Von Clausewitz the military theorist claimed that in war, “each of the adversaries forces the hand of the other, and a reciprocal action results, which in theory can have no limit.” By 1915 World War l was proving this statement true. Due to the growth in economy, man power and technology the war couldn’t let up. It became limitless because of money, surplus and war materials. On top of all that after governments make mistakes in such a massive war it is near impossible for them to confess. But it wasn’t only material goods that made the war limitless, there was a deadly devotion to nationalism that created endless support for war possible by the people. 1915 was the year of shortages, but this didn’t end the war and only made it more difficult to do so. The shortages and realization that the war was not coming to an end brought countries to widening the war with more allies. As more armies entered the war more lives were lost. With all this support the war took on a life of it’s own, one much more deadly than any other war before it.
From 1915-1916 the stalemate continued on the western front with no movement whatsoever and huge losses of life. The british began the invasion of mesopotamia in the middle east and the Russians drove the Turks out of Armenia as more countries joined in. Italy entered the war on the side of the Entente and Bulgaria entered the war on the side of the central powers. Serbia fell to Germany, Austria and Bulgaria and the war still had no end in sight. During all of this new technologies and warfare strategies were being introduced, which increased the number of casualties. It was the second battle of Ypres on April 22nd 1915 that introduced the use of Poison gas by the Germans against the French. A technology that would change the war.
In 1915 the Germans began to make their main effort on the Eastern Front. Attacking Russia partly because it seemed to be in the worst shape out of any major power in the war. After the second Battle...