The Great War in Numbers (2017)

Episode Overview

As 1915 dawned, the devastating effectiveness of machine guns and heavy artillery had made it clear to all combatants that the key to survival lay in finding cover and fortifying positions. This reality was starkly demonstrated during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, where a small contingent of German soldiers with machine guns successfully repelled an assault by 9,000 British troops. The war eventually led to the construction of an extensive network of 25,000 miles of trenches across Europe. With traditional weaponry failing to achieve significant advances, innovations propelled warfare into the air and beneath the waves. Initially, Britain had only 193 aircraft, but by war’s end, production surged to over 30,000 annually. In retaliation to the British naval blockade, Germany deployed U-boats against Allied shipping, culminating in the tragic sinking of the Lusitania, which claimed 1,197 lives, including 128 Americans, nearly prompting U