We are looking at World War One this week during class.
For this blog assignment, select a story from this website.
In the comment section, write a 200 word post describing your story and what you learned about WW1 from what you read.
As with last week's blog, you cannot post about the same story someone else read. So, the sooner you post your blog, the better!
For this week’s blog I chose the story that I thought would be the most interesting story of all the ones on the website the story I chose is Christmas in the Trenches. This unique story is about how Christmas was like for the soldiers in the trenches during World War 1. One thing that I find very interesting about this story is that on December 24th of 1914 the Germans made a chocolate cake for the British with a note. Also in return the British decided to give the Germans a present too the present that the British gave the Germans was tobacco which I thought was not that very good of a present compared to a chocolate cake. I also found it very interesting that on Christmas Eve the people that were on different sides of the war sang Christmas carols and also exchanged gifts and play games which sounds very nice. I found this story very interesting and informational because I learned that even though World War 1 was going on everybody took a day with no war and death to enjoy the holiday of Christmas and exchange gifts with each other. I have learned so much about World War 1 after reading this story and it makes me have a different perspective of World War 1.(220 Words)
ReplyDeleteThe article I chose to read is titled "Gas Attack, 1916". This article explains how when World War One started a ton of new technological advances came about to improve war weaponry and tactics. Some new weapons that appeared during the war were machine guns, tanks, airplanes, zeppelins, and gas. The article explains how the most cruel of these was probably the gas, and it was used in crazy ways. During the war gas cylinders were places on the front lines of war to attack the opposing side. Gases were also packed into artillery shells and placed behind the opposition so that no one was safe. Some of the poisonous gasses used were: chlorine gas, phosgene gas, and mustard gas. By the end of World War One, an estimated twenty five percent of all artillery shells fired contained some type of gas. The deadliness of the gasses could not be avoided in most cases, as they were air bound and absolutely brutal, but there were some attempts to defend against these gasses. One popular form of defense were gas masks, but even these could not fully stop the horror of the gas attacks. I personally found this article super interesting to read, and I enjoyed it! (Word Count: 206)
ReplyDeleteFor my blog this week, I chose to do the article called The Unknown Soldier Comes Home, 1921. The service would search deeply through the forms that carried all the names in hope of finding the identities of the unknown soldiers who had died. There were four soldiers who died that were unable to be identified. They were chosen to represent the remains of soldiers who were also unidentifiable. The article tells a story of a gathering for the remembrance of these fallen soldiers. It tells how the chamber entered with the four unidentified bodies. They each had a casket which was inscribed 'An Unknown American who gave his life in the World War.' The caskets were decorated in the red, white, and blue. The transfer of the caskets was beautiful and respectful. They placed the caskets on the stern of the cruiser which was covered in more decorations. Flowers, flags, and wreaths were placed on and beside all the caskets. Even school children would board the cruiser and place flowers around the caskets. The funeral for the unknown soldiers was treated with extreme respect. It was important, although they had ‘no names,’ that they were remembered for their service. (200 words)
ReplyDeleteFor my blog this week I decided to read the article called, “The sinking of the Lusitania, 1915.” It talked about when the Germans submarine U-20 sunk the Lusitania which was the fastest liner afloat and her speed could defend against submarine attack. Lusitania had left New York City on May 1. On the afternoon of May 7 she was steaming off the coast of Ireland within easy sailing distance of her destination. Lusitania was not running at full speed because of fog. The ship was taking an evasive zigzag course. It was a sitting duck and was headed straight into the sights of the U-20. Captain Schwieger unleashed one torpedo that hit its target amidships. The initial explosion was followed quickly by a second, more powerful, detonation. Within 20 minutes the great liner had slipped under the water, taking 1,198 victims with her. Among the dead were 138 Americans. Many in the United States were outraged. American public opinion had turned against Germany and when she resurrected her unrestricted submarine warfare policy in February of 1917, America decided to go to war. I thought that this story was really interesting it helped me understand how the Lusitania suck. I enjoyed how it included Captain Schwieger diary and when the voyage suck.
ReplyDeleteWord Count: 213
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFor my blog this week is chose, “America Declares War on Germany, 1917.” It talks about how America first declared war on Germany in World War I. President Wilson appeared in front of congress and asked to declare war on Germany. President Wilson declared war on Germany in order to make the world safe from democracy. Congress granted President Wilson request 2 days later. Germany renewed its policy of unrestricted submarine warfare that it had abandoned in 1915 after the sinking of the Lusitania. All ships trading with Britain, would be targets for their submarines and would be sunk without warning. The British gave the American ambassador a copy of a Zimmermann Telegram. Wilson was nervous about war and thought that it would change America forever. The consequences of war for Germany was there won’t be any peace standards to work with. I learned that World War I last 4 years and was nicknamed the Great War. I also learned World War I played a big role in the world today due to Presidents wanting to go to war with other countries and needing congress approval. Lastly I learned Wilson was a good president who wanted what was best for the United States and he was also very cautious.
ReplyDelete(Word Count: 209)
A Death at the Battle of the Somme, 1916
ReplyDeleteIn the year of 1916, they attempted crossing No Man’s Land but instead they perished. It was one of the bloodiest battles the British, French, and Germany had faced. It ended in the month of November. All together the British lost 420,000 people; the French lost 200,000 soldiers; and lastly, the Germans lost 500,000. In the month of July, an American, Alan Seeger awaited to assault the German trenches. A poet, who loved the bohemian atmosphere, joined the French troops in order to protect his beloved country.
“I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air--
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.”- Alan Seeger
He passed away on July 1, 1916 at the age of 28. It was his first day at the Battle of Somme. He left his precious diary and some letters..
“June 28, 1916.
We go up to the attack tomorrow. This will probably be the biggest thing yet. We are to have the honor of marching in the first wave.
I will write you soon if I get through all right. If not, my only earthly care is for my poems. I am glad to be going in first wave. If you are in this thing at all it is best to be in to the limit. And this is the supreme experience." - Alan Seeger
"..that was the last time I saw my friend..
At 8 o'clock on the morning of July 1st there was roll call for the day's orders and we were told that the general offensive would begin at 9 without us, as we were in reserve, and that we should be notified of the day and hour that we were to go into action. When this report was finished we were ordered to shell fatigue, unloading 8 inch shells from automobile trucks which brought them up to our position.
All was hustle and bustle. The Colonial regiments had carried the first German lines and thousands and thousands of prisoners kept arriving and leaving. Ambulances filed along the roads continuously. As news began to arrive we left our work to seek more details; picking up souvenirs, postcards, letters, soldiers' notebooks, and chatting all the time, when suddenly a voice called out: 'The company will fall in to go to the first line.'
Alan Seeger About 4 o'clock the order came to get ready for the attack. None could help thinking of what the next few hours would bring. One minute's anguish and then, once in the ranks, faces became calm and serene, a kind of gravity falling upon them, while on each could be read the determination and expectation of victory. Two battalions were to attack Belloy-en-Santerre, our company being the reserve of battalion. The companies forming the first wave were deployed on the plain. Bayonets glittered in the air above the corn, already quite tall.
The first section (Alan's section) formed the right and vanguard of the company and mine formed the left wing. After the first bound forward, we lay flat on the ground, and I saw the first section advancing beyond us and making toward the extreme right of the village of Belloy-en-Santerre. I caught sight of Seeger and called to him, making a sign with my hand.
He answered with a smile. How pale he was! His tall silhouette stood out on the green of the cornfield. He was the tallest man in his section. His head erect, and pride in his eye, I saw him running forward, with bayonet fixed. Soon he disappeared and that was the last time I saw my friend. . . ."- a friend
(630)-I did not mean for it to be this much, it’s the letters.
For this week’s blog, I chose to do the U-boat Attack, 1916. The Germans declared a war zone around the british isles. In 1915 the Germans realized that there was no need to go through the work of capturing a ship when all they really had to do was sink the ship entirely. 50 ships were hit by this including the Lusitania (in this 1,198 lives were lost). In 1917 Germany renounced their policy and stated that even neutral countries like America would be hit on sight. Around this time 1,030 ships had been sunk. The u-boat was really cramped and small on the inside. Going through this was not only scary for every country in war but also for the neutral. The second time Germany put up their policy they became way more strict and were sinking way more boats. Technology was slowly growing and britain was slowly becoming less powerful due to issues like starvation. After one of the explosions, one man saw a horse jump over the rails and straight into a boat. I think it is amazing how fast the technology grew and how uplifting some people were even after experience a terrible tragedy like that. (200)
ReplyDeleteFor this week’s blog, I did the “The Begnning of the End of World War 1, 1918.” Since Russia had to drop out of the war because of their Empore collapsing, the Germans moved their Fronts east to France. By this, the Germans wanted to mount an attack to convert trench warfare since that’s how the war started in the first place in 1914. They had a couple of problems in this act though. Number one was they used all of their men, so they don’t have much back ups left for the war. Number two was that America had sent an extra four million troops to give to the allies, while on the other side the Germans were wanting to send a blow to the Americans but didn’t succeed. On March 21, 1918, Germany was fighting the British and a French; driving them back towards Paris to overtake it, but couldn’t deliver. When Germany tried to take the Capital of France, the Frenchmen and the American men drove back the Germans to their starting point. I never knew this part of the “Great War” before. I think it’s interesting how America sent that many people into the war to fight with foreign people against Germany and their evil ways.(212)
ReplyDelete