Changes

=== Overcoming the wire ===

=== Overcoming the wire ===

Gas had restored mobility to a certain extent (although stunk everything out), but there was still the problem of wire barriers. Cutting barbed wire was a serious tactical problem. In [[Gallipoli]], Allied forces had attempted to destroy wire with artillery bombardments, but shells only exploded upon hitting the ground, which usually only served to create further entanglements. The French produced a solution in 1915, with a new kind of fuse called the '''Fusée Instantée Allongée''' (elongated instantaneous fuse), containing a brass tape that unwound during flight. Once unwound, it freed the hammer, and when the shell hit the ground, this triggered the detonator, setting off the primer and exploding the shell. British inventors made some changes to improve its safety, reliability and suitability for mass production, resulting in the Type 106 percussion fuse. The final product was a shell that exploded on impact with all but the softest ground. The explosion produced no crater, dispersed high-velocity steel splinters over the ground, which were lethal at 800 metres. Hence the infantry called them "ground shrapnel" or "daisy cutters". This new fuse bode well for a solution to the wire problem.  

Gas had restored mobility to a certain extent, but there was still the problem of wire barriers. Cutting barbed wire was a serious tactical problem. In [[Gallipoli]], Allied forces had attempted to destroy wire with artillery bombardments, but shells only exploded upon hitting the ground, which usually only served to create further entanglements. The French produced a solution in 1915, with a new kind of fuse called the '''Fusée Instantée Allongée''' (elongated instantaneous fuse), containing a brass tape that unwound during flight. Once unwound, it freed the hammer, and when the shell hit the ground, this triggered the detonator, setting off the primer and exploding the shell. British inventors made some changes to improve its safety, reliability and suitability for mass production, resulting in the Type 106 percussion fuse. The final product was a shell that exploded on impact with all but the softest ground. The explosion produced no crater, dispersed high-velocity steel splinters over the ground, which were lethal at 800 metres. Hence the infantry called them "ground shrapnel" or "daisy cutters". This new fuse bode well for a solution to the wire problem.  

'''[[First Battle of the Marne]]'''

'''[[First Battle of the Marne]]'''

By the 5th of September, 1914, the German invasion of Fwance was going so successfully, that Fwench and Great British forces were in a general retreat towards Paris, with the German army hot on their heels. Just prior to the battle, the two main German forces, the 1st and 2nd German armies, had split up to attack the Fwench 5th and 6th armies, respectively. The regiments of the Great British Expeditionary Force were pushed in between the two German armies, acting as a wedge, allowing the Germans to be outflanked. Following that, the Fwench 5th army launched a surprise attack, eventually forcing the German army to retreat, stopping after having marched 40 miles. A number of unofficial cease fires took place, allowing both sides to dig their own trenches, setting the tone for the rest of the war. The Western allies took 234,000 casualties, while the Germans took just over 220,000. Fwance still refers to this battle as "Le miracle of le Marne" to this day.

By the 5th of September, 1914, the German invasion of France was going so successfully, that French and British forces were in a general retreat towards Paris, with the German army hot on their heels. Just prior to the battle, the two main German forces, the 1st and 2nd German armies, had split up to attack the French 5th and 6th armies, respectively. The regiments of the British Expeditionary Force were pushed in between the two German armies, acting as a wedge, allowing the Germans to be outflanked. Following that, the French 5th army launched a surprise attack, eventually forcing the German army to retreat, stopping after having marched 40 miles. A number of unofficial cease fires took place, allowing both sides to dig their own trenches, setting the tone for the rest of the war. The Western allies took 234,000 casualties, while the Germans took just over 220,000. France still refers to this battle as "The miracle of the Marne" to this day.

'''Gallipoli Campaign'''

'''Gallipoli Campaign'''

=== The United States Joins the War ===

=== The United States Joins the War ===

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For the first three years of World War I, the [[United States]] attempted to stay out of the war, but try to act as a mediator.  Mediation failed. When the Germans used a [[U-boat]] to sink the British ocean liner ''[[Lusitania]]'' in 1915, killing over one thousand civilians including some prominent 'Mericans, the Americans were outraged.  Badly hurt by the British naval blockade of Germany, which cut off food supplies, the Germans wanted to retaliate. In early 1917 they decided they could defeat Britain and France by cutting off all supplies. They could only do this by sinking merchant ships without warning, which violated international law and their repeated promises to the U.S. Berlin knew it meant war with the U.S. but moved anyway. At the same time Berlin invited Mexico to form a military alliance and fight the U.S. Publication of the [[Zimmerman Telegram]] was a ''casus bellum" (cause of war). The Mexicans wisely ignored the proposal but American pubic opinion was outraged.

For the first three years of World War I, the [[United States]] attempted to stay out of the war, but try to act as a mediator.  Mediation failed. When the Germans used a [[U-boat]] to sink the British ocean liner ''[[Lusitania]]'' in 1915, killing over one thousand civilians including some prominent Americans, the Americans were outraged.  Badly hurt by the British naval blockade of Germany, which cut off food supplies, the Germans wanted to retaliate. In early 1917 they decided they could defeat Britain and France by cutting off all supplies. They could only do this by sinking merchant ships without warning, which violated international law and their repeated promises to the U.S. Berlin knew it meant war with the U.S. but moved anyway. At the same time Berlin invited Mexico to form a military alliance and fight the U.S. Publication of the [[Zimmerman Telegram]] was a ''casus bellum" (cause of war). The Mexicans wisely ignored the proposal but American pubic opinion was outraged.

German U-boats  now began sinking American ships on sight.  On April 2, 1917, President [[Woodrow Wilson]] spoke in favor of declaring war on Germany in an address to the joint houses of Congress.  Congress then formally declared war on April 6, 1917, with opposition votes coming mostly from areas with large German ethnic populations.<ref>http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usofficialawardeclaration.htm</ref>

German U-boats  now began sinking American ships on sight.  On April 2, 1917, President [[Woodrow Wilson]] spoke in favor of declaring war on Germany in an address to the joint houses of Congress.  Congress then formally declared war on April 6, 1917, with opposition votes coming mostly from areas with large German ethnic populations.<ref>http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/usofficialawardeclaration.htm</ref>