Joining Up

Annotations:

• Prince Wilhelm of Germany said, "We have lost the War. It will go on for a long time but it is already lost.
• Eventually the War reached a stalemate by Christmasn 1914. The trenches soon became 'home' for the soldiers.

1. The Schlieffen Plan
   1. What was the plan?
      1. To go through Belgium to conquer Paris in 6 weeks
      2. Then turn to Russia
   2. Why did it fail?
      1. Belgians fought well and very bravely
      2. Russian troops entered Germany in 10 days
      3. BEF got organised more quickly than expected

         Annotations:

         • BEF stands for British Expeditionary Force
   3. The Germans didn't show any signs of giving up
2. Why did people go to war?
   1. Propaganda

      Annotations:

      • Definition: Information or ideas spread to promote or damage a cause, movement, nation etc.
      1. Advertisements showed that Germans were evil and the soldiers should be proud that they are in the army
      2. Posters said is was a 'Just War'
      3. Lord Kitchener was Secretary for War in the government in 1914
         1. His job was to persuade men to join up
      4. Seen as noble and glorious, weren't sure of the risks
   2. Pals Battalions
      1. This was a scheme to place men from the same area in a battalion together
         1. Knowing other people in the army would ease the mind of some recruits
   3. Some were threatened or scared into joining up
   4. Following the crowd
   5. Would get respect from family, friends and women
3. Trench Lines
   1. Trenches stretched from the English Channel to the Swiss Border
   2. There was the Western front where the Russians and Germans fought
   3. There was the Western front where Germans and British
4. Ireland

   Annotations:

   • In 1801 the ACT OF UNION brought Ireland under the control of the United Kingdom This meant that when the First World War broke out Ireland had no choice but to help out. However they were on the brink of their own civil war between UNIONISTS and NATIONALISTS.
   1. NATIONALISTS
      1. Want Ireland to be independent
      2. Accepted the HOME RULE
         1. Meant that Ireland would have a separate parliament in Dublin

            Annotations:

            • Which meant that the parliament in Dublin would look after all the local affairs but Westminster would still have the overall control.
            1. It was a moderate aim between demands for union and independence
   2. UNIONISTS
      1. Most Protestants were Unionists
      2. They were proud to be apart of the British Empire and willing to go fight France and Germany