Reasons for deadlock on the Western Front, WWI?

Answer 1

Hi in my opinion the deadlock on the western front was doe to several factors:
1;ignoring the "Schliefen Plan"
2; Inablility of Generals to grasb principels of 20century warfare, ig mobility
3;thoughtless waste and disregard of human life and resources by High command.
4;And finally Generals of all Nations hate to be told that they are wrong or worse incompetent.
Regards, Heinz

Answer 2

You ought to read Corelli Bennet's 'The Swordbearers' for a truly eye openning account of the ammount of folly that deadlocked the German advance into France.

Here are a few of the 'dirty secrets' of World War One. That country that everyne decries as being 'stupid' for being over run, Belgium, wasn't - - - - offered nothing in return for letting Imperial Germany use Belgium as a Highway - - - King A;bert, unfairly ignored by Hollywood, stood in the way and helped to slow the advance. Then Belgium under the leadership of Albert clung to a strip of territory and contined to tie down German forces..

Another dirty secret. Much as I and millions others like to rididicule the French, the truth is they were brave & well led and would not let Germany roll over Paris..... The French had the best short range artillery and were tenaciious as H^ck wrecking German plans for a swift invasion.

Britain also frustrated German plans. Standing in the waym, getting in the way, holding down German troops. Germany half hearted hoped the British would sit this War out, not aware there were reasons why Constitutional Monarchy Britain chose to side with 'Democratic' France.

Oh and this dirty secret annoys the Aryan Purist. The Germans had 'leadership' problems. Van Moltke was twisted this way and that by an indiscive Kaiser and his own staffing abilities were not that great.

Communications also dogged the Germans but what reallly jammed things up was the Organizational need for Three Leading Generals UNFORTUNATELY Those three Generals did not get along and so like an American football team when the coach the quarterback and the management are at odds odds are stalemate or worse.

And finally - - - TECHNOLOGY outstripped warfare. World War One was that rare moment in time when mankind hit a brickwall in warfare. Machine guns and bigger bombs and submarines and mines and aireal machines and above all MOTORIZED VEHICLES made it possible to kill more people more effiiantly.

Peace........................ ppppppffffftttttzzzzzz (ah)

Answer 3

WWI was fought in the 20th century by 19th century tactics and weapons, at least at the beginning. The generals saw artillery as the tool to open up the line for a cavalry charge. Unfortunately, artillery does nothing about another new tool, barbed wire. Or gas. Or trenches. By the time they figured it out, about ten MILLION men were dead. In the Battle of the Somme, over 57,000 died in the first TEN MINUTES. By the time tanks came along...and they were not the Wonder Weapon....attitudes were starting to change. When the U.S. came in, in 1917, putting ten thousand men a day into the field, newly trained, with good guns and good officers, Pershing refused to place the American Expeditionary Force under the command of either English or French. Nothing changes. Prior to our involvement, ground gained at the end of the day was often measured with a yardstick. It became a war of attrition, with no real victory possible, because both sides were bogged down. I've been to Flanders....beautiful now, but it was a wasteland after all the forests were leveled...when the rains came, it was the origin of the term "Quagmire" in war. The U.S. throwing a million men into it, at the end of four years, ended the deadlock.

Answer 4

Another significant technology which prolonged the deadlock, was the use of aircraft for observation and ultimately bombing, it became impossible to concentrate forces without the enemy knowing.

There are some misunderstandings in other responses
Belgium was regarded in Britain as a gallant little nation threatened by a larger nation.

Somme – 57,000 killed in ten minutes?
It was 50,000-60,000 British casualties in the first day, that figure includes the wounded, there were 20,000 killed.

American forces did not arrive in significant numbers until 1918.

Germany wasn't the only nation to use gas, it wasn't even the first.

Answer 5

The Trenches. The German's had their trenches set up and the British and Allies had their trenches set up across from the German trenches. The space in the middle was "no man's land". The German's couldn't push forward and the Brits couldn't push them back. It went on for months and months. Anyone who poked their head up out of the trench got it blown off by snipers. The German's even tried mustard gas and chlorine gas but much of it was blown back onto their own troops. It became a standoff. Finally, after many months the Brits & Allies dug a tunnel that went under the German Trenches and they placed serious bombs and dynamite in the tunnel and then blew it up the German trenches in order to end the deadlock. It was a mess with many, many lives lost on both sides.

Answer 6

To put it succinctly, technology out-paced tactics.
The "new" guns of the Industrial Age were far more deadlier than anything previously seen. Artillery and machine guns.
When faced down by these deadly weapons, you dig trenches and then you start to outflank the enemy - causing the stagnant, long front lines. The weapons created equal opposing forces - stalemate.

Answer 7

The general mindset that stuck to the notion that the infantry & cavalry are the kings of the battlefield despite numerous losses under murderous machine gun fire.

Even with the advent of tanks, the commanders failed to realise the true potential of armour by diluting them in support of infantry instead of the other way around.

Answer 8

Superior weapons of defence, the machine gun and barbed wire were a lethal combination to try to break through until the introduction of the tank

Answer 9

over, did you say over? nothing is over until we decide it is! was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl harbor? no! this could be the greatest knight of our lives but you are going to let it be the worst ... oh we are afraid to go with you bluto... we might get in trouble. well not me, I'm not going to stand for this...

Answer 10

because of trench warfare