15.4.1

Forgotten Armies of WWI

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What Do the Stories of the 'Often Forgotten Armies' Reveal?

World War I has often been viewed as a conflict between the Central Powers and the Allies. However, many other nationalities fought on the Western Front.

Illustrative background for What is the Western Front?Illustrative background for What is the Western Front? ?? "content

What is the Western Front?

  • The Western Front was established at the start of the First World War when the Central Powers and the Allies raced to the sea.
    • The Central Powers were Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary.
    • The Allies were Britain, France and Russia.
Illustrative background for Where did the fighting take place?Illustrative background for Where did the fighting take place? ?? "content

Where did the fighting take place?

  • Most of the fighting between armies took place along the Western Front.
  • The Western Front went from the Swiss border with France in the south through France and Belgium to the North Sea.
Illustrative background for Many nationalities fought Illustrative background for Many nationalities fought  ?? "content

Many nationalities fought

  • WW1 is often viewed as a conflict between the British/ French and German armies.
  • But many other nationalities fought on the Western Front.
Illustrative background for Who else fought on the Western Front?Illustrative background for Who else fought on the Western Front? ?? "content

Who else fought on the Western Front?

  • From as early as August 1914 AD, a lot of other soldiers fighting on the Western Front came from the British and French empires.
  • These included:
    • India (British)
    • Algeria (French)
    • Canada (British)
Illustrative background for Shortage of manpowerIllustrative background for Shortage of manpower ?? "content

Shortage of manpower

  • Following the Battle of the Somme in 1916 AD and a shortage of manpower, Britain also recruited Chinese men.
  • The Western Front was very multicultural with many different nationalities and religions.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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