World War one - Source Evaluation and Essays

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Part A:

Source A

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Source Analysis

1. The source is primary and non-literary.
2. The source is a photograph.
3. The photographer and the title of the source is unknown. It appears as though Source A is from c. 1914-1918. The origin is a photographer taking the photograph from the Allied trenches on the Western Front.
4. Source A depicts several aspects of trench warfare and the related experiences. A cross section of an Allied trench is shown, allowing the audience to view the happenings within the trench. A man is shown standing on and leaning against the wall of the trench with a gun in his hand, seemingly on duty. In the middle-ground of the photograph, men are either sleeping or lay dead against the sides of the trench. It also adds perspective as to how narrow and uncomfortable life in the trenches was. The trench is covered in the snow, reinforcing the fact that soldiers suffered terrible conditions, such as the freezing weather conditions and extreme discomfort. The photograph depicts an obliterated landscape where there is no vegetation, as a result of constant shelling and bombardment, which is a feature of trench warfare.
5. The purpose of Source A is to keep an accurate record of life in the trenches. It enlightens the audience and puts emphasis on the conditions that were endured. The audience can comprehend the horrors of trench warfare through a visual source.
6. The intended audience of Source A were civilians back home. It would inspire those on the home front to give more and take fewer resources. It would also encourage women to step up and take on a man’s role in the workforce. Additionally, it also triggered a sense of sympathy for the man when he returned home, as most would know, and understand what he had endured.

Source B[pic 4]

Source Analysis

1. Source B is primary and literary.
2. Source B is a diary entry (from a book with several other diary entries from WW1 soldiers).
3. The author of this untitled and unpublished material is N. Ellison, but it was first published in Winter’s novel, “Death’s Men”.  The book was published in 1978, although the actual date of Source B is unknown. The origin is a soldier’s reflection whilst he is in the trenches.
4. Source B briefly outlines the experiences of a WW1 front line soldier. The author infers that the cold has severe negative impacts upon soldiers in the trenches along the Western Front. It claims that fires were forbidden, and the only way men could keep warm was to stamp their legs and move their arms. These actions would increase circulation through their bodies, therefore making them warmer and also giving them something to think about other than the cold and the war they were fighting. A consequence of the cold was that men had limited control over their toes, which continued on for months after leaving the western front.
5. The purpose of source B was to give a recount of the freezing conditions that soldiers in the trenches on the Western Front endured. It was also to keep a record of life and experiences throughout 1914-1918.
6. The intended audience of Source B was the writer himself. As it was a diary, it would have been private and possibly only ever shared with close family members or friends. That diary entry was written with no intention of being published.

Source C[pic 5]

Source Analysis

1. Source C is primary and literary.
2. Source C is an extract from Ludendorff’s War Memoirs.
3. The author of Source C is Enrich Ludendorff, General of the German army and the tactician behind the Spring Offensive. It was written in 1919. The origin is Ludendorff’s war memoirs, “My War Memories”.
4. Source C gives a recollection of the results of Ludendorff’s spring offensive and the allied response. However, it is from a German perspective; Ludendorff’s perspective. It names August 8th the blackest day of German military history throughout the war. This was in reference to the regrouped Allied army and the launching of their own offensive after the German Spring Offensive had failed. It names how the ‘enemy’ (Allied soldiers) had triumphed and how such victory led to a lessened morale of the German army. Source C also states how the events from September 15th onwards sealed the fate of the Quadruple Alliance.
5. The purpose of Source C is for Ludendorff to educate German civilians of the battle in 1918 in his memories of the war from 1914 to 1918. It was also to convince those who did not have an extensive knowledge of him, that he was not politically radicalised but a moderate sounding general. Source C explains the events that followed the failure of Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive and the impact it had upon Germany, specifically the army.
6. Source C’s intended audience was members of the German Parliament and the German Army for record-keeping purposes. German civilians and those who fought for under command were also granted access to the memoir. However, over time, it was translated, allowing anyone to access and read his book.

Source D[pic 6]

Source Analysis

1. Source D is secondary and literary.
2. Source D is an extract from an internet article.
3. The title of Source D is “Ludendorff’s offensives of 1918”. The author and date are unknown. The origin of Source D is from an unknown individual who deeply researched Ludendorff’s Spring offensive, therefore allowing him to write an article about it from a German perspective.
4. Source D is a brief description of Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive. It names several aspects of the plan such as the aim to win the war before American troops arrived, breaking through Allied lines where the British and French forces met and the result of the failure of the Spring Offensive. Source D also outlines the struggles Germany was enduring during 1918, including the casualty rate and the struggle to feed both the German population and its soldiers. It also communicates that Germany would continue to suffer if the war continued, as they would run out of both men and supplies.
5. The purpose of Source D is to inform. It allows the audience to be educated on the German Spring Offensive, via a brief description of it from the person who planned it.
6. The intended audience of source D is people who are interested in the battles of WW1, Germany’s loss of WW1 and the major campaign of 1918. The article is derived from a history website, indicating that it is targeted at people who are interested in history, particularly WW1.

Part B:

Question 1: Using the two sources and your own knowledge describe the nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches dealing with the experiences of Allied and German soldiers.

 
Various aspects of trench warfare and life in the trenches contributed to the difficult and unruly conditions that Allied and German soldiers endured on a frequent basis. Combined, source A and source B illustrate the cold, lack of sleep suffered and stress endured. However, existing characteristics of trench warfare also include the mud, vermin and diseases.