# Which Allied Country broke the stalemate during ww1?



## 102first_hussars (Oct 4, 2005)

WHERE AND WHEN DID THIS BATTLE TAKE PLACE AND WHO?


ILL GIVE YOU MY ANSWER AFTER A FER POSTS


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## trackend (Oct 4, 2005)

Im going for the Russians who recievied a tear gas attack I believe in early 1915 at Bol** something or another I can look it up but I have so many books it will take some time. I also think a chemical attack against the French took place in 1914 but I dont think it was gas but a vitriolic weapon.


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## Wildcat (Oct 4, 2005)

How come the poll question is different to the topic one? and BTW Australia fought in WWI to.


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## Nonskimmer (Oct 4, 2005)

A lot of other countries did, not the least of which were the Austo-Hungarian Empire and Russia. Of course, just as would be the case with WWII, most troops of the British dominions were considered to be simply "British" anyway by many. 

French troops were the first to be mustard gassed, by the Germans at Ypres in mid April of 1915. Canadians were the second to feel the mustard gas later that same month.


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## 102first_hussars (Oct 6, 2005)

Actually Nonskimmer that is kinda trick question 

Both The French and the Canadians sufferd the Gas Attacks, because they were sharing the lines canadians on the left and french on the right the lines were in close proximity, 

If the French had sufferd before the canadians were assighned at Ypres then they would have told us to retreat at the sight of light green smoke.

and about breaking the stalemate, the lines had been broken many times before Vimy Ridge, but bad decisions ended up continueing the lock, but to my Knowledge the second battle of Vimy Ridge the Canadians successfully took that ridge and the advance towards Germany began, if Im wrong reducate me because WW1 was a very basic subject in highschool.


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## plan_D (Oct 6, 2005)

Which Allied country broke the stalemate? None on their own. The only time a war of movement was revived was at the Battle of Amiens in 1918 which was led by New Zealanders. 

But as I said, no one country broke the stalemate. The Germans were worn down with war. What few people remember is the fact that Germany itself was worn down, the industry was damaged and the civilian workers were extremely low in moral. Even without a descisive breakthrough Britain (and her Commonwealth) with France would have defeated the German industry through attrition. Defeat the industry, defeat the army.


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## Nonskimmer (Oct 7, 2005)

102first_hussars said:


> Actually Nonskimmer that is kinda trick question
> 
> Both The French and the Canadians sufferd the Gas Attacks, because they were sharing the lines canadians on the left and french on the right the lines were in close proximity,


Yes, you're right.  
The attack had been directed toward the French, but there were Canadians sharing the lines. Algerians too. Then we caught it _again_ in April.

Time for me to brush-up on some WWI history again.


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## 102first_hussars (Oct 8, 2005)

But in April we were somewhat prepared because some genius said to piss on a rag an place it over your mouth and nose- sick but effective


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## Wildcat (Oct 8, 2005)

plan_D said:


> Which Allied country broke the stalemate? None on their own. The only time a war of movement was revived was at the Battle of Amiens in 1918 which was led by New Zealanders.



The 8th of August 1918 was the day that crushed any hope of a German victory. The aim of the offensive was to end the enemy threat to Amiens and its vital rail network once and for all. This campaign was lead by the AIF (Australian Imperial Force) comprising the Australian 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Divisions, with the Canadian 1st and 2nd Divisions on their right and the British III corp on the left. The campaign was planned and led by the Brilliant Australian General John Monash who planned and led the battle of Hamel the month previous.

Zero hour on 8th August was 4:20am and by 11am the Australian flag was flying in Harbonnieres which was just infront of the ultimate AIF objective. In seven hours hours the Australians had advanced 7 miles, captured 7 925 prisoners and 173 field guns.

The Chief German strategist, General Ludendorff, described 8 August as "the black day of the German Army in this war" for this campaign demonstrated beyond doubt that victory for his side was no longer feasible.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 8, 2005)

plan_D said:


> Which Allied country broke the stalemate? None on their own. The only time a war of movement was revived was at the Battle of Amiens in 1918 which was led by New Zealanders.
> 
> But as I said, no one country broke the stalemate. The Germans were worn down with war. What few people remember is the fact that Germany itself was worn down, the industry was damaged and the civilian workers were extremely low in moral. Even without a descisive breakthrough Britain (and her Commonwealth) with France would have defeated the German industry through attrition. Defeat the industry, defeat the army.



You are correct. The German population and military were tired of the war and the military was beginning to mutiny. Even though as you said the war of movement was revived no real nation was actually "winning" the war when it ended. I may be wrong but I believe Germany was still in French territory when they laid down there arms.


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## evangilder (Oct 8, 2005)

Depends on what you mean by gas attacks. The French were the first to use gas against German troops by throwing grenades full of xylyl bromide (tear gas) in August of 1914. The Germans replied by using artillery shells filled with a chemical irritant in October of 1914 at Neuve Chappelle. The German usage was a minimal amount that had little effect.

The first _deadly_ gas attack was on April 22, 1915 during the second battle of Ypres. IG Farben had Clorine gas that was a by-product from manufacturing dye. 160 tons were collected on the German lines in 5,730 cylinders. A 1700 hours on April 22, the Germans made use of the wind and release the gas. A gray green cloud drifted over the lines to the French and Algerian soldiers near Langemarck.

The Canadians were victims of Chlorine next on Aril 24, 1915 and May 2. The British were attacked with it on May 4 near Hill 60.

When the British retaliated, it proved a disaster. On September 25, 1915, the British had 150 tons of Clorine in 5,500 cylinders in the Battle of Loos. When the wind was right, the gas was released to drift to the German lines. The wind shifted and the gas blew back into the British trenches.

Phosgene was next to be used by the Germans in December of 1915. While a deadly weapon, exposure to phosgene can take up to 24 or more to kill, making it not as effective as the enemy could still fight.

Mustard gas was first used by the Germans in July of 1917 during the third battle of Ypres.


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## Nonskimmer (Oct 8, 2005)

Hmmm, chlorine gas. Boy, I'm 0 for 2 with this one. 
I seem to have had my dates mixed up as well. I thought the attack on the French took place on April 15th or 16th. I don't know why I thought that. 

That article doesn't mention it, but I'm pretty sure hussy here is right. There were Canadian troops present on the line during that first attack as well. I'll see if I can find something on-line that mentions it.


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## plan_D (Oct 8, 2005)

I've made Chlorine Gas before.


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## Nonskimmer (Oct 8, 2005)

No doubt.


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## plan_D (Oct 8, 2005)

It wasn't much and I was in a well ventilated room. I was smart enough to throw the container I'd used to make it (and was thus leaking it) outside and leave it for a good few hours. I wander if it killed anything ...oh well...

It was my school's fault I knew how to do it in the first place. We had to make chlorine gas in class. And I'd told people I'd done it ...and they didn't believe me. So, being me, I stole some stuff to do it from the chemistry storeroom then made some at a friends house. I should have gassed them for doubting me!


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## evangilder (Oct 8, 2005)

You are right, NS, Canadian troops were on the line with the French and Algerians. The French and Canadian troops were the intended target, but the wind shifted slightly and it ended up in the French and Algerian section of the lines.


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## Nonskimmer (Oct 8, 2005)

I once met an old vet (_very_ old) who'd been at Ypres, who'd had his left hand shot off by machine gun fire.

http://www.1914-18.co.uk/blunden/canadian.htm

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=history/firstwar/canada/canada4


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## 102first_hussars (Oct 8, 2005)

Actually my Mom had an accident with toxic fumes.

I guess she had discoverd a spot of Dog Urine at the landing of the stairs, it was a huge spot (Rottweilers carry a Shit Load of piss) anyways is was a pain trying to clean it with generic cleaner. 

She decided to mix a small pale of Bleach and Amonia not knowing the what would happen, she managed to carry the pale to the the spot without disturbing the mixture, but when she started scrubbing the floor, she hollerd to me that her nose was bleeding, so I ran to grab some kleenex when I came back I saw my Mom pouring the pale into the sink, 
she fell over gasping for air, I basically dragged her outside the house, Iwent back inside to get her inhaler and the cordless phone, I was only in the house like 30 seconds and my eyes were burning, my nose was running and felt like I was going to puke  

Anyway, in the end we were both fine,

Though my Mother had lost her voice for few weeks,


Which was a blessing in disguise.


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## Nonskimmer (Oct 9, 2005)

Well at least she was alright in the end. Thank god for that, eh?


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## evangilder (Oct 9, 2005)

Mixing those 2 together is a really deadly combo. Believe it or not, what happened to you guys is a best case scenario. Worst case is that you could cause an explosion! Household bleach is not really pure Chlorine, it is one part Chlorine, one part sodium and one part oxygen. What it looks like in your case is that the mixture created a compound that released the Chlorine molecules to roam freely. That is what caused the reactions you and your mother experienced.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 9, 2005)

My wife actually had Chemistry as her major course of study in the Germany Gymnasium (like a US highschool but equal to almost an Associates degree in the US and required to attend a German University) and one of her classes was about making chemicals including chemical gasses used for WMD's. The teacher thought it would be interesting to learn about them because it was during the whole thing about Al Quida getting WMD's and the build up for Iraq.


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