Synopsis

The first months on the Western Front were mobile, fast and dangerous and casualty rates were high.

Further Information

More clips from The First World War

01: To Arms | The First World War

The merciless pattern of the war was set early on, by Austro-Hungarian atrocities against Serbian civilians.

03: Global War | The First World War

This episode looks at the global implications of the war, particularly on the African continent.

04: Jihad | The First World War

The Ottoman Empire, Germany's ally, summoned all Muslims to Jihad - holy war - to overthrow Allied power in the Middle East.

05: Shackled to a Corpse | The First World War

Part five looks at the ferocious battle for the Eastern Front, fought from the Urals to the Alps.

06: Breaking the Deadlock | The First World War

Part six covers the battle on the Western Front from 1915-17, a period of constant tactical evolution.

07: Blockade | The First World War

German submarines turned the North Sea into a no-go area for Britain's battleships. The British responded with a blockade.

08: Revolution | The First World War

This episode examines how governments, worried about unrest at home, set about fomenting revolution among the enemy.

09: Germany's Last Gamble | The First World War

In March 1918, the Germans launched a massive offensive on the Western Front hoping it would win them the war.

10: War Without End | The First World War

The final part explores the war's last few months, the armistice and the Treaty of Versailles.