By January 1915, World War One had been raging for just five months, yet it had already claimed the lives of around one million soldiers. The war, which started in the Balkans, had spread across the globe. The Central Powers, including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, were fighting against the Allies, which consisted of Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, and Japan.
In Poland and the Baltic region, the Russian army faced a series of crushing defeats but continued to fight against German and Austro-Hungarian forces. Meanwhile, Austro-Hungarian troops suffered significant losses and were embarrassed by their inability to defeat Serbia. In the freezing Caucasus Mountains, Russian and Ottoman forces clashed in harsh winter conditions.
On the Western Front, French, British, and Belgian troops were entrenched against the Germans, with trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland. Germany launched the first strategic bombing campaign, sending giant airships called Zeppelins to bomb Britain, causing damage and civilian casualties. At sea, the British navy managed to sink a German cruiser during the Battle of Dogger Bank, but the rest of the German fleet escaped. Britain’s control of the seas allowed it to blockade Germany, cutting off vital supplies. In retaliation, Germany declared the waters around the British Isles a war zone, where its submarines would attack Allied merchant ships without warning.
On the Eastern Front, German Field Marshal von Hindenburg launched a Winter Offensive, dealing another massive blow to the Russian army at the Second Battle of Masurian Lakes. The Russians suffered heavy losses, with many soldiers surrendering in the freezing conditions. However, the Russians found some success against Austria-Hungary, capturing the city of Przemyśl and taking 100,000 prisoners. Austria-Hungary’s total losses reached two million.
The British and French attempted to threaten Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire’s capital, by sending warships to the Dardanelles. They hoped to force Turkey to surrender quickly, but the attack was called off after several battleships were sunk by mines. On the Western Front, the British attacked at Neuve Chapelle, but the advance was halted by German defenses, resulting in significant casualties for British and Indian units.
In April, during the Second Battle of Ypres, the Germans used poison gas for the first time on the Western Front. A cloud of chlorine gas forced Allied troops to abandon their trenches, but the Germans were unable to capitalize on the advantage. Both sides quickly equipped their soldiers with gas masks, marking the beginning of a chemical weapons arms race.
The Allies landed ground troops at Gallipoli, including the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs), aiming to take out Turkish shore forts. However, they faced fierce Turkish resistance and were pinned down near the shore. Meanwhile, the Ottoman Empire began the systematic deportation of ethnic Armenians, leading to the deaths of over a million Armenians. The Allies condemned these events as a crime against humanity.
On the Eastern Front, a joint German/Austro-Hungarian offensive in Galicia broke through Russian defenses, recapturing Przemyśl and taking 100,000 prisoners. At sea, the British passenger liner Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine, causing international outrage, especially in the United States.
In May, the Allies launched the Second Battle of Artois, trying to break through German lines. Despite heavy casualties, they made only minor advances. In the air, Germany gained control with the Fokker Eindecker, an aircraft equipped with a machine gun that could fire through its propeller, leading to significant Allied losses.
Italy joined the Allies, declaring war on Austria-Hungary and later the Ottoman Empire and Germany, after being promised territorial gains. However, their first assault along the Isonzo River resulted in heavy losses.
The Allies faced a crisis on the Eastern Front as Russian forces began a general retreat, abandoning Poland. German troops entered Warsaw, and Tsar Nicholas II took personal command of the Russian army, which proved disastrous.
At Gallipoli, the Allies landed reinforcements at Suvla Bay, but they couldn’t break the deadlock. Conditions were harsh, with troops suffering from heat, flies, and sickness. In the Atlantic, a German submarine sank the SS Arabic, leading to further tensions with the United States.
On the Western Front, the Allies launched their biggest offensive yet, aiming to relieve pressure on Russia. Despite initial gains, the attacks soon stalled, resulting in heavy losses. Allied troops also landed at Salonika in Greece to open a new front, but Bulgaria joined the Central Powers, leading to Serbia’s defeat.
Fierce fighting continued on the Italian front, with Italian troops launching multiple battles along the Isonzo River. In the Middle East, a British advance on Baghdad was blocked by Turkish forces, leading to a siege at Kut.
The Allies eventually abandoned the Gallipoli campaign, successfully evacuating their troops without alerting Turkish forces. The campaign resulted in a quarter of a million casualties on both sides. Despite the challenges of 1915, all sides prepared for even bigger offensives in 1916, hoping for a decisive victory.
Research the major events of World War 1 in 1915 and create a timeline. Include battles, political changes, and technological advancements. Use visuals like images or drawings to make your timeline engaging. Present your timeline to the class and explain the significance of each event.
Divide into two groups representing the Central Powers and the Allies. Research your assigned side’s strategies and goals during 1915. Engage in a debate, presenting arguments for your side’s actions and decisions. Focus on military tactics, alliances, and political motivations.
Participate in a simulation of trench warfare. Set up a mock battlefield with trenches and discuss the challenges soldiers faced, such as living conditions and combat strategies. Reflect on how trench warfare influenced the outcome of battles and the overall war.
Investigate the introduction of chemical warfare during World War 1, focusing on its effects on soldiers and the ethical implications. Create a presentation or report detailing your findings, and discuss how chemical warfare changed military tactics and international law.
Write a fictional diary entry from the perspective of a soldier in 1915. Choose a specific battle or event, and describe the experiences, emotions, and challenges faced. Use historical facts to make your entry realistic and immersive.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
January 1915. World War One is just five months old, and already around one million soldiers have fallen. A war that began in the Balkans has engulfed much of the world. The Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, fight the Allies: Britain, France, Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, Belgium, and Japan.
In Poland and the Baltic, the Russian army has suffered a string of massive defeats but continues to battle German and Austro-Hungarian forces. Austro-Hungarian troops have also suffered huge losses and are humiliated by their failure to defeat Serbia. In the Caucasus Mountains, Russian and Ottoman forces fight each other in freezing winter conditions. Meanwhile, on the Western Front, French, British, and Belgian troops are entrenched facing the Germans, with trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland.
As part of the world’s first strategic bombing campaign, Germany sends two giant airships, known as Zeppelins, to bomb Britain. They hit the ports of King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth, damaging houses and resulting in civilian casualties. At sea, during the Battle of Dogger Bank, the British navy sinks one German cruiser, but the rest of the German squadron escapes. Command of the seas has allowed Britain to impose a naval blockade of Germany, preventing vital supplies, including food, from reaching the country by sea. Germany retaliates with its own blockade, declaring the waters around the British Isles to be a war zone, where its submarines will attack Allied merchant ships without warning. Britain relies on imported food to feed its population, and Germany plans to starve her into surrender.
On the Eastern Front, German Field Marshal von Hindenburg launches a Winter Offensive, inflicting another massive defeat on the Russian army at the Second Battle of Masurian Lakes. The Russians lose a significant number of men, with many surrendering amid freezing winter conditions. The Russians have more success against Austria-Hungary, capturing the city of Przemyśl after a four-month siege, netting 100,000 prisoners. Austria-Hungary’s total losses now reach two million.
Meanwhile, the British and French send warships to the Dardanelles to threaten Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. They believe a show of force will quickly cause Turkey to surrender. They bombard Turkish shore forts in the narrow straits, but several battleships are sunk by mines, and the attack is called off.
On the Western Front, the British attack at Neuve Chapelle, but the advance is soon halted by German defenses. British and Indian units suffer significant casualties. Six weeks later, at the Second Battle of Ypres, the Germans attack with poison gas for the first time on the Western Front. A cloud of chlorine gas forces Allied troops to abandon their trenches, but the Germans do not have enough reserves ready to exploit the advantage. Soldiers on both sides are quickly supplied with gas masks, as a chemical weapons arms race begins.
The Allies land ground troops at Gallipoli, including men of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the ANZACs. Their goal is to take out the shore forts that are preventing Allied warships from reaching Constantinople. However, they immediately meet fierce Turkish resistance and are pinned down close to the shore. The day before the landings, the Ottoman Empire begins the systematic deportation of ethnic Armenians living within its borders. The Armenians are a long-persecuted ethnic and religious minority, suspected of supporting Turkey’s enemies. Tens of thousands of men, women, and children are transported to the Syrian desert and left to die. In total, more than a million Armenians perish. The Allies condemn these events as a crime against humanity and promise to hold the perpetrators responsible. To this day, the Turkish government disputes the death toll and the characterization of these events.
On the Eastern Front, a joint German/Austro-Hungarian offensive in Galicia breaks through Russian defenses, recapturing Przemyśl and taking 100,000 prisoners. It marks the beginning of a steady advance against Russian forces. At sea, the British passenger liner Lusitania, sailing from New York to Liverpool, is torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland without warning. Many passengers and crew perish, including a number of Americans. US President Woodrow Wilson and the American public are outraged, but Germany insists the liner was a fair target, as the British used her to carry military supplies.
In May, the Allies launch the Second Battle of Artois in another effort to break through the German lines. The French make the main attack at Vimy Ridge, while the British launch supporting attacks at Aubers Ridge and Festubert. The Allies sustain heavy casualties and advance only a few thousand yards. That summer, above the Western Front, the Fokker Eindecker helps Germany win control of the air. It’s one of the first aircraft with a machine gun able to fire forward through its propeller, thanks to a new invention known as interruptor gear. Allied aircraft losses mount rapidly, in what becomes known as the ‘Fokker Scourge’.
Italy, swayed by British and French promises of territorial gains at Austro-Hungarian expense, joins the Allies, declaring war on Austria-Hungary, and later the Ottoman Empire and Germany. The Italian army makes its first assault against Austro-Hungarian positions along the Isonzo River but is repulsed with heavy losses. Meanwhile, the Allies face a crisis on the Eastern Front. The Russians have begun a general retreat, abandoning Poland. German troops enter Warsaw on August 5th. Tsar Nicholas II dismisses the army’s commander-in-chief and takes personal command, which proves disastrous as he becomes more closely tied to military defeat.
At Gallipoli, the Allies land reinforcements at Suvla Bay, but neither they nor a series of fresh attacks by the ANZACs can break the deadlock. Conditions for both sides are terrible; troops are tormented not only by the enemy but also by heat, flies, and sickness. In the Atlantic, a German submarine sinks the liner SS Arabic, resulting in casualties, including Americans. In response to further US warnings, Germany ends all attacks on passenger ships.
On the Western Front, the Allies mount their biggest offensive of the war so far, designed to break through the front and relieve pressure on their beleaguered Russian ally. The French attack in the Third Battle of Artois and Second Battle of Champagne; the British, with the help of poison gas, attack at Loos. Despite initial gains, the attacks soon get bogged down, resulting in enormous losses on all sides.
Allied troops land at Salonika in Greece to open a new front against the Central Powers and bring aid to Serbia. However, the Allies are too late. Bulgaria joins the Central Powers, and their joint offensive overruns Serbia in two months. That winter, the remnants of the Serbian Army escape through the Albanian mountains, suffering horrific losses – by the end of the war, a third of Serbia’s army has been killed, the highest proportion of any nation.
Fierce fighting continues on the Italian front, as Italian troops launch the Third and Fourth Battles of the Isonzo. Austro-Hungarian forces, though outnumbered, are dug in on the high ground and are difficult to dislodge. In the Middle East, a British advance on Baghdad is blocked by Turkish forces at the Battle of Ctesiphon, 25 miles south of the city. The British withdraw to Kut, where they are besieged.
The Allies abandon the Gallipoli campaign. Troops are secretly evacuated without alerting Turkish forces, and not a man is lost. It’s one of the best-executed plans of the war. The campaign has cost both sides a quarter of a million casualties. 1915 is a challenging year for the Allies – enormous losses with no tangible gains. However, there is no talk of peace; instead, all sides prepare for even bigger offensives in 1916, with new tactics developed from earlier failures. All sides still believe a decisive battlefield victory is within grasp.
Epic History TV relies on the support of viewers like you – please visit our Patreon page and consider pledging to help us keep making these videos.
World War One – A global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918, involving many of the world’s great powers divided into two main alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers. – Example sentence: World War One was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914.
Central Powers – The alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria during World War One. – Example sentence: The Central Powers faced off against the Allies in numerous battles across Europe during World War One.
Allies – The coalition of countries including France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, and later the United States, that opposed the Central Powers in World War One. – Example sentence: The Allies worked together to defeat the Central Powers and bring an end to World War One.
Eastern Front – The theater of operations in World War One that stretched from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, involving Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. – Example sentence: The Eastern Front saw some of the largest and most brutal battles of World War One.
Trench Warfare – A type of combat in which opposing troops fight from trenches facing each other, commonly used during World War One. – Example sentence: Trench warfare led to a stalemate on the Western Front, with soldiers enduring harsh conditions for months on end.
Chemical Warfare – The use of toxic chemical substances as weapons, first widely used during World War One. – Example sentence: Chemical warfare introduced a new level of horror to the battlefield, with gases like mustard gas causing severe injuries and deaths.
Gallipoli – A campaign during World War One in which the Allies attempted to secure a sea route to Russia through the Dardanelles, resulting in heavy casualties and a failed operation. – Example sentence: The Gallipoli campaign is remembered as a significant and costly failure for the Allies during World War One.
Armenian Tragedy – The mass killing and deportation of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War One, often referred to as the Armenian Genocide. – Example sentence: The Armenian Tragedy remains a deeply sensitive and controversial topic in historical discussions about World War One.
Italy – A country in southern Europe that initially remained neutral in World War One but joined the Allies in 1915. – Example sentence: Italy’s entry into World War One on the side of the Allies was influenced by promises of territorial gains.
Casualties – The military term for those killed, wounded, or missing in action during a conflict. – Example sentence: World War One resulted in millions of casualties, profoundly impacting the populations of the involved nations.
