Western Civilization II / Unit 14 WC2 1314 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Attrition: Casualties as Progress
Captions available
The idea
From nineteen sixteen the strategy was attrition: outspend, outdraft, outsacrifice the enemy until he ran out first. Casualties became the measure of progress. The generals' training in swift decisive blows had nothing to say to a war of holes, so they counted the dead instead.
In practice
Won by the side with more men to lose.
Where people slip
The anchor's view of the generals, attributed.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
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