World War I (Western Front)

  YEAR 1914

  Germany's war strategy is based on the Schlieffen Plan. According to this plan;  France will able to complete its mobilization in two weeks, would be out of the war after thirty nine days and,then, an attack would be launched on Russia, which was considered to be able to complete its mobilization within its wide geography in at least six weeks and with difficulty, by returning to the eastern front.

The Schlieffen Plan, the plan Alfred von Schlieffen developed against France and Russia in World War I.

  The wars on the Western Front began on August 4, 1914, with the German armies attack the Belgium. Hwever, the Belgian army showed an unexpected resistance. German troops had to capture the city of Liège, not after 24hours as planned, but after 13 days of fight and to advance into France. The German armies advancing on the territory of France encountered a hard French resistance at the crossing of the Marne river, 70 kilometer from Paris. On September 6-12 ,after the Battle of the Marne one of the bloodiest battles of World War I, the lines on the Western Front were locked. Both sides settled in the trenches and couldn t  get any results from the repeated attacks.

 

  YEAR 1915

  Mutual attacks from trench to trench renewed in 1915.  Despite heavy losses on both sides, there was no decisive change in front. An important aspect of the western front, wars in 1915 was the first use of poison gas.

YEAR 1916

  German Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn thought that Russia's military power was now weakened, launched a general offensive over Verdun with his significantly reinforced forces. The Battle of Verdun began on February 21, 1916, with heavy bombardment from a narrow 24 kilometer front line. Initially there were signs of disintegration in the French troops, but Marshal Pétain continually supported the front with ammunition, opening new roads. The continuous and effective fire of the French artillery batteries made the German advance difficult and was an important factor in stopping it in the end. The Battle of Verdun, one of the bloodiest battles of World War I, cost the parties more than 650 thousand casualties. 

  By the end of June, German troops had nevertheless made steady but slow advances. However, the counterattack launched by the French and British forces on the banks of the Somme river stopped the German advance. The Battle of the Somme lasted four months and German troops had to withdraw to their former positions. The Battles of the Somme resulted in heavy losses, but succeeded by driving the German forces out of French territory.