BEF Impact on World War I Development
TITLE
How important was the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in how the war developed to the end of 1914? Explain your answer.
ESSAY
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) played a significant role in the development of the war up until the end of 1914. With only 120,000 professional soldiers, the BEF faced the German invasion of Belgium and successfully slowed the German advance at the Battle of Mons. This boosted morale for the British soldiers. In the Battle of the Marne, the BEF forced a German retreat, leading to the Germans digging defensive trench lines. The BEF's presence, along with the French, resulted in a race to the sea and the beginning of static trench warfare.
However, it is important to note that the BEF also faced challenges and setbacks. The Battle of Mons initially forced the BEF to retreat towards the outskirts of Paris. In comparison to the larger German army, the BEF was relatively small. The bigger factors contributing to the development of the war were the failure of the Schlieffen Plan to capture Paris and defeat France, the Belgian resistance, and the subsequent two-front war. The BEF also lacked effective military tactics to handle the defensive warfare and new weapons, such as machine guns. The rapid Russian mobilisation forced Germany to divert reinforcements to the Eastern Front, further stretching their resources. Poor supply lines and the impact of the British Blockade on German ports also influenced the course of the war.
Overall, while the BEF's efforts were important in particular battles, the broader developments and factors, such as the failure of the Schlieffen Plan and the two-front war, had a more significant impact on the war's progression by the end of 1914.
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NOTES
How important was the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in how the war developed to the end of 1914? Explain your answer. Yes BEF entered war to protect Belgium after German invasion; BEF only 120 000 strong; professional soldiers versus German conscripts; fought at Mons in 1914 slowing the German advance successfully; morale boosting for BEF; more successful at the Battle of the Marne where it forced a German retreat; led to Germans digging in a defensive line of trenches; Britain and France did the same and race to the sea began; at First Battle of Ypres a stalemate was reached leading to static warfare in trenches, etc. No Battle of Mons did force BEF to retreat to outskirts of Paris; small army in comparison to Germany’s; more important – failure of Schlieffen Plan to capture Paris and defeat France; Belgian resistance; led to a two-front war; lack of modern military tactics to deal with defensive warfare and new weapons such as the machine gun; Russian mobilisation in just 10 days forced von Moltke to send reinforcements to eastern front; poor supply lines; allow references to British Blockade of German ports, etc.