Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18 — Edexcel A-Level History
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Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18 explained
Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18 covers 3 specification points, including Reasons for change from a war of movement to… and British public perception of, and changing….
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
Reasons for change from a war of movement to attrition; entrenchment and the building of defensive systems; the need for military adjustment; the use of new fighting techniques and new technology – machine guns, chlorine gas, tanks, fuse 106 and the creeping barrage.
The opening campaigns of 1914 saw mobile warfare as armies sought decisive battles, but by late 1914 the Western Front had become a war of attrition. Several factors caused this change: the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, the Battle of the Marne, and the 'race to the sea' denied both sides a breakthrough. As frontal assaults proved costly, troops dug in, creating trench systems with barbed wire, machine-gun nests, and artillery. This stalemate forced military adjustment: commanders developed new tactics and technologies. Machine guns increased defensive firepower; chlorine gas was first used at Ypres in 1915; tanks appeared at the Somme in 1916; fuse 106 improved shell reliability; and the creeping barrage coordinated artillery and infantry. These innovations aimed to restore mobility but often fell short, shaping the character of trench warfare until 1918.
British public perception of, and changing attitudes to, war on the Western Front; government attempts to restrict, direct reportage by journalists from the Western Front.
British public perception of the war on the Western Front evolved from initial patriotic enthusiasm in 1914 to war-weariness and disillusionment by 1918. Early reports emphasised heroism and quick victory, but as casualties mounted, attitudes shifted. The government sought to control information through censorship and propaganda. The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA, 1914) gave authorities power to restrict reporting. Official press censorship was enforced by the Press Bureau, and journalists like Philip Gibbs were accredited but their reports were heavily censored. The government also used propaganda, such as the Bryce Report (1915) on German atrocities, to shape opinion. These attempts aimed to maintain morale and support for the war, but growing casualty lists and letters from the front increasingly informed public scepticism.
The significance of Haig’s major offensives for the conduct of the war and attitudes to it: the Somme in 1916, Passchendaele in 1917, the Hundred Days’ Offensive in 1918.
Haig’s three major offensives shaped how the war was fought and how it was perceived. The Somme (1916) aimed to relieve Verdun and wear down the enemy, but massive artillery bombardments failed to cut wire or destroy deep dugouts, leading to costly infantry advances and a battle of attrition. Passchendaele (1917) sought breakthrough in Flanders but became a slog in mud and shell-holes, with limited gains and heavy casualties. The Hundred Days (1918) combined improved tactics, tanks, aircraft and artillery to push the Germans back, leading to the Armistice. These offensives changed the conduct of war from mass assaults to combined-arms methods, and attitudes shifted from optimism to disillusionment, then to relief and controversy over Haig’s leadership.
Your focus
- Students can explain the reasons for the shift from mobile to static warfare on the Western Front.
- Students can describe the features of trench systems and defensive technologies.
- Students can evaluate the effectiveness of new tactics and technologies in breaking the stalemate.
Show all 9 objectives
- Students can describe how British public perception of the war changed between 1914 and 1918.
- Students can explain the methods used by the government to restrict and direct reportage from the Western Front.
- Students can assess the effectiveness of government attempts to control information and shape public opinion.
- Explain the aims and outcomes of the Somme, Passchendaele and the Hundred Days.
- Analyse how each offensive changed the conduct of the war.
- Evaluate the impact of the offensives on attitudes towards the war and Haig’s leadership.
Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 4 Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914–18 exam tips
Marking Points
- Explains how the failure of the Schlieffen Plan and the Battle of the Marne (September 1914) ended the war of movement and led to the 'race to the sea'.
- Describes the development of trench systems, including front-line, support, and communication trenches, and the use of barbed wire and machine-gun emplacements.
- Analyses the need for military adjustment, such as the shift from massed infantry charges to more sophisticated tactics like the creeping barrage.
- Evaluates the impact of new technology: machine guns (defensive advantage), chlorine gas (first used at Ypres, 1915), tanks (first used at the Somme, 1916), fuse 106 (improved shell detonation), and the creeping barrage (coordinated artillery-infantry attack).
- Describes initial public enthusiasm and the role of early war reporting in shaping a positive perception.
- Explains how and why public attitudes changed over time, including the impact of casualty figures, the Battle of the Somme, and war weariness.
- Analyses government methods to control reportage, such as DORA, the Press Bureau, and the accreditation and censorship of journalists like Philip Gibbs.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of government attempts to direct reportage, considering the growth of scepticism and the role of soldiers' letters and other unofficial sources.
- Explains the Somme’s aims: to relieve French pressure at Verdun and to wear down German reserves, not necessarily to achieve a rapid breakthrough.
- Analyses how the Somme changed the conduct of war: lessons about artillery limits, the need for creeping barrages, and the development of bite-and-hold tactics.
- Assesses Passchendaele’s significance: initial success at Messines, then failure to exploit due to weather, mud and German defence in depth, resulting in limited territorial gain.
- Evaluates the Hundred Days: the shift to combined-arms warfare with tanks, aircraft, and more flexible infantry, which restored mobility and led to German defeat.
- Examines attitudes: initial public support and volunteerism, later war weariness, conscription, and post-war debates about Haig’s competence and the cost of attrition.
- Connects each offensive to the overall conduct of the war: attrition, technology, tactics, and the strain on manpower and morale.
Examiner Tips
- 💡When discussing the change to attrition, link it to specific battles and their outcomes to show causation.
- 💡For technology, explain how each innovation was intended to overcome trench stalemate and assess its actual effectiveness.
- 💡Use precise terminology such as 'creeping barrage' and 'fuse 106', and avoid vague references to 'new weapons'.
- 💡Use specific examples of censorship measures and their impact on what the public knew.
- 💡When discussing changing attitudes, refer to both official reports and unofficial sources like letters and diaries.
- 💡Avoid generalisations about 'the public'; consider different groups and regions, and how attitudes varied over time.
- 💡Use the exact offensive names and dates to anchor your argument and show precise knowledge.
- 💡For significance questions, weigh short-term military effects against longer-term attitudes and memory.
- 💡Incorporate historians’ interpretations (e.g., on Haig’s leadership) to reach the highest levels, but support them with specific evidence.
- 💡Link each offensive to changes in tactics or technology to demonstrate understanding of the conduct of war.
Common Mistakes
- Error: stating that the war of movement ended immediately after the Battle of the Marne. Correction: it was a gradual process through late 1914, with the 'race to the sea' and trench-building continuing into 1915.
- Error: claiming that chlorine gas was first used by the British. Correction: it was first used by the Germans at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915.
- Error: describing tanks as a decisive breakthrough weapon in 1916. Correction: early tanks were mechanically unreliable and used in small numbers, so they had limited impact at the Somme.
- Error: assuming that all reporting was completely censored and no critical views appeared. Correction: some journalists, like Philip Gibbs, managed to convey hints of the war's reality within censorship limits.
- Error: attributing the change in public attitude solely to the Somme. Correction: other factors such as the scale of casualties at Ypres, the introduction of conscription, and economic hardship also contributed.
- Error: claiming that the government had no control over reporting. Correction: DORA and the Press Bureau imposed significant restrictions, though enforcement was not absolute.
- Error: Treating the Somme as solely a British failure without considering its role in relieving Verdun and wearing down Germany. Correction: Explain the strategic context and both intended and unintended consequences.
- Error: Claiming Passchendaele achieved a decisive breakthrough. Correction: State that gains were limited and the battle became a symbol of attritional mud and suffering.
- Error: Describing the Hundred Days as only a tank victory. Correction: Show it was a combined-arms effort integrating artillery, aircraft, infantry and tanks.
- Error: Assuming attitudes were uniformly anti-war after 1916. Correction: Note a range of responses, including continued support, censorship, and post-war commemoration.