Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
1) Austro-Hungarian Archduke was
assassinated by Serbs in Bosnia
2) Austria Hungary declared war on Serbia
3) Russia agreed to help Sebia
4) Germany declared war on Russia,
then on France (Russia's ally)
5) Schlieffen Plan - Germany to go
through (neutral) Belgium to capture Paris
6) Britain stepped in to help Belgium
and declared war on Germany
BEF to help France and Belgium
BEF sent 4 divisions of troop
to France - the French had 70
BEF commander: Sir John French
AIM: Stop Germany capturing Paris!
They failed to stop them invading Belgium and France...
3 major battles in France:
MONS - Britons forced Germans back,
but the victory only lasted until the French
retreated, and so Britain did the same
The River MARNE - Germans needed to get across
Marne to Paris, the French/BEF beat them back to the
river Aisne, Germans dug trenches to maintain position
YPRES - The Germans advanced towards the
sea, Allies tried to block them off, the armies
met at Ypres, 75,000 BEF soldiers killed
More Men Needed!
Kitchener (Secretary of War) wanted
conscription, but Asquith (Prime Minister) refused
Poster campaign instead - 'Your Country Needs You'
By September 1914, there were half a million volunteers