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First Battle of the Marne
Cause:
Was triggered by the German advance through Belgium and into France, where they were nearing Paris, prompting the French and British forces to launch a counteroffensive to stop them
Who won:
The Allies won the battle, successfully pushing back the German forces and stopping the capture of Paris, which marked a big turning point in the war
Outcome:
Ended Germany's hopes for a quick victory on the Western Front and led to a stalemate of trench warfare that characterized much of the war. -
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Battle of Tannenberg
Cause:
The Russian army, aiming to quickly strike into East Prussia, launched an offensive against the German forces stationed there.
Who won:
The Germans
Outcome:
The Russian Second Army was almost completely destroyed, with many soldiers killed, wounded, or captured. -
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Second Battle of Ypres
Cause:
The Germans aimed to test the impact of poison gas on the battlefield, using chlorine gas against French and Algerian troops near Ypres, Belgium.
Who won:
The Allies won the Second Battle of Ypres, but the Germans gained control of the high ground around Ypres
Outcome:
Although the gas attack created a large gap in the Allied lines, the Germans were unable to fully exploit this advantage and were ultimately stopped by Allied resistance, particularly from Canadian troops. -
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Battle of Gallipoli
Cause:
The Allies wanted to secure a supply route to Russia by gaining control of the Dardanelles Strait and putting pressure on the Ottoman Empire.
Who won:
The Ottoman Empire
Outcome:
The Ottomans successfully defended the Gallipoli peninsula, resulting in a decisive Allied defeat. -
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Battle of Verdun
Cause:
German General Erich von Falkenhayn believed a major defeat at Verdun would force the French to sue for peace by exhausting their manpower.
Who won:
France is considered the victor, successfully defending Verdun against the German offensive
Outcome:
High casualties, Psychological impact, No strategic gain, Impact on morale, and Symbol of WWI -
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Battle of Jutland
Cause:
The German High Seas Fleet aimed to disrupt British naval supremacy by attacking the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea.
Who won:
The Battle of Jutland was inconclusive, with both the British and German sides claiming victory
Outcome:
Though Britain lost more ships and men, they maintained control of the seas, preventing Germany from achieving a decisive naval victory -
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Brusilov Offensive
Cause:
The intense pressure on the French at Verdun
Who won:
The Russian army defeated the Austro-Hungarian forces, capturing 375,000 prisoners and taking over Bukovina and part of eastern Galicia
Outcome:
The offensive was one of the deadliest in history, with Russian casualties numbering more than half a million. -
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Battle of the Somme
Cause:
The main reason for the battle was to relieve pressure on the French at Verdun by attacking German forces further north, drawing German reserves into the fight.
Who won:
The allied powers won
Outcome:
Despite initial advances, the battle quickly devolved into a bloody stalemate with minimal territorial gains for the Allies -
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Battle of Passchendaele
Cause:
General Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, believed a major offensive could break the German lines and gain control of the Belgian coast, including potential submarine bases.
Who won:
The british and Canadian forces
Outcome:
While technically an Allied victory with the capture of Passchendaele, the battle was a costly stalemate with massive casualties on both sides -
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Battle of Caporetto
Causes:
Italian weaknesses: The Italian army was exhausted from prolonged battles on the Isonzo River, suffering from low morale and poor leadership, with outdated defensive tactics that couldn't handle modern infiltration tactics.
Surprise attack: The Austro-German forces launched a surprise offensive using new "stormtrooper" tactics and poison gas.
Who won:
The Austro-German forces decisively defeated the Italian army.
Outcome:
Heavy casualties, Large retreat and Morale decline -
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Battle of Cambrai
Causes:
The British used innovative methods, including:
The largest number of tanks ever assembled
An artillery barrage that was not previously registered
Ground-attack tactics for the Royal Flying Corps
Who won:
Austrio Germans
Outcome:
The battle taught the British offensive and defensive lessons that were beneficial in winning the war in 1918. The battle also demonstrated the effectiveness of new technologies and tactics. -
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Spring Offensive
Causes:
The primary reason for the Spring Offensive was Germany's desperate attempt to win the war before the United States could fully mobilize its forces on the Western Front, combined with the opportunity to redeploy troops from the Eastern Front following Russia's withdrawal.
Who won:
The Allies
Outcome:
Their failure by the mid-summer left the German army fatally weakened, demoralized and facing its own imminent and inevitable defeat through an Allied counteroffensive. -
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Battle of Belleau Wood
Cause:
During the German Spring Offensive, German forces aimed to reach Paris by pushing through the Marne River, leading them to clash with the American 2nd Division, including the 4th Marine Brigade, near Belleau Wood.
Who won:
The U.S. Marines successfully defended against the German offensive, ultimately driving them out of Belleau Wood.
Outcome:
Morale boost, Reputation of the Marines, Symbolic victory, and French recognition -
Period: to
Second Battle of the Marne
Cause:
The German high command, under Erich Ludendorff, launched a desperate offensive to try and achieve a decisive victory before the full force of American troops arrived on the Western Front.
Who won:
The Allies, mainly French forces supported by British and American troops, achieved a decisive victory against the German offensive.
Outcome:
Turning point in the war, Heavy German losses, and Allied advance -
Period: to
Hundred Days Offensive
Cause:
Following a major German offensive in the spring of 1918, the Allies, bolstered by the arrival of large American forces, were able to launch a sustained counter-offensive.
Who won:
The Allies, under the command of French General Ferdinand Foch, achieved a series of decisive victories, pushing the German army back and breaking through the Hindenburg Line.
Outcome:
German Collapse and the end of WWI