Why did Germany want Alsace-Lorraine?

Well, initially Germany mainly wanted Alsace-Lorraine to act as a buffer zone in the event of any future wars with France. The area contains the Vosges Mountains, which would be much more defensible than the Rhine River if the French ever attempted to invade.

What happened to Alsace-Lorraine in ww1?

It was created in 1871 by the German Empire after seizing the region from the Second French Empire in the Franco-Prussian War and Treaty of Frankfurt. Alsace-Lorraine was reverted to French ownership in 1918 as part of the Treaty of Versailles and Germany’s defeat in World War I.

Why is Alsace-Lorraine so important?

Germany annexed Alsace and a part of Lorraine in 1871 partly for strategic reasons, partly in order to cement, in true Prussian fashion, her own unity on what she believed to be the ruins of France : she holds Alsace for its agricultural wealth, for its growing industries, for its potash mines, and for other reasons in …

When did Germany invade Alsace-Lorraine?

In May/June, 1940, early in World War 2, Nazi Germany invaded western Europe, taking Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and much of France, including Alsace. The Germans annexed Alsace and occupied the region until the Allies liberated Strasbourg on Nov 23, 1944.

Does Alsace-Lorraine still exist?

This area is still casually referred to as the Alsace-Lorraine, but it has undergone a renaming to the transitional Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine or ACAL in 2016 (joining the former administrative regions of Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne, and Lorraine) to its current name of Grand Est.

Are there still Germans in Alsace-Lorraine?

The total population of Alsace was 1.9 million in 2014 and that of Lorraine 2.3 million. According to France’s Culture Ministry, there are 650,000 Alsatian dialect speakers, as well as 230,000 people who speak it occasionally. It is estimated that as much as a half of the population speaks German dialect.

What was the deadliest battle in World War 1?

The Battle of the Somme: the bloodiest battle of WWI. The Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916) was one of the major battles of World War I that was tremendously costly to both sides of the conflict, and neither side achieved a clear victory from it.

Why was Alsace Lorraine important?

Alsace-Lorraine was a border region located between the Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains . Its role in French wartime propaganda, its geographic location, and its tumultuous recent history all combined to give the region a distinct experience of the First World War . When the war ended, Alsace-Lorraine,…

Who were France’s allies in WW1?

At the start of the war on 1 September 1939, the Allies consisted of France, Poland and the United Kingdom, as well as their dependent states, such as British India. Within days they were joined by the independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

What was the significance of Alsace and Lorraine?

Now, going to WW1, the land of Alsace and Lorraine has a significant importance to WW1. For example, one of the first battles of the Great War was the battle of Lorraine . It was part of Plan 17 of the French to recapture the territory. Also, the territory fueled Nationalism in france saying that Alsace Lorraine was clearly their’s.