. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, the American force was able to penetrate the German defensive line called the “Hindenberg Line”. ("American Battle Monuments Commission", n.d.)
(4)
(5)
References
- American Battle Monuments Commission. (n.d. ). Retrieved from https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/meuse-argonne-offensive-world-war-i-online-interactive-released#.WB2W6_krK01
- AP study notes. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.apstudynotes.org/us-history/topics/us-entry-into-wwi/
- Laity, M. (1998, November 3). 1918: The end of stalemate. BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/10/98/world_war_i/206154.stm
Credit: Harold