Umthetho osaYilwayo weButcher wowe-1916: Unyaka Owoyikisayo wegazi waseYurophu

Kwiminyaka elikhulu eyadlulayo namhlanje, owona nyaka unegazi elininzi kwimbali ende yaseYurophu wawusiza kwisiphelo esibuhlungu. Nge-17 kaDisemba ngo-1916, umpu wathula wajikeleza iVerdun, isixeko esineenqaba ezaphukileyo kumantla mpuma eFrance, okwesihlandlo sokuqala kwiinyanga ezili-10.

Le ntlekele yayiqale nge-21 kaFebruwari, xa imikhosi yaseJamani yaphehlelela into eyayifanele ukuba iyinto ecekisekayo eVerdun. I-Western Front yayikhule yangashukumi ukuphela kuka-1914, xa uloyiso olukhawulezayo, olwalulindeleke yonke imikhosi yase-Yuropu lwalungenzeka. Ayinakufezekisa impumelelo, amajoni macala onke emba ukuze athintele iigobolondo kunye nompu womlilo. Kungekudala imisele ephikisanayo yayibaleka ukusuka kumda waseSwitzerland ukuya kuthi ga kwiChannel yeNgesi.

Kuwo wonke u-1915, iinzame zamaFrentshi nabaseBritane-ngakumbi abo bangaphambili, ababephulukene nomhlaba wabo omkhulu kumhlaseli kwiinyanga zokuqala zeMfazwe Enkulu- ukubuyisa umhlaba baphela kabuhlungu, kunye nezikhubekiso ezazicima umlilo waseJamani . Kunyaka omnye emfazweni, kwabonakala nakubani na obukeleyo ukuba ungquzulwano lube yinto yoxinzelelo. Uloyiso lwaluza kuza emkhosini owanyamezela umzabalazo okhohlakeleyo ixesha elide.

Iinjengele zaseJamani zamkela le logic yoyikekayo kuqala, beqonda ukuba imfazwe ngoku ibikukutsala, hayi ukohlwaya. Ngomyalelo ka-Erich von Falkenhayn, umphathi-jikelele waseBerlin, imikhosi yaseJamani yaqalisa iVerdun ukuba ihlasele ukuba ingafumani mhlaba, ingagqobhozi, kodwa imane yopha iFransi imhlophe. UFalkenhayn uvavanye ngokuchanekileyo ukuba iFrance yayizokulwa ngenkani iVerdun, isixeko samandulo esinqatyisiweyo, ngaloo ndlela ivumela amaJamani ukuba asebenzise isixhobo sokugaya inyama esiya kuthi siqhubeke de utshaba luphele ebantwini.

Elo candelo lombono kaFalkenhayn lasebenza njengoko bekuxeliwe-ubuncinci ekuqaleni. Inkqubela phambili yaseJamani yadibana nenkcaso, kwaye uVerdun ngokukhawuleza waba sisikhalazo sokuzibophelela kuyo yonke iFrance: Asipasi- Abayi kudlula-yayiyimbalasane yesizwe kuloo nyaka. Ukuvutha komlo wamaFrentshi kwawothusa amaJamani, kwaye ngentwasahlobo iinjengele zaseFrance zaseka inkqubo yokujikeleza, ihambisa iiyunithi kwiVerdun inyama-grinder emva koko ibakhuphe ngaphambi kokuba iwe ngokupheleleyo. Ngenxa yoko, phantse lonke icandelo lomkhosi waseFrance lalwa eVerdun ngaxa lithile ngo-1916.

Yonke into ihambe kakubi eFalkenhayn. Umlo ojikeleze iVerdun waba ngumtsalane. Iinduli kunye neenqaba zatshintsha izandla kaninzi-ninzi, ngamawaka amadoda awela kumacala omabini kumlo ngamnye, ngaphandle kokutshintsha into eneziphumo ngobuchule. Umdlalo we-wrestling iJamani wajika wajika waba liphupha elibi. Yomibini le mikhosi yayigcina unyaka wonke. Ngeli xesha iinzame zokugqibela zaseFrance zokufumana kwakhona umhlaba olahlekileyo zamiswa ngoDisemba 17, iParis yayinokuthi ngekratshi ukuba zilugcinile utshaba eVerdun.

Ewe kunjalo, umphambili wawumhle kakhulu apho wawukho ngoFebruwari. Lilonke, amaJamani ayefumene iikhilomitha ezimbalwa zeendawo ezaphukileyo eziphuphuma zizidumbu ezibolileyo. Ibhili yasesilarheni yaseVerdun yayingafani nento eyakha yabonwa. Ukuchithwa kwegazi kwakukukhulu kangangokuba imikhosi yaphulukana nomkhondo weelahleko zazo, uninzi lwazo lwanyamalala kwi-muck nakwimbumbulu. Akukho ngaphantsi kwama-700,000 amajoni aseFrance nawaseJamani abulawa, enzakaliswa okanye alahleka kumzabalazo weVerdun, ngelixa olunye uqikelelo lubeka elona nani lililo emantla e-900,000. Akukho namnye ophikisayo wokuba ubuncinci ama-300,000 amadoda abulawa malunga neVerdun ngo-1916. Ngendlela eyothusayo kumaJamani, ilahleko zawo zaziphantse zangaphezulu kwezaseFrance. Icebo likaFalkenhayn lokopha utshaba olumhlophe lalophise imikhosi yalo ngokubi, kwaye wahlawulwa kwisikhundla sakhe esiphakamileyo njengesiphumo.

Ingxaki enkulu yaseJamani yayikukulwa umlo owawuphambili, kwaye iVerdun yayingeyiyo kuphela inqabileyo eyabandakanyeka ngo-1916. Ngo-Julayi 1, i-Bhritane yasungula inkcaso yayo engalunganga kwi-Somme river, i-150 yeekhilomitha kumantla I-Verdun, ukuthatha uxinzelelo kumanyano lwabo baseFrance. UDouglas Haig, umphathi weBritish Expeditionary Force, ufumene imilambo yokugxekwa kule minyaka ilikhulu idlulileyo ngenxa yeempazamo zakhe, kodwa inyani kukuba i-BEF yayingakulungelanga umsebenzi owawunikwe kwiSomme.

Ukuvumela uthelekiso lwamva nje, waya eSomme kunye nomkhosi awayenawo, hayi umkhosi awufunayo. Imikhosi yaseFrance iphantsi komlilo ngexesha leMfazwe yaseVerdun.I-Jikelele yeefoto / i-Getty Izithombe

Umkhosi wase-Bhritane, kodwa omncinci, oqeqeshiweyo wawulahlekile kakhulu kwiinyanga zokuqala zemfazwe, kwaye indawo yayo yathathwa sisigidi samavolontiya, abizwa ngokuba yiNew Army. I-Somme yayiza kuba yintshatsheli yabo yokuqala, kwaye inyani kukuba uninzi lwamacandelo ase-Bhritane awela phezulu ngoJulayi 1 ayenamava amabi emfazweni. Babengengomdlalo wamacandelo amaJamani anamava awayekulwa kwi-Western Front phantse iminyaka emibini.

Oko kwathethi, uHaig wayengenandlela yakukhetha kulo mbandela. ILondon ibhekane nobunyani bokuba iFrance yayisecicini lokuwa eVerdun, nto leyo eyayiza kuthetha ukuba uloyiso lwaseJamani eNtshona. U-Haig ke ngoko wavula into yakhe ehlaselayo, ngethemba lokuqhekeka. Ukuvumela uthelekiso lwamva nje, waya eSomme kunye nomkhosi awayenawo, hayi umkhosi awufunayo.

Isiphumo sasiyi-debacle. Emva kweveki yokuqhushumba amaJamani, amajoni aseBritani avela kumacandelo ali-16 ahlasela utshaba. Kwakungekho nto yothusayo. Kunzima ukuba nayiphi na iBritane iphumelele iinjongo zayo zikaJulayi 1; Uninzi lwawa phantsi kwemipu yomatshini waseJamani kunye nomlilo weqokobhe, wabanjiswa kumacingo ocingo oluhlabayo ekufanele ukuba konke oko kwahoywa kodwa akwenziwanga.

Ilahleko zase-Bhritane nge-1 kaJulayi zafika kumadoda angama-57 500, kwathi kwabulawa abangaphezu kwe-19,000-uninzi lwabo kwiyure yokuqala yedabi, njengoko oohlohlesakhe babelungisa iibhayonethi kwaye bematsha ngqo kumlilo waseJamani. Imikhosi iphela yanyamalala ekuxhelweni. Le ntlekele yayingazange ibonwe ngaphambili-okanye ukususela-kwimbali yase-Bhritane. U-Haig waphulukana namadoda amaninzi ngemini kunomkhosi wase-Bhritane ophulukene nawo kwi-Boer War ye-1899 ukuya kwi-1902.

Nangona kunjalo, njengaseVerdun, omabini amacala agcina kuyo, ngaphandle kwelahleko, kwaye ngaphambi kwexesha elide amaqela aseBritane, ngoncedo lwaseFrance, aqala kancinci ukuthatha indawo kwiSomme. Ezi yayizizibonelelo ezincinci-ilali eyonakeleyo apha, igadi yeziqhamo eyaphukileyo apho — kodwa amaJamani ayedinwa. Ukuchasana kwabo nokudinwa kuthintele ukuqhambuka kweAllies okufunwa nguHaig, kodwa bebengonelanga ukubamba umhlaba ixesha elide.

Umdlalo wokulwa nomlo owawukhokelela ekuphindaphindweni wawuphindaphindaphinda okona kubi kweVerdun, kwaye ngexesha lokulwa kweSomme phakathi ku-Novemba, umthetho oyilwayo wawungaphaya kwesigidi samadoda. Amaxhoba oMbuso wase-Bhritane afika kumajoni angama-420,000 ngelixa iFrance yalahleka ngaphezulu kwama-200,000 kwi-Somme. Ilahleko zaseJamani zigqithe kwisiqingatha sesigidi. Lilonke, ngaphezulu kwamadoda angama-300,000 asweleka kuyo yonke imikhosi, ngelixa umphambili ushukume umgama ongaphantsi kweekhilomitha ezintlanu phantse kwiinyanga ezintlanu ze-offensives kunye ne-counteroffensives.

Eli bali libuhlungu liphindaphindekile kumphambili wase-Italiya nalapho i-offensives ethembisayo yakhawuleza yangena kumaphupha amabi okomelela. I-Italiya yanyanzela iMfazwe Enkulu ngeNtwasahlobo yowe-1915 kwicala laseAllied ngethemba lokufumana umhlaba kwi-Austria-Hungary egulayo. Ukuthetha bekungalingani ukwenza, nangona kunjalo, kunye neenzame zase-Italiya zokugqobhoza kumlambo i-Isonzo- cinga iVerdun kwiiAlps —Kuvumile ukubulawa ngamampunge.

Naxa ama-Italiya ekugqibeleni efumene umhlaba wokwenyani kubantu base-Austrian abacinezelweyo-abathi, njengamaJamani, babotshelelwa yimfazwe yamacala amaninzi ababephulukana nayo kancinci kancinci-ekuqaleni kuka-Agasti 1916 Isithandathu Eyona nto ikhubekisayo ku-Isonzo, abakhange bazuze impumelelo. Idabi lesithandathu le-Isonzo labambisa i-Itali isixeko esaphukileyo i-Gorizia kunye neencopho ezimbalwa zeentaba, ngexabiso lamadoda ayi-100,000, kubandakanya ama-30,000 aswelekileyo, ngeveki.

Ilahleko zase-Austrian yayisiqingatha nje saloo nto, kwaye kungekudala baphinda bazibuyisela kwakhona iindlela zabo zokuzikhusela kwiikhilomitha ezimbalwa kwimpuma apho bebekhona. Imizamo yase-Italiya yokugqobhoza abo baphindaphindayo ububi obunomtsalane bamadabi amahlanu okuqala e-Isonzo. Izikhubekiso ezintathu zase-Itali ezithe zasekwindla zaqhekeka phambi koombayimbayi baseAustria kunye noombayimbayi, bengafumani sithuba sokukhankanya kwaye sishiya amadoda angama-150,000 ebulewe, ekhubazekile, okanye elahlekile.

Eyona nto iphambili ekhubekisayo ka-1916 enokuthi ithathelwe ingqalelo njengeyona mpumelelo yokwenyani ikwangoyena mntu ungaziwayo kubaphulaphuli baseNtshona. I-Anglosphere ngakumbi ayinomdla kangako kwiMfazwe eNkulu ngaphaya kweNtshona Front kwaye Imikhankaso ekude ebandakanya abathetha isiNgesi , ngaloo ndlela ndilahleka ibali elininzi. U-Winston Churchill wabiza i-Eastern Front ngemfazwe elityelweyo emva phaya ngo-1931, kwaye ke isala ukuya kuthi xhaxhe kubaninzi baseMelika nabaseYurophu.

Igazi elibi phakathi kwamaJamani kunye nabaseOstriya lalandela, kunye namaPrussia aphezulu ekhalaza malunga 'nokubotshelelwa esidumbini.' Amabanjwa aseJamani abanjwe eVerdun, bamatshelwa ezitratweni phantsi konogada abakhweleyo.Imithombo yeendaba yeendaba / i-Getty Izithombe

Ibali elikhulu elilahlekileyo le-1916 yi-Brusilov ehlaselayo, impumelelo enkulu yokugqibela yase-Imperial yaseRussia kwibala lomlo. Ebizwa emva kuka-Aleksei Brusilov, oyintloko jikelele we-tsar kunye noyilo loyiso, yaqala nge-4 kaJuni-owesine ozukileyo kaJuni kwimbali yaseRussia.

Injongo yohlaselo, eyasungulwa kwimpuma yeGalicia-namhlanje entshona yeUkraine- yayifana naleyo yaseSomme: ukuthatha uxinzelelo eFrance eVerdun. Nangona umlo wawukhule umile empuma nawo, ngemisele ebaleka kangangekhulu leekhilomitha, ubukhulu obukhulu bembonakalo enkulu kakhulu xa kuthelekiswa neFrance neFlanders kwakuthetha ukuba ukuphumelela kusenokwenzeka ngendlela engeyiyo kwiNtshona Front ngo-1916. .

U-Brusilov wajongana neAustria, hayi amaJamani. I-Austria-Hungary yaphantse yaphulukana nemfazwe ngehlobo lika-1914 kwimpuma yeGalicia, ukulahlekelwa ngamadoda angaphezu kwama-400,000 -Umkhosi wabo wonke omileyo-kwiiveki nje ezintathu. Kwi-Eastern Front, babebambelele, kancinci, ukusukela oko, ngoncedo lukaBerlin . Phakathi ku-1916, iinjengele zase-Austrian zazizithembile kukhuseleko lwazo, ukanti ngaphantsi komkhosi weVienna weqela leqela elalikade lisemva kwaye lisomelele, liswele ukuzithemba emva Ukoyiswa okubuhlungu ezandleni zaseRussia .

Ngokubalulekileyo, uBrusilov wazisa amaqhinga amatsha amatsha, ngakumbi ukudityaniswa okusondeleyo komkhosi wokulwa kunye noombayimbayi. Abemi baseOstriya babanjwa bothuka xa kwavulwa imipu echanekileyo yaseRussia kubo nge-4 kaJuni-ubukrelekrele obubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba utshaba olusondeleyo aluzange luthathelwe ngqalelo-kwaye oombayimbayi bakaBrusilov bachitha iindawo zase-Austrian zonke ngaphambili. Abakhuseli abakhwankqisayo abakwazanga ukuxhathisa ixesha elide kwaye kwiimeko ezininzi khange bamelane kakhulu kwaphela. Ngeentsuku zokuqala zokuhlasela, umkhosi wase-Austrian obambe icandelo eliphambili lalahleka ngamadoda ayi-110,000-ngaphezulu kwekota ezintathu njengamabanjwa.

Kungekudala, abemi baseOstriya ababothukile babekade bephambuka bengena ngaphambili i-steamoller yaseRashiya , Ukuphulukana namadoda othukileyo ngamawaka. Kukungeniswa kwangoko kweiyunithi zaseJamani kuphela okwazile ukubamba umphambili — kodwa olu yayiluncedo olwalungenakufunyanwa yiBerlin, esele ibandakanyekile eVerdun naseSomme. Igazi elibi phakathi kwamaJamani kunye neAustria lilandelwe, amaPrussia aphezulu ekhalaza ngokubotshelelwa emthini.

Uncedo lwaseJamani lusindise i-Austria-Hungary kunye nomkhosi wayo owoyisiweyo e-Galicia ngehlobo lowe-1916, kwaye kungekudala uloyiso lomlo ka-Brusilov lwangena kumfuziselo oqhelekileyo wezikhubekiso ezizala i-counteroffensives, ingavelisi nto ngaphandle kweentaba zezidumbu. Ngeli xesha i-slugfest ekhohlakeleyo yaphela ekupheleni kukaSeptemba, iAustria yayilahlekelwe phantse ngamadoda ayisigidi, kubandakanya ngaphezulu kwama-400,000 athathwe njengamabanjwa. U-Brusilov waphantse wayinkqonkqoza iVienna emfazweni, ethathe indawo ebonakalayo empuma yeGalicia, kodwa hayi kakhulu.

Ngapha koko, iRussia ilahleko ekugqibeleni yayinkulu njenge-Austria-Hungary, kwaye isimilo ekhaya saqala ukonakala njengoko amathemba okuphumelela emfazweni angena endaweni yosizi olubi. Uloyiso lukaBrusilov luya kuba lolokugqibela eRashiya. Kungaphelanga neenyanga ezintlanu emva kokuphela kogonyamelo, uTsar Nicholas II wasuswa esihlalweni, eqala amaphupha amabi eli lizwe eenguqu, imfazwe yamakhaya kunye nengcinezelo yamaKomanisi eyayiza kwenza ukubulawa kwegazi eGalicia kubonakale kukuncinci.

IFransi yaphumelela eVerdun, ngandlel 'ithile, kodwa iindleko zolo loyiso zahlasela ilizwe kwiminyaka engamashumi ezayo. Ngo-1917, umkhosi wase-France waguquka endaweni yokunyamezela olunye uloyiso. AmaJamani eneneni awakhange adlule eVerdun, kodwa ukuphalazwa kwegazi kwakufuneka ukubanqumamisa beshiya iFrance iqhiphuke umbilini. Ukusebenza okungaphantsi kokubalaseleyo komkhosi wase-France entwasahlobo ka-1940, xa amaJamani ahlaselayo kwakhona, ngeli xesha ngempumelelo, kunokubangelwa nakweyiphi na into kwi-Verdun.

AbaseBritane, nabo, bathabathe kwiSomme ukuba mabangaze bayenze kwakhona. Iindleko ezoyikekayo — ngaphezu kwayo yonke into engenamsebenzi yokuphalazwa kwegazi ngoJulayi 1 — ziphinde zavakala eBritani namhlanje. I-100^thIsikhumbuzo sesiqalo esikhubekisayo sakhunjulwa kweli hlotyeni lusizi nokuzisola. Ithi into ebalulekileyo ukuba phantse bonke abantu baseBritane bevile ngeSomme kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo akukho namnye kwabalikhulu owaziyo nantoni na ngeentsuku ezilikhulu zowe-1918, xa uHaig ekugqibeleni waqhekeza umva womkhosi waseJamani kolona loyiso lukhulu kwimbali ende yeengalo zaseBritane. , ngaloo ndlela bephumelela emfazweni.

Kwiminyaka elikhulu eyadlulayo, iYurophu yayixakekile izibulala yona kunye nempucuko yayo. Ngokwenyani, ilizwekazi elizithembileyo alizange libuye kwakhona ukusuka kwi-1916, xa bonke abathathi-nxaxheba kwiMfazwe eNkulu bazibophelela ngokupheleleyo kwimpumelelo yokugqibela-okanye boyisiwe-zazinkulu kakhulu iindleko zaloo nyaka umbi. Obo loyikiso bungazange babonwa ngaphambili budala umhlaba esiphila kuwo namhlanje, neziphumo ezibi zokuba zincinci kwaye zincinci.

UJohn Schindler yingcali yezokhuseleko kunye nowayesakuba ngumhlalutyi weArhente yoKhuseleko kuZwelonke kunye negosa lobukrelekrele. Ingcali kwezobuntlola kunye nobunqolobi, ukwaligosa lomkhosi wamanzi kunye nenjingalwazi yeWar College. Upapashe iincwadi ezine kwaye uku-Twitter ku @ 20committee.