In short, France was one of the key countries in World War I along with the German Empire, Russia, Great Britain, and Austria-Hungary. The socio-political life of all the participating countries on the eve was characterized by tension, distrust within society and a significant militarization of all. Many countries also faced internal political problems, which they sought to resolve by diverting attention to the military conflict.
The anti-German coalition, of which France was a part, went down in history under the name of the Entente. It included the United Kingdom, Russia and the French Republic. It was the fulfillment of allied obligations that became one of the main reasons for France's entry into World War I. More on this later.
France's plans in World War I
The situation between the key players in the European political scene by the beginning of the 20th century was extremely difficult, and the balance was so fragile that it threatened to break at any moment.
Like most other European countries, France experienced difficult times in all respects before the outbreak of war. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the country suffered a crushing defeat from Prussia in 1871, having lost not only prestige, but also very significant territories. Therefore, for several decades, the people and the government lived in anticipation of revenge. Speaking about the date of France's entry into the First World War, it should be called July 28, 1914. When the French “called for battle” the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The chain of those who joined the action formed quite quickly.
Most historians, describing French society at the beginning of World War I, say that people took the news about the country's entry into the war with enthusiasm. After all, all aspects of public life were extremely militarized. Children prepared for war from school, taking part in marches, exercises. Many schools had a special form imitating a military. Thus, the generation of the first participants in the war grew up expecting a revenge, with a cult of the state and a military banner, and very willingly, as a result, went to the front, expecting an imminent victory and return to their homeland. However, these hopes were not destined to come true and the war dragged on. Victory was postponed, and people died in fierce battles and incredible torment. For entry into the First World War, France had very significant reasons, but Germany was not going to give up until the last.
Fragile political balance
France in the First World War, like other states, pursued aggressive ideas, hoping to regain control of Alsace and Lorraine. Lost by her as a result of the war with Germany three decades earlier.
To one degree or another, all states were interested in changing the existing order of things. Germany sought to redistribute the African colonies, France was seized with revengeful expectations, and Britain wanted to protect its vast possessions around the world. The Russian government wanted to achieve greater prestige, but received only a colossal political, economic and social catastrophe, which led to the fall of the existing political regime.
Despite the fact that hostilities were fought across Eurasia and even in Africa, the main ones were the Western European, Eastern, Balkan and Middle Eastern fronts. France’s participation in the First World War put a tremendous burden on the citizens of the country, since during the first two years of hostilities it was this country that conducted the main operations on the Western Front, trying to capture Alsace and defend Belgium.
By the end of 1915, the threat of capture by German troops hung over Paris. However, as a result of the stubborn resistance of the Franco-British group, the military conflict turned into a trench and dragged on for a long time. Although France did not take the start of World War I by surprise, the country was not ready for a protracted conflict, and for a long time could not stop the slow but steady onslaught of German troops, even with the support of allies.
Military company 1916-1917
The plans of the German government were to deliver the main blow to France in the Verdun region. The operation, on which the main stake was made, began in February 1916 and lasted until December. The parties suffered enormous losses from enemy bullets, unsanitary conditions and poor supply. But no one was going to give up. Although Germany could not break through the defense of the Anglo-French corps.
By the spring of 1917, the initiative passed to the French military leaders, and they did not fail to take advantage of this. Allied forces launched an active offensive on the river En, hoping to finally crush the enemy. In this offensive, which went down in history under the name “The Nivelles Slaughter”, the French and British lost more than two hundred thousand people, but they could not achieve their goal.
1918 Campaign Breakthrough front
At the beginning of the eighteenth year, Germany decided to go on a counterattack and attack France on the Western Front. Having achieved some success in breaking through the French defenses, the German troops, however, were again unable to reach Paris, stopping on the Marne River, where the operation again turned into a positional confrontation. It could not continue for so long, and the allied forces decided to attack the Germans again.
In the summer of 1916, the French military inflicted a serious defeat on the Germanic forces and threw them over the rivers En and Vel. The strategic initiative passed into the hands of the French after the Amiens operation, and by September Germany could not stop the Allied offensive in any direction - the defense was broken through the entire front.
The revolution in Germany and its defeat
In World War I, France fought mainly with Germany, which today is its neighbor. However, at that time relations between the countries were so tense that it was impossible to resolve the contradictions in any other way. Both countries experienced serious internal difficulties and had a very limited margin of safety on the eve of entering the war, however, the sociopolitical system of France was more stable in the face of military conflict.
In November 1918, a revolution occurred in Germany, as a result of which the monarchy was overthrown, and all systems of managing the economy and politics were destroyed. In such a situation, the position of the Germans at the front became catastrophic and there was nothing left for Germany but a peace agreement.
On November 11, 1918, the Compiegne truce between the countries of the Entente and Germany was signed in the Picardy region. From that moment, the war actually ended. Although its final results were summed up by the Treaty of Versailles, which for a long time determined the balance of power in Europe.
Western front
France during the First World War was one of the leading players in the entire theater of operations. But the greatest attention of its leaders was paid, of course, to the Western Front. It was here that the main shock forces of the republic were gathered. The date of France's entry into World War I is also the opening day of the Western Front.
From a geopolitical point of view, this front included the territories of Belgium and Luxembourg, Alsace and Lorraine. As well as the Rhine provinces of the German Empire and the Northeastern regions of France.
The greatest importance was given to this front, not least because of its great industrial importance, since large reserves of iron ore, coal, and important industrial enterprises were concentrated on its territory. In addition, the geography of the front was distinguished by flat terrain and a developed network of roads and railways, which made it possible to use large military units on its territory. It is worth saying that during the First World War, France took a very active position, not only defending itself, but also making great efforts to attack the opponents.
Both sides of the conflict made constant attempts to change the situation in their favor, but strong field fortifications, numerous machine gun points and barbed wire lines impeded these intentions. As a result, the war acquired the character of a trench confrontation, and the front line for many months might not have changed at all or changed insignificantly.
For France, this front was of strategic importance also because it defended the country's capital from German invasion, therefore significant forces and resources were concentrated here.
Battle of the Somme
Although France’s entry into the First World War was inevitable, it was practically impossible to prepare in advance for the difficulties awaiting it. A protracted confrontation was not part of the strategic plans of any of the participating countries.
By the spring of 1916, it became clear to the Allied command that France was suffering too much loss and could not single-handedly change the course of the war on the Western Front. At the same time, Russia also needed support, which also suffered a serious blow. As a result, it was decided to increase the British troops in the French theater of action.
The battle on the Somme River was included in all textbooks of military strategy. It began on July 1, 1916 with massive artillery preparation, as a result of which the Allied forces fired on the positions of the German army for a week. Despite the fact that the French acted very effectively, the British artillery did not show much success and the British army lost more than sixty thousand people in the first week of fighting.
The last phase of the operation on the Somme began in October 1916, when the Allies made serious attempts to advance deep into enemy territory, but were able to break through only 3-4 kilometers. As a result, due to the beginning of autumn showers, the offensive was curtailed; the Franco-British corps managed to capture only a small area at the cost of enormous losses. Both parties together lost about one and a half million people.
How did the French attitude to conflict
Initially, French society rallied around the idea of revenge, and France’s plans in World War I were supported by most citizens. However, over time, when it became clear that the confrontation would not be quick, and the number of victims would only increase, public opinion began to change.
The growth of enthusiasm among the population in the first couple was also facilitated by the fact that the country's leadership kept in line with the situation of wartime. But pep did not compensate for managerial failures. In the first months of the war, even the highest leadership of the republic did not have accurate information on the state of affairs at the front. And the longer the French soldiers were in the trenches, the more defeatist sentiments spread among the Parisian elite.
Although France greeted the start of World War I with enthusiasm, the changing mood soon made the elite seriously think about a separate peace with Germany, which was only possible to avoid thanks to pressure from the British Empire.
The French resentment also demanded that the government achieve all the tasks set, one of which was the return of Alsace and Lorraine. This goal was achieved, but at the cost of incredible casualties and huge material and financial losses.
War Results
The main result of the war for France was a victory over a long-standing enemy - Germany. Although the losses amounted to about 200 billion francs, almost one and a half million people killed and 23 thousand destroyed enterprises, the French believed that the main goals were achieved.
Germany was crushed for several decades, the coveted lands returned to France, and the burden of reparations and indemnities was imposed on the enemies. In addition, the fossil resources of the Saar basin came under French control, and its military gained the right to be in the former German colonies in Africa.
The honorary title of "father of victory" went to Jacques Clemenceau, who formed the government in the last years of the war and made a huge personal contribution to the defeat of Germany. This rather radical politician took a rather tough stance on such important issues for post-war France as the organization of trade unions, the fight against the strike movement, tax increases and the stabilization of the franc, which required very unpopular measures among the population.
Post-war France and its allies. Summary
As a result of World War I, France suffered enormous losses, gained a lot, and French society has changed a lot. However, no matter how serious the social changes in the republic were, its opponents suffered much more serious losses. Thus, the results of World War I were rather positive for France, although they had to pay a high price.
The conflict radically changed the political systems of Austria-Hungary, Russia, Germany and Turkey, which, as a result of revolutions, coups and civil wars, turned from empires into republics and lost vast territories. It was in the first post-war time that the map of the Middle East, which was formed as a result of the division of possessions of the Ottoman Turkey, acquired its modern outlines.
The Russian Empire also collapsed, and on its ruins, numerous semi-dependent states were formed, and later the Soviet Union. However, the hardest blow came in Germany.
As a result of the war, the German state became a republic, but lost Alsace and Lorraine. Also, obligations were imposed on the country to pay material and monetary compensations, and troops of the victorious countries remained for a long time in its territories. It is believed that it was these very burdensome obligations that awakened a sentiment in the Germans, which served as one of the main reasons for the outbreak of World War II.
Great Britain, however, suffered the least losses, as it has a favorable geographical position, and its industry at that time was the most developed in Europe. The first world war affected the United States, which increased its foreign debt to four billion dollars.
Although the results of World War I were very different for France, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia, all countries suffered huge losses, and the conflict made an indelible impression on everyone who had anything to do with it.