Many of the European population believed that the war would ‘be over by Christmas’, but as 1915 went on it became increasingly clear that the war was going to be a long drawn out affair.
 
The stalemate on the Western Front continued and new warfare techniques were used; poison gas was used for the first time by the Central Powers at the second Battle of Ypres in April but all that was achieved was the killing of more men – both Allies and from the Central Powers. This left the gloves off for the other nations with the ability to manufacture poison gas could use it and blame it on the Germans as they had been the first to use it. In the East Bulgaria joined the Central Powers, while Italy changed sides to fight for the Allies.
 
Britain used their superior naval fleet to blockade German ports, causing Germany shortages which led to food riots in many German towns. In May the Germans sunk the “Lusitania”, a luxury passenger liner bound for the U.S.A, off the south coast of Ireland drowning nearly 1200 civilians including 100 Americans – the German fleet withdrew to port fearful of the Americans joining the Allies.
 
At the end of May, London witnessed their first attack from the air as German Zeppelin Airships as killed nearly 2000 civilians in air raids and by October women were being recruited for the traditional ‘men’s work’ jobs.