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.
“Louisiana”, a British passenger vessel operates commercial flights during the war. According to some maritime laws of our time, it should not be torpedoed. The cabins are barely half full, and yet almost 2,000 people are aboard the liner. At 48 kilometers from the coast of Ireland, in a fog “Luizitania” reduces the course to 25 km. h. At this speed, the attack of submarines is already possible. Hungry for new victories, the captain of the German U-20 submarine gives the order to attack the “big four-pipe vessel”. Torpedo gets into the right side. In a few minutes, a much more powerful internal explosion follows. Due to the strong roll and the course of inertia, it is possible to lower only 6 of the 48 boats. The vessel goes to the bottom 18 minutes after the attack. Photography – “Luizitania” in the port of New York, before departing on its last 201st flight, May 1, 1915
So, for some time by inertia, the liner continues to move to the coast. Desperate distress signals reach the recipients. More than a dozen fishing vessels rush to the site of the tragedy. It is possible to save 763 people, the remaining 1197 find death among the waves. Among them are 128 US citizens. Somehow the situation can be settled. America is not yet ready for a real, full-scale war. In addition, skeptics are sharpened by a worm of doubt – is everything so clear in a sea catastrophe? There were 5,000 boxes of rifle cartridges aboard the Luizitania – this is not denied. They could not detonate at the same time even under the action of a powerful torpedo charge. Small arms for transportation is not prohibited. Is it really a provocation of Great Britain, which so skillfully put the ship under a torpedo attack (the fact of torpedoing the German submarine is not disputed), which finished off with a special charge? It will take another two years of war with the homeland of the Anglo-Saxons, even an attempt on the territorial integrity of the United States, in order for North America to still enter World War I. Photography – the death of “Luizitanii”, May 7, 1915, the Celtic Sea. This is really a photograph.
The next, very gloomy battle of the First World War is the Second Battle of the French settlement of Artois (May 9-June 18, 1915). The sides of the conflict, civilized Christians, exchange stunning artillery strikes. The bodies spill over like jelly. The British, the French are irretrievably losing 70,000 people, the Germans 50,000. The battles of Artois, Ypres, Marne repeat each other six months or a year later, differing only in the increasing number of victims. The psychological foundations of the New Chronology, which reduces several important events of the Middle Ages to the reign of one monarch or a single major battle, are now completely understandable. We have to stop the madness, prescribing a potent medicine to humanity – the World Revolution… It seems that the attitude of the workers and peasants of the Russian Empire is exactly that. Photo – Entente fighter who died in one of the many faceless battles of Artois, 1915
The Supreme Command of Russia (General Headquarters), despite intelligence data, is inertia preparing for an offensive in the Carpathians. The southern flank of the so-called Warsaw salient remains without reinforcements, with a small number of artillery and shells. Literally every shot from the Russians on the bill. At the same time, the combined German and Austrian troops are densely saturated with all types of guns, and have no problems with the supply of ammunition. On May 2, Austro-German troops inflicted a powerful blow near the town of Gorlice, with a general direction to Lviv. Taken with such general enthusiasm Przemysl left June 16. Lviv Russian troops leave June 22. Some consolation – on May 23, after long hesitations, Italy enters the war against the Fourth Alliance. However, she prudently does not lead active actions. The photograph shows a large-caliber German gun in the vicinity of Gorlice, the Carpathians, May 1915.
From June 26, 1915, the Austro-German troops were expanding the front of the attack on all of Poland and East Prussia. The well-fortified fortress Novogeorgievsk surrenders practically without a fight, after shelling from heavy guns and bombardment with the then rather primitive airplanes that are not a decisive weapon. 83,000 people are taken prisoner, including 23 generals and 2,100 officers of lower rank. In addition to all that, the enemy is transferred 1,200 guns and a million shells that are so scarce in the Russian army. A conspiracy theory is born in Russian society. As a result, Nicholas the Second became the Supreme Commander three days after the surrender. And, this is also not the best solution. Warsaw Russian troops leave on August 4. The great retreat continues. The photo shows a Russian artillery crew near a field 3-inch gun. Somewhere in Poland, summer 1915
By the end of the year, the Eastern Front turns into a straight line connecting the Baltic and Black Seas, passing west of Riga, the Russian military-industrial center. According to the memoirs of General A. Denikin: “Spring 1915 will remain in my memory forever. The great tragedy of the Russian army – a retreat from Galicia. No ammo, no shells. Day by day, bloody battles, day by day, hard transitions, endless fatigue – physical and moral; then shy hopes, hopeless horror …». On the photo are Russian soldiers captured during the Great Retreat. Summer-Autumn 1915
The support of Riga continues to be provided by the still efficient Russian fleet. Since August 8, more than 80 pennants of German squadrons are invading the Gulf of Riga (the first