HY 357 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Erich Ludendorff
12 Sep 2016
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1916 german trenches averaged 5 miles from front to back. Before can get out in open, have to gnaw through 5 miles-20 miles of defenses to shot your way through. Narrow penetrations easy to support, get further in you get surrounded. Broad front dilutes the power of your attack, throw more men and more guns, less artillery support because more spread out: very difficult in 1915 and 1916 to break the other sides lines. With a few exceptions the goal of battle is not to kill the other sides soldiers, really after supply and communication lines. Want to attack their logistics and their commanding control: defense in depth favors the defender, better communication, better shuffle of reserves armies of this era have limitless reserves to move up when a break through threatens. Germans better at this than british and french are pretty good front two or three trenches need to be lightly held, trip wire, when starts can focus troops.
