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Battle of Tannenberg
What led up to the Battle: Russia invaded East Prussia after Germany declared war on Russia. Then Russian armies advanced, but were poorly coordinated. Russian Casualties: 150,000–200,000 German Casualties: 20,000 Won by: Germany Consequences: The Russia Eastern Front was crippled for a while and it gave Germany control over East Prussia. -
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First Battle of the Marne
What led up to the Battle: Germany's Schlieffen Plan: aimed to quickly defeat France and then focus on Russia. The French - with British support - stopped the Germans near Paris. Both sides Casualties: Around 250,000 Won by: The Allies Consequences: The battle marked the end of mobile warfare on the Western Front, leading to trench warfare. -
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Second Battle of Ypres
What led up to the Battle: The Germans attempted to break the stalemate in the West by introducing gas attacks. Both sides Casualties: 105,000 total Won by: Inconclusive, but the Allies held most of their positions. Consequences: The use of chemical weapons had a lasting impact on military tactics and the development of gas warfare. -
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Battle of Gallipoli
What led up to the Battle: The Allies sought to weaken the Ottoman Empire and open supply routes to Russia. Both sides Casualties: Over 250,000 Won by: Ottoman Empire Consequences: The failure led to a strengthening of Ottoman control and a long-term shift in military leadership, with Winston Churchill’s political career temporarily affected. -
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Battle of Verdun
What led up to the Battle: Germany sought to bleed France dry by focusing on capturing Verdun, a symbolic and strategic French stronghold. Both sides Casualties: Over 700,000 Won by: France, though both sides suffered devastating losses. Consequences: Verdun became a symbol of French endurance. The battle wore down both armies and helped shape French national identity. -
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Battle of Jutland
What led up to the Battle: The British sought to blockade Germany, and the Germans wanted to weaken British naval supremacy. British Casualties: About 6,000 German Casualties: 2,500 Won by: Neither side decisively won, but the British maintained control of the North Sea. Consequences: Germany’s naval strategy was crippled, and Britain continued its blockade. -
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Brusilov Offensive
What led up to the Battle: Russian General Brusilov took advantage of Austria-Hungary’s weakness to launch a successful offensive. Total Casualties: Around 1 million (mostly Austrian and Russian) Won by: Russia, but the offensive failed to achieve its long-term goals. Consequences: The offensive severely weakened Austria-Hungary, but Russia was ultimately unable to capitalize on its victories. -
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Battle of the Somme
What led up to the Battle: The Allies wanted to launch a large offensive to force Germany to divert troops from Verdun. Combined Casualties: Over 1 million Won by: Tactical stalemate, but the Allies gained some ground. Consequences: The battle showed the futility of massed frontal assaults and deepened the trench warfare stalemate. -
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Battle of Passchendaele
What led up to the Battle: The Allies hoped to seize vital ground and weaken German positions. Total Casualties: About 500,000 Won by: Allies, but at great cost. Consequences: The battle demonstrated the futility of large-scale offensives in the muddy, stagnant trench warfare conditions. -
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Battle of Caporetto
What led up to the Battle: The Central Powers launched a breakthrough attack to exploit weaknesses in the Italian line. Italy Casualties: around 700,000 Central Powers Casualties: about 200,000 Won by: The Central Powers Consequences: The Italian Army was restructured, and Italy’s position in the war became precarious for a time. -
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Battle of Cambrai
What led up to the Battle: The British sought to surprise the Germans with a tank-led assault. Total Casualties: About 120,000 Won by: Inconclusive, but the Germans regained much of the ground. Consequences: The use of tanks was demonstrated to have military potential, though the battle itself showed their limitations in this stage of development. -
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Spring Offensive
What led up to the Battle: Germany launched a series of offensives after the Russian withdrawal, hoping to defeat the Allies before American troops arrived in full force. Both Sides Casualties: 1 million Won by: The Allies, after repelling the offensive. Consequences: This marked the beginning of a series of Allied offensives that would push the Germans back, leading to the end of the war. -
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Battle of Belleau Wood
What led up to the Battle: As part of the German Spring Offensive, the Germans sought to advance toward Paris, but the Americans intervened. American Casualties: 9,000 German Casualties: around 10,000 Won by: Allies (Americans) Consequences: It boosted American morale, earned the Marines the nickname "Devil Dogs," and marked a turning point in the war. -
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Second Battle of the Marne
What led up to the Battle: After the success of the German Spring Offensive earlier in 1918, the Germans tried to push towards Paris, hoping to win the war before American reinforcements arrived. Each Side Casualties: Around 250,000 Won by: Allied victory Consequences: The battle ended German offensives and shifted the momentum in favor of the Allies, leading to a series of successful counter offensives. -
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Hundred Days Offensive
What led up to the Battle: Following the Second Battle of the Marne, the Allies took the initiative, launching a series of offensives with the support of fresh American troops. The Allies sought to exploit the weakening German position after their failed spring offensives. Both Sides Casualties: Over 1.5 million Won by: The Allies Consequences: The offensive led to the Armistice and the end of World War I.