PSC 1003 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Brusilov Offensive, Erich Ludendorff, U-Boat
Document Summary
Introduction to international politics, lecture 11, week 7. Increased accuracy and rate of fire: rifling and breech-loading of guns/artillery, machine gun. Limited tactical and operational mobility: few motorized vehicles, tanks invented in 1916, but unreliable. The stalemate: schlieffen plan fails, race to the sea, continuous trench line across belgium and northern france, costly war of attrition sets in; breakthrough, seemingly impossible. The modern system: cover and concealment, dispersion and independent small unit maneuver, suppressive fire and movement, combined arms integration. It is hard to execute: requires a tremendous amount of skill, good human capital, good civil-military relations, lots of training. Stormtrooper tactics: an application of the modern system, short hurricane bombardment, stormtrooper battalions, emphasis on infiltration, penetration of enemy defenses- bypass enemy strong points, eliminate them later, wreak havoc in the rear. British war aims and expectations: britain went to war in 1914 for limited objectives.
