British naval commanders are skeptical of a new type of weapon – submarines. Their delusions are scattered on September 22, 1914, when the German U-9 submarine (type U-5 Series II) sends three British armored cruisers to the bottom for one and a half hours. British ships patrol the North Sea when one of them, the Abukir, is hit by torpedoes. Initially, the British explain the explosion by the action of a sea mine. The two cruisers, in spite of the signals from the captain “Abukir” who understood the mistake, are approaching to lift the sailors aboard. Maneuvering, U-9 takes the most advantageous position to attack. Almost all of her torpedoes find targets. Thus, a submarine with a displacement of 600 tons, a crew of 28 people and a total of six torpedoes destroys three cruisers with a displacement of 36,000 tons and 1,459 sailors without loss. The British Admiralty is reviewing its dogmas. The photo – German open-sea submarine, type U-5 Series II

So, on September 1, 1914, the 1st German Army, 40 kilometers short. to Paris, turns to the east and pursues the British to the river Marne (60—80 km. east of the capital). Bridges not blown up by the British seem to instill in German soldiers faith in never-passing fortune. Throwing away the thought that a significant part of the forces had been deployed on the Eastern Front, the German forces were organizing a pursuit. The French themselves are preparing to withdraw beyond the Seine River. But the commandant of Gallieni, who is responsible for the defense of Paris, having received air reconnaissance data, under personal responsibility, convinces the French commander-in-chief to launch a counterattack. The battle erupted on September 6 at the tributaries of the Marne. A day later, the standoff culminates. At some time it seems that the French are suffering a crushing defeat. Reinforcements from the colonies can be transferred to the front line thanks to the dedication of the French taxi drivers. More than 600 of the Renault AG-1 taxis mentioned in this picture make 2 flights each, bringing the soldiers almost to the battlefield.

.Deprived of reserves, the German field marshal withdraws troops from a vast area of the front. It also does not remain unnoticed by the allies. The French and the British are wedged into the gap between the German armies. Both sides are extremely exhausted. In the end, the German units depart 60 kilometers, on September 12 they occupy the defenses along the banks of the rivers Ain and Vel. Front stabilized. Perhaps for the first time in the history of wars, troops create solid lines of defense for hundreds of kilometers. The irretrievable losses of France are 80,000, Great Britain – 2,000, Germany – 75,000. The photograph shows French troops in the vicinity of the Marne River, September 1914.

In order to help its defeated Austro-Hungarian allies, Germany is organizing an offensive against the then Russian Poland. From September 28, 1914, the German armies inflict a number of powerful blows on the Russian corps and, in spite of their own high losses, reach the outskirts of Warsaw. Here the allies get stuck in positional battles and miss the counteroffensive of the Russian armies. Organized waste sometimes turns into a total escape. By November 8, Austro-Hungarian and German troops occupy the line of defense preceding the offensive. Allies lose 35,000 people, 23,000 prisoners, Russia – 32,000. In the photo – Russian troops force the Vistula

Famous photograph of the First World War, the British military among the forest, destroyed by German artillery. Flanders, autumn 1914. The battle on Marne organically flows into “Running to the Sea” – a chain of battles in Flanders (western Belgium), which aim to outflank the enemy. By November 15, the front is buried in the North Sea and stabilized. Over 700 km. parties to the conflict equip rows of trenches, barbed wire, dugouts and long-term gun emplacements

Somehow it happened that, despite all the efforts, Germany is not a great maritime power. However, newcomers are lucky. Perhaps that is why, on November 1, 1914, the battle at the Chilean port of Coronel is in favor of the Open Sea Fleet. Two armored, three light German cruisers are engaged in raiding. Their main goal is to prevent the admission of Chilean nitrate to British weapons factories. The forces of the English seem to be commensurate; two armored and two light cruisers. The undoubted courage of the British admiral Cradock prevails over his prudence. The squadron is sent to intercept the Germans are not sufficiently prepared, not in full force. Grand Fleet attacks in the evening, when its ships are illuminated by the setting sun, and the Germanic gray-painted cruisers hide the dark background of the coast. The Scharnhorst and the same type Gneisenau, whose commanders, in contrast to most British reservists, received excellent training, achieve hits of 210 mm and 150 mm. airborne guns. Two armored cruisers are sailing to the bottom. It is still in the custom of time to rescue teams of sunken enemy ships, but this is not the case. In icy, 9—10 degrees Celsius water, 1654 British sailors die. Sanitary losses of the German fleet – two wounded. On the photo is the German armored cruiser Scharnhorst.

…At the opposite theater of military operations, before the commandant of Qingdao decides on the surrender of the fortress, the Japanese spend tens of thousands of large-caliber shells on this fort. When trying to break through the German destroyer torpedoes the Japanese cruiser. However, on November 7, 1914, after the depletion of ammunition stocks, Qingdao capitulated. The human irretrievable loss of Germany is 300 people against 1200 in Japan. However, the Europeans for the second time, after the Russian Empire, are defeated by the ambitious East Asian tiger. Europe and the United States are on their guard. Photography – the Japanese visiting the German citadel. In the foreground are carts containing charges for large-caliber guns.

Since July 28, the Austro-Hungarian units have advanced some distance in Serbia, but already on August 19 they have suffered a crushing defeat. The second, more powerful wave of the Austrian offensive, November 30, 1914, overwhelms Belgrade. Ammunition and foodstuffs from France and Russia allow the capital to be liberated by December 15, 1914. The front stabilizes at the frontier of the Sava and Drina rivers. In total, by this time the Austro-Hungarian Empire was losing 28,000 people killed, 46,000 prisoners, Serbia – 22,000 permanently, 19,000 prisoners. In the photo – the Serbian soldiers in the trenches. Neighborhood Kolubar, November 16, 1914

So, after the Turkish fleet fired on the Russian cities of Sevastopol, Odessa, Feodosiya and Novorossiysk, on November 11—12, 1914, Russia declared war on Turkey. Three days later the same declare England and France. On December 22, 1914, after an unsuccessful offensive a month earlier, a defensive operation of the Russian Caucasian Army starts at the Sarykamysh point of the Karr region. Due to the frosts, lack of uniforms and food, the Turkish army suffers significant non-combat losses. In a series of battles, the Russian army captures the initiative and goes over to the counter offensive. Already on January 4, 1915, the Headquarters received reports on the complete defeat of the Turkish corps. Total Ottomans lose 28,000 dead and 25—30,000 prisoners. Irrecoverable losses of the Russian Empire – 15,000 people. A side effect is that the Turks launch the mechanism of the mass genocide of Armenians. The blame for the defeat of the army, its commanders need to shift to someone. The guilt of ethnic Armenians lies only in the fact that they are loyally greeted by Russian troops. The photograph shows the Russian units in the trenches near Sarykamysh. It is still a combat-ready, disciplined and general rush army

A German squadron of familiar to us armored “Scharnhorst”, “Gneisenau” and three light cruisers, two transport and one hospital ship sent to the Falkland Islands to strike at the British base of Stanley. The main idea is to deprive the enemy, so necessary for the voracious ship’s fireboxes, of coal. However, an unpleasant surprise for the German crews is the news of being in the raid of the object of attack, which arrived on the eve of a strong British squadron. In the photo – the British cruiser Invisible (“Invincible”). The salvo weight is 3,000 kg., 3.8 times higher than the similar characteristics of Scharnhorst guns.

Immediately, seven British cruisers and an battleship rush to intercept German ships. The fire contact is established on December 8, 1914. Further, quite straightforwardly, the caliber of the guns affects the course of the battle. Size matters. At a distance of 12 kilometers 305 mm. British guns can confidently hit enemy ships, and 210 mm. guns of German cruisers – no. In the photo – the old, but formidable British battleship “Canopus”, the port guard, firing from 12-inch guns. Initially, the Germans expected to see at Port Stanley only this one, which has a rather weak booking

The Scharnhorst gets 40 hits and goes down. Of the 860 sailors, no one is saved. Two hours later, the same fate befalls Gneisenau. Survive 187 people. In addition, two light German cruisers and transports are killed in fire and water. One cruiser and hospital ship manages to escape. The total human losses of the Germans – 2110 people, 212 prisoners. The British squadron loses 6 sailors. Somewhat later, on August 28, 1915, in the battle near the island of Helgoland, the British allowed four German ships to the bottom and finally restore the reputation of their fleet.Photography – sailors from the Gneisenau are looking for salvation on the British cruiser Inflexible

Size matters. On the left – guns of the Invincible cruiser, on the right – the Scharnhorst

Since February 19, 1915, after the preliminary “raids”, seven Anglo-French pennants fired at Turkish forts. Thanks to both the actions of spies and their own logic, the Ottomans strengthen the citadels in advance. In the morning, February 18, despite an unfavorable forecast, the allied fleet attacks the Turkish coastal fortifications. The main idea of the initiator of the operation, then still quite young lion (or even a bulldog) of W. Churchill: “Turkey is an Asian power over which progressive Europe, led by Great Britain, will easily triumph.” It is supposed to land troops on the Gallipoi Peninsula (North-West Coast of Asia Minor), 80,000 people, in order to open a sea connection with Russia and force Turkey to peace. As a prize for all-round assistance, the notorious Straits (free communication of the Black and Mediterranean Seas) are offered to Emperor Nicholas II, even if veiled, Photo – French squadron battleship Charlemagne. In the foreground are soldiers of the Entente who are preparing to disembark on the Turkish coast. January 1915

As a result of the counteraction of the Turkish coastal batteries, a series of battles, explosions on mines, the ten pennants of the Allied fleet very quickly go to the bottom. Be that as it may, a large-scale landing of naval assault forces has been carried out since April 25. Already on the first day of the operation, under heavy machine-gun fire, the allies lose at least 18,000 people alone with those killed. Somewhat later, Turkish artillery collects a heavy harvest. Britain still does not believe in the failure of the ambitious operation and is pushing the “last battalion” – an additional 10,000 paratroopers. German-Turkish guns devour them as well. The command of the Entente recognizes the catastrophe and withdraws the troops. The evacuation continues from December 7, 1915 to January 9, 1916. Britain loses 40,000 people, its allies from the dominions 10,000, France 10,000, Turkey 100,000 (but it wins). The photo is a British battleship doddornoot “Irrenzistable”, suffered damage from a sea mine, coastal batteries of the enemy, gone to the bottom on March 18, 1915.

From January 20, 1915, the Russian and Austro-Hungarian armies almost simultaneously begin their offensive in the Carpathians. The result of a chain of battles that do not differ in diversity is 250,000 dead Russians, 230,000 Austrians and Hungarians. The garrison of the fortress of Przemysl exhausts food supplies, eats up the last horses, and surrenders. This is the last inspirational victory of the Russian army, won by small forces with acceptable losses. 120,000 soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire are taken prisoner. On the photo – frames of the Russian aerial photography, one of the forts of Przemysl, March 1915

Storm of the Carpathians, winter of 1915. Russian soldiers. Randomly selected photo

Emperor Nicholas II and Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army Nikolai Nikolayevich (grandson of Nicholas I). It seems that still can be very good. Already very soon, the royal personages will visit the islands of Imbros, Tenedos in the Aegean Sea, will reverently enter the church of St. Sophia. Petrograd streets fill out festive demonstrations. In the temples solemn prayers are held. But we know that this is the peak of the achievements of our great and at the same time terrible past of the Empire. Further decline and collapse of the state. Neighborhood of Przemysl, March 1915

On February 7, 1915, the German armies began an offensive in the area of the Russian, and now Polish, city of Augustine. The maximum task is to surround and destroy the entire 10th Russian army, 155 thousand people. This plan is implemented only in part. One of the corps (38,000 fighters) gets into the environment, then a prisoner. Three other corps are moving to a new line of defense. Russia is losing 20,000 dead, 35,000 prisoners, Germany 5,000, and 4,000 prisoners. The territorial acquisitions of the German army are not large. The result of the subsequent Prasnysh operation is the counteroffensive of the Russian troops. By March 30, German troops return to their original line of defense. Russia’s irretrievable losses are 25,000, Germany’s 22,000. The photo shows Russo-Balt armored cars in the Prasnysh operation, March 1915. The armor is penetrated by rifle bullets from 30 meters, although their prohibitive action is already small. Russian, machine-gun and cannon armored cars that shoot Germans point-blank, have a decisive influence on the success of the counteroffensive

For the first time, the heavy bombers “Ilya Muromets” take off on February 14 (27), 1915. Most of the targets are located on the territory of modern Latvia. Initially, the aircraft factory as a branch of the famous Russo-Balt was located in Riga. In 1915 he was evacuated to Central Russia. The production of airplanes continued until 1918, with the domestic aircraft engines Russobalt, which replaced the German Argus. In the civilian version, the revolutionary C-22 was designed to transport a dozen passengers with all imaginable amenities. The bomber has a takeoff weight of 5 tons. Crew – 5—7 people, 4—6 machine guns, 350—500 kg. bombs. Engines are protected by armor 5 mm. The maximum speed of 135 km. hours, the flight duration of 4—5 hours, the ceiling of 3 000 meters. Built 83 copies

A squadron of 60 cars makes 400 combat sorties, drops 65 tons of bombs, shooting down 12 airplanes. The first “Ilya of Murom” was lost in aerial combat on September 12, 1916, in a battle with four German fighters. In this case, three enemy aircraft C-22 can be shot down. The effectiveness of the bombing of “Ilya Muromets”, according to the assurances of British experts, reaches 90%. For some time, the “backward” Tsarist Russia waged a high-tech war. Be that as it may, the airplanes wear out, and their entry into the troops is difficult due to the exacerbated political situation. By 1917, only four such aircraft remained on the front line. Designer Igor Sikorsky and the tsarist government are selling a license to design the heavy bomber Entente. The last flight, like a training airplane, “Ilya Muromets” makes October 10, 1922 over the city of Serpukhov

Russian soldiers in worship, spring 1915. The army obeys orders and is considered Christian. However, ceremonial as a thing in itself prevails over content. A called peasant, a worker does not speak heart to heart with a regimental priest. So just historically not accepted. Why do you need to shoot at the Germans, because they are the same people like us? Is it possible to consecrate the murder weapon? The priests are friends of the officers, they talk to them, they dine and drink with them

The first four months of the new, 1915, the parties to the conflict are gathering strength on the Western front. Then, for the first time in history, Germany applies the novelty of military thought – it releases one hundred and fifty gas cylinder batteries, 6 km from hundreds of cylinders. front line, 180 tons of toxic chlorine. The lungs of people caught in this fog are filled with a caustic mucous liquid. Following a cloud of yellow-green gas, in bandages soaked with protective compounds, German soldiers are marching. Such an apocalyptic picture discourages the British and the French not for long. Pull up reserves, already have some means of chemical protection. German troops stop, and the gap in the line of defense of the Entente is healed. As early as September 25, 1915, the Allied forces were conducting their “test” chemical attack. From 22 April to early May, a total of 10,000 Entente soldiers are injured by poisonous gases, 5,000 die. The photo is a snapshot from an airplane. German teams release chlorine from cylinders at the junction of British and French troops. The neighborhood of the city of Ypres, April 22, 1915

Fritz Gaber, outwardly cinematic Dr. Evil (Ivl), head of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physical Chemistry, developer of chemical weapons, inspirer of use. The wife of a scientist does not stand up to the thought that thousands of people perish through torture through the fault of her husband, and he commits suicide. Thirty years later, in the concentration camps of the Third Reich, the gas Cyclone B, developed by the same chemist, killed tens of thousands of tribesmen Haber

Two years later, all of the same long-suffering Belgian city of Ypres, the Germans use a chemical warfare agent, called yperite (mustard gas), respectively. Shipping method improved. Now they are mines made of mortars, filled with oily liquid. One of the actions of the reagent in non-lethal doses is the complete or partial loss of vision. In the future, such an ignoble weapon does not take root, the countries that use it become international outcasts. In the photo – British soldiers struck by agents hold each other as they proceed to the hospital, the second half of July 1917.