Battle of Passchendaele

1
Battle of Passchendaele

• Dates
• July 31, 1917-November 10, 1917
• Casualties
• Allies 350, 000
• Central Powers 230,000

2

• It is also known as the Third Battle of Ypres.
• Considered to be the most horrible of the war.
• Took place in a town named Passchendaele, near
  the town of Ypres, in West Flanders, Belgium.

3
IMPORTANCE

• Ypres was one of the most critical points on the
  Western Front.
• It was the last German occupied town in Belgium,
  thus became an important political symbol.
• Germany held the high ground, the allies felt if
  they could defeat them here, they could push well
  into German territory.

4
CONDITIONS

• Passchendaele is best remembered for its
  terrible conditions.
• Heavy shelling, combined with rain, turned the
  whole battlefield into mud.

5

• Many soldiers drowned when they fell into the
  mud.
• Tanks became bogged down and were thus
  ineffective.

6

• BEFORE
• AFTER

7
Reading

1. How did the commanders envision a victory might
   change the tactics of the war?
2. Describe bite and hold tactics?
3. How did the battlefield reach its conditions?
4. How did the conditions affect the armies?
5. What three words might be used to describe
   Passchendaele?