Chosen Boy, a 1918 watercolor by Paul Klee. From Paul Klee: Early and Late Years: 1894-1940. © 2013 Moeller Fine Art
Image text:
A Swiss postcard of 'The European War' in 1914. The Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary face enemies to the east, west, and south. Germany is fighting the war it tried to avoid, battling Russia to the east and France to the west. Germany had also hoped to avoid fighting England which came to the aid of neutral (and prostrate) Belgium, and straddles the Channel. Austria-Hungary also fights on two fronts, against Russia to the east and Serbia and Montenegro to the south. Italy, the third member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, declared neutrality, and looks on. Other neutral nations include Spain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania. Japan enters from the east to battle Germany. The German Fleet stays close to port in the North and Baltic Seas while a German Zeppelin targets England. The Austro-Hungarian Fleet keeps watch in the Adriatic. Turkey is not represented, and entered the war at the end of October, 1914; Italy in late May, 1915.
Image text: Der Europäische KriegThe European WarReverse:Kriegskarte No. 61. Verlag K. Essig, BaselKunstanstalt (Art Institute) Frobenius A.G. Basel
Memorial statue to Prime Minister David Lloyd George in Parliament Square, London, United Kingdom. © 2013 John M. Shea
Photograph of a French heavy mortar in action.
"I urged the Quartermaster-General to do his utmost to provide more machine guns. At that time we had considerably less than one per company, and it was an arm in which the Germans were particularly well found. They must at that time have had at least six or seven to our one.In the operations now under discussion, this disability was felt very severely. . . .From all parts of the line the same complaint came of the preponderance of the enemy's machine-gun fire.The operations opened on the morning of the 14th by a combined attack on the line Hollebeke-Wytschaete Ridge. It began when it was hardly daylight, at 7 A.M., by heavy artillery bombardment. At 7:45, the French right (five regiments of the Sixteenth Corps) moved forward and captured the enemy's advance trenches on our left flank." ((1), more)
"The year 1915 ended with the Third and Fourth Battles of the Isonzo, fought between 18 October and 14 December. Winter came early. Snow between 6 and 8 yards deep covered up natural caves and trenches hacked into the rough rocks with the result that troops on both sides sought 'safety' in defensive works of ice and snow. Life at the front became a living hell. Snow and ice storms as well as almost unbearable cold ravaged soldiers huddled in makeshift shelters at 2000 to 3000 yards altitude — only to be offset by warm Mediterranean winds that turned valleys and roads into raging streams and rampaging mud slides. Avalanches were a constant danger. Pack animals hauled 37 million cartridges, 706 000 artillery shells, and 76 000 hand-grenades up to the front. By the time the fighting was ended by total exhaustion on both sides, Boroević's Fifth Army had suffered 71 691 casualties, the Italians 116 000." ((2), more)
"Another Christmas dawning! and yet no signs of peace. The butchery and the carnage, and suffering and death, continue with relentless fury. Men seem to have lost all sense of manhood and decency in their lust for blood. Not only has the conflict been more deadly than ever of late, but England has been torn with political troubles at home. But a totally inefficient government couldn't be allowed to go on, and within the last few days great events have been happening. Mr Asquith has discreetly (!) resigned and Lloyd George is now Prime Minister. He is a man of actions (although I'd never trust a Welshman) and heaven knows the time has come when we need action — sharp, swift, and decisive. I fancy we are in for a thrilling time at home!" ((3), more)
"Discouraged by international developments and by the 'questionable friendship' of their Italian allies, French troops found their first months in Italy demoralizing. As one postal censor concluded in mid-December 1917, many were battling depression 'caused perhaps by homesickness, by a desire to see the end of the war, by a certain disgust with the need to support allies who weren't able to defend themselves.' More than anything else though, 'the desire for leave and the irregularity of the mails also [gave] rise to discouragement.'" ((4), more)
(1) Excerpt from 1914 by Sir John French, commander of British forces on the continent, on the shortage of machine guns that 'was felt very severely' in the Anglo-French offensive in the Ypres salient from December 14 to 16, 1914. The French held the line east of Ypres, and the British south of the city. The British were deficient not only in machine guns, but also in artillery, which was placed well behind the lines, and was inadequate to damage the German barbed wire. The British historian Edmonds writes that to cross the wire 'wire cutters and mattresses were provided or had to be improvised.'
1914 by John French, pp. 328, 329, copyright © 1919, by Houghton Mifflin Company, publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, publication date: 1919
(2) Italian Commander-in-Chief Luigi Cadorna had launched his Fourth Battle of the Isonzo on November 10 on the heels of the Third. Rescued by Germany on the Russian Front, and by Germany and Bulgaria on the Serbian Front, Italy held its own on the Isonzo Front, where it mostly held higher ground than the Italians.
The First World War: Germany and Austria Hungary 1914-1918 by Holger H. Herwig, page 172, copyright © 1997 Holger H. Herwig, publisher: Arnold, publication date: 1997
(3) Ethel M. Bilborough writing on December 14, 1916. British Prime Minister H.H. Asquith, who had held office since before the war began, resigned on December 5. The next day, David Lloyd George, who had served in the Government as Minister of Finance, Minister of Munitions, and Secretary of State for War, formed a new Government.
The Virago Book of Women and the Great War by Joyce Marlow, Editor, page 217, copyright © Joyce Marlow 1998, publisher: Virago Press, publication date: 1999
(4) Martha Hanna's Your Death Would Be Mine is based on the correspondence between Paul Pireaud and his wife Marie. In the summer of 1917, Paul served with the 112th Heavy Artillery Regiment in the Moronvilliers sector northeast of Reims in Champagne. French and British units were sent to support the Italians after the disaster of Caporetto. The Italian retreat finally stopped on the Piave River. Paul's unit was ordered to Italy on November 12, and left on the 17th. He reached Italy on December 1.
Your Death Would Be Mine; Paul and Marie Pireaud in the Great War by Martha Hanna, page 236, copyright © 2006 by Martha Hanna, publisher: Harvard University Press, publication date: 2006
