use of advanced modern
technologies, & focus of the entire
industrial production on the war
- weapons of mass destruction
- first airplanes
- trench warfare (Stellungskrieg)
- poison gas, chemical weapons
- heavy artillery
- tanks, submarines
- hand-to- hand fight changed
into machine- to- man fight
- a further range of firepower
-combination of more war zones
(air-water-land)
great importance of propaganda
-initialized by different institutions
(government, church, parties,
private investors)
- expensive propaganda films to
support and also to convince the
people on the home front and on
the battle front
- topics: strength / nationalism,
quick victory, the people at home
are happy and support soldiers
- films in cinemas, postcards,
posters, notice boards, spread by
intellectuals, professors, poets,
authors, artists
huge financial and
industrial resources are
mobilized
(Big Bertha = 1 Mio Mark
+ 1500 Mark/ shot)
extremely high national debt
(Staatsverschuldung)
consequence: high inflation
during the war
Discuss whether the term
MODERN WAR can rightfully be used for the
First World War.
= total war
inhuman,
atrocious
mobilisation
-mobilization not only of
soldiers but also of the
whole population that is
burdened with the course
of the war
- EVERYONE was involved in
the war
- creation of term homefront
dimensions:
-immense destructions of some
areas (F, B), contaminated
territories for decades
- mass killing
- mass destruction
- 36 nations were involved in
this war
- in 1914 the world was crosslinked as never before, it took
only 5 days form GB to NYC, so
troops could be transferred to
other war zones in a short
amount of time
-psychological warfare
increased
policy of systematic
disinformation and deception
of soldiers and population
- soldiers are not allowed to
write in their letters what they
liked = censure
- at the home front people are
appealed to "not to moan", to
stay positive and supportive