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World War I

By: History.com Editors

Updated: May 10, 2024 | Original: October 29, 2009

World War I, also known as the Great War, started in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. His murder catapulted into a war across Europe that lasted until 1918. During the four-year conflict, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers) fought against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Canada, Japan and the United States (the Allied Powers). Thanks to new military technologies and the horrors of trench warfare, World War I saw unprecedented levels of carnage and destruction. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers had won, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Tensions had been brewing throughout Europe—especially in the troubled Balkan region of southeast Europe—for years before World War I actually broke out.

A number of alliances involving European powers, the Ottoman Empire , Russia and other parties had existed for years, but political instability in the Balkans (particularly Bosnia, Serbia and Herzegovina) threatened to destroy these agreements.

The spark that ignited World War I was struck in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where Archduke Franz Ferdinand —heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire—was shot to death along with his wife, Sophie, by the Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. Princip and other nationalists were struggling to end Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Great War

Watch The Great War . Available to stream now.

The assassination of Franz Ferdinand set off a rapidly escalating chain of events: Austria-Hungary , like many countries around the world, blamed the Serbian government for the attack and hoped to use the incident as justification for settling the question of Serbian nationalism once and for all.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Because mighty Russia supported Serbia, Austria-Hungary waited to declare war until its leaders received assurance from German leader Kaiser Wilhelm II that Germany would support their cause. Austro-Hungarian leaders feared that a Russian intervention would involve Russia’s ally, France, and possibly Great Britain as well.

On July 5, Kaiser Wilhelm secretly pledged his support, giving Austria-Hungary a so-called carte blanche, or “blank check” assurance of Germany’s backing in the case of war. The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary then sent an ultimatum to Serbia, with such harsh terms as to make it almost impossible to accept.

World War I Begins

Convinced that Austria-Hungary was readying for war, the Serbian government ordered the Serbian army to mobilize and appealed to Russia for assistance. On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the tenuous peace between Europe’s great powers quickly collapsed.

Within a week, Russia, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Serbia had lined up against Austria-Hungary and Germany, and World War I had begun.

The Western Front

According to an aggressive military strategy known as the Schlieffen Plan (named for its mastermind, German Field Marshal Alfred von Schlieffen ), Germany began fighting World War I on two fronts, invading France through neutral Belgium in the west and confronting Russia in the east.

On August 4, 1914, German troops crossed the border into Belgium. In the first battle of World War I, the Germans assaulted the heavily fortified city of Liege , using the most powerful weapons in their arsenal—enormous siege cannons—to capture the city by August 15. The Germans left death and destruction in their wake as they advanced through Belgium toward France, shooting civilians and executing a Belgian priest they had accused of inciting civilian resistance. 

First Battle of the Marne

In the First Battle of the Marne , fought from September 6-9, 1914, French and British forces confronted the invading German army, which had by then penetrated deep into northeastern France, within 30 miles of Paris. The Allied troops checked the German advance and mounted a successful counterattack, driving the Germans back to the north of the Aisne River.

The defeat meant the end of German plans for a quick victory in France. Both sides dug into trenches , and the Western Front was the setting for a hellish war of attrition that would last more than three years.

Particularly long and costly battles in this campaign were fought at Verdun (February-December 1916) and the Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916). German and French troops suffered close to a million casualties in the Battle of Verdun alone.

HISTORY Vault: World War I Documentaries

Stream World War I videos commercial-free in HISTORY Vault.

World War I Books and Art

The bloodshed on the battlefields of the Western Front, and the difficulties its soldiers had for years after the fighting had ended, inspired such works of art as “ All Quiet on the Western Front ” by Erich Maria Remarque and “ In Flanders Fields ” by Canadian doctor Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae . In the latter poem, McCrae writes from the perspective of the fallen soldiers:

Published in 1915, the poem inspired the use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.

Visual artists like Otto Dix of Germany and British painters Wyndham Lewis, Paul Nash and David Bomberg used their firsthand experience as soldiers in World War I to create their art, capturing the anguish of trench warfare and exploring the themes of technology, violence and landscapes decimated by war.

The Eastern Front

On the Eastern Front of World War I, Russian forces invaded the German-held regions of East Prussia and Poland but were stopped short by German and Austrian forces at the Battle of Tannenberg in late August 1914.

Despite that victory, Russia’s assault forced Germany to move two corps from the Western Front to the Eastern, contributing to the German loss in the Battle of the Marne.

Combined with the fierce Allied resistance in France, the ability of Russia’s huge war machine to mobilize relatively quickly in the east ensured a longer, more grueling conflict instead of the quick victory Germany had hoped to win under the Schlieffen Plan .

Russian Revolution

From 1914 to 1916, Russia’s army mounted several offensives on World War I’s Eastern Front but was unable to break through German lines.

Defeat on the battlefield, combined with economic instability and the scarcity of food and other essentials, led to mounting discontent among the bulk of Russia’s population, especially the poverty-stricken workers and peasants. This increased hostility was directed toward the imperial regime of Czar Nicholas II and his unpopular German-born wife, Alexandra.

Russia’s simmering instability exploded in the Russian Revolution of 1917, spearheaded by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks , which ended czarist rule and brought a halt to Russian participation in World War I.

Russia reached an armistice with the Central Powers in early December 1917, freeing German troops to face the remaining Allies on the Western Front.

America Enters World War I

At the outbreak of fighting in 1914, the United States remained on the sidelines of World War I, adopting the policy of neutrality favored by President Woodrow Wilson while continuing to engage in commerce and shipping with European countries on both sides of the conflict.

Neutrality, however, it was increasingly difficult to maintain in the face of Germany’s unchecked submarine aggression against neutral ships, including those carrying passengers. In 1915, Germany declared the waters surrounding the British Isles to be a war zone, and German U-boats sunk several commercial and passenger vessels, including some U.S. ships.

Widespread protest over the sinking by U-boat of the British ocean liner Lusitania —traveling from New York to Liverpool, England with hundreds of American passengers onboard—in May 1915 helped turn the tide of American public opinion against Germany. In February 1917, Congress passed a $250 million arms appropriations bill intended to make the United States ready for war.

Germany sunk four more U.S. merchant ships the following month, and on April 2 Woodrow Wilson appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany.

Gallipoli Campaign

With World War I having effectively settled into a stalemate in Europe, the Allies attempted to score a victory against the Ottoman Empire, which entered the conflict on the side of the Central Powers in late 1914.

After a failed attack on the Dardanelles (the strait linking the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea), Allied forces led by Britain launched a large-scale land invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula in April 1915. The invasion also proved a dismal failure, and in January 1916 Allied forces staged a full retreat from the shores of the peninsula after suffering 250,000 casualties.

Did you know? The young Winston Churchill, then first lord of the British Admiralty, resigned his command after the failed Gallipoli campaign in 1916, accepting a commission with an infantry battalion in France.

British-led forces also combated the Ottoman Turks in Egypt and Mesopotamia , while in northern Italy, Austrian and Italian troops faced off in a series of 12 battles along the Isonzo River, located at the border between the two nations.

Battle of the Isonzo

The First Battle of the Isonzo took place in the late spring of 1915, soon after Italy’s entrance into the war on the Allied side. In the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo, also known as the Battle of Caporetto (October 1917), German reinforcements helped Austria-Hungary win a decisive victory.

After Caporetto, Italy’s allies jumped in to offer increased assistance. British and French—and later, American—troops arrived in the region, and the Allies began to take back the Italian Front.

World War I at Sea

In the years before World War I, the superiority of Britain’s Royal Navy was unchallenged by any other nation’s fleet, but the Imperial German Navy had made substantial strides in closing the gap between the two naval powers. Germany’s strength on the high seas was also aided by its lethal fleet of U-boat submarines.

After the Battle of Dogger Bank in January 1915, in which the British mounted a surprise attack on German ships in the North Sea, the German navy chose not to confront Britain’s mighty Royal Navy in a major battle for more than a year, preferring to rest the bulk of its naval strategy on its U-boats.

The biggest naval engagement of World War I, the Battle of Jutland (May 1916) left British naval superiority on the North Sea intact, and Germany would make no further attempts to break an Allied naval blockade for the remainder of the war.

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For four years, from 1914 to 1918, World War I raged across Europe’s western and eastern fronts after growing tensions and then the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria ignited the war. Trench warfare and the early use of tanks, submarines and airplanes meant the war’s battles were devastatingly bloody, claiming an estimated 40 […]

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World War I Planes

World War I was the first major conflict to harness the power of planes. Though not as impactful as the British Royal Navy or Germany’s U-boats, the use of planes in World War I presaged their later, pivotal role in military conflicts around the globe.

At the dawn of World War I, aviation was a relatively new field; the Wright brothers took their first sustained flight just eleven years before, in 1903. Aircraft were initially used primarily for reconnaissance missions. During the First Battle of the Marne, information passed from pilots allowed the allies to exploit weak spots in the German lines, helping the Allies to push Germany out of France.

The first machine guns were successfully mounted on planes in June of 1912 in the United States, but were imperfect; if timed incorrectly, a bullet could easily destroy the propeller of the plane it came from. The Morane-Saulnier L, a French plane, provided a solution: The propeller was armored with deflector wedges that prevented bullets from hitting it. The Morane-Saulnier Type L was used by the French, the British Royal Flying Corps (part of the Army), the British Royal Navy Air Service and the Imperial Russian Air Service. The British Bristol Type 22 was another popular model used for both reconnaissance work and as a fighter plane.

Dutch inventor Anthony Fokker improved upon the French deflector system in 1915. His “interrupter” synchronized the firing of the guns with the plane’s propeller to avoid collisions. Though his most popular plane during WWI was the single-seat Fokker Eindecker, Fokker created over 40 kinds of airplanes for the Germans.

The Allies debuted the Handley-Page HP O/400, the first two-engine bomber, in 1915. As aerial technology progressed, long-range heavy bombers like Germany’s Gotha G.V. (first introduced in 1917) were used to strike cities like London. Their speed and maneuverability proved to be far deadlier than Germany’s earlier Zeppelin raids.

By the war’s end, the Allies were producing five times more aircraft than the Germans. On April 1, 1918, the British created the Royal Air Force, or RAF, the first air force to be a separate military branch independent from the navy or army. 

Second Battle of the Marne

With Germany able to build up its strength on the Western Front after the armistice with Russia, Allied troops struggled to hold off another German offensive until promised reinforcements from the United States were able to arrive.

On July 15, 1918, German troops launched what would become the last German offensive of the war, attacking French forces (joined by 85,000 American troops as well as some of the British Expeditionary Force) in the Second Battle of the Marne . The Allies successfully pushed back the German offensive and launched their own counteroffensive just three days later.

After suffering massive casualties, Germany was forced to call off a planned offensive further north, in the Flanders region stretching between France and Belgium, which was envisioned as Germany’s best hope of victory.

The Second Battle of the Marne turned the tide of war decisively towards the Allies, who were able to regain much of France and Belgium in the months that followed.

The Harlem Hellfighters and Other All-Black Regiments

By the time World War I began, there were four all-Black regiments in the U.S. military: the 24th and 25th Infantry and the 9th and 10th Cavalry. All four regiments comprised of celebrated soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War and American-Indian Wars , and served in the American territories. But they were not deployed for overseas combat in World War I. 

Blacks serving alongside white soldiers on the front lines in Europe was inconceivable to the U.S. military. Instead, the first African American troops sent overseas served in segregated labor battalions, restricted to menial roles in the Army and Navy, and shutout of the Marines, entirely. Their duties mostly included unloading ships, transporting materials from train depots, bases and ports, digging trenches, cooking and maintenance, removing barbed wire and inoperable equipment, and burying soldiers.

Facing criticism from the Black community and civil rights organizations for its quotas and treatment of African American soldiers in the war effort, the military formed two Black combat units in 1917, the 92nd and 93rd Divisions . Trained separately and inadequately in the United States, the divisions fared differently in the war. The 92nd faced criticism for their performance in the Meuse-Argonne campaign in September 1918. The 93rd Division, however, had more success. 

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A Harlem Hellfighter’s Searing Tales from the WWI Trenches

Blue clouds of poisonous gas. Relentless shelling and machine gun fire. Horace Pippin's art‑filled journals recorded life in ‘them lonely, cooty, muddy trenches.'

With dwindling armies, France asked America for reinforcements, and General John Pershing , commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, sent regiments in the 93 Division to over, since France had experience fighting alongside Black soldiers from their Senegalese French Colonial army. The 93 Division’s 369 regiment, nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters , fought so gallantly, with a total of 191 days on the front lines, longer than any AEF regiment, that France awarded them the Croix de Guerre for their heroism. More than 350,000 African American soldiers would serve in World War I in various capacities.

Toward Armistice

By the fall of 1918, the Central Powers were unraveling on all fronts.

Despite the Turkish victory at Gallipoli, later defeats by invading forces and an Arab revolt that destroyed the Ottoman economy and devastated its land, and the Turks signed a treaty with the Allies in late October 1918.

Austria-Hungary, dissolving from within due to growing nationalist movements among its diverse population, reached an armistice on November 4. Facing dwindling resources on the battlefield, discontent on the homefront and the surrender of its allies, Germany was finally forced to seek an armistice on November 11, 1918, ending World War I.

Treaty of Versailles

At the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, Allied leaders stated their desire to build a post-war world that would safeguard itself against future conflicts of such a devastating scale.

Some hopeful participants had even begun calling World War I “the War to End All Wars.” But the Treaty of Versailles , signed on June 28, 1919, would not achieve that lofty goal.

Saddled with war guilt, heavy reparations and denied entrance into the League of Nations , Germany felt tricked into signing the treaty, having believed any peace would be a “peace without victory,” as put forward by President Wilson in his famous Fourteen Points speech of January 1918.

As the years passed, hatred of the Versailles treaty and its authors settled into a smoldering resentment in Germany that would, two decades later, be counted among the causes of World War II .

World War I Casualties

World War I took the lives of more than 9 million soldiers; 21 million more were wounded. Civilian casualties numbered close to 10 million. The two nations most affected were Germany and France, each of which sent some 80 percent of their male populations between the ages of 15 and 49 into battle.

The political disruption surrounding World War I also contributed to the fall of four venerable imperial dynasties: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Turkey.

Legacy of World War I

World War I brought about massive social upheaval, as millions of women entered the workforce to replace men who went to war and those who never came back. The first global war also helped to spread one of the world’s deadliest global pandemics, the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people.

World War I has also been referred to as “the first modern war.” Many of the technologies now associated with military conflict—machine guns, tanks , aerial combat and radio communications—were introduced on a massive scale during World War I.

The severe effects that chemical weapons such as mustard gas and phosgene had on soldiers and civilians during World War I galvanized public and military attitudes against their continued use. The Geneva Convention agreements, signed in 1925, restricted the use of chemical and biological agents in warfare and remain in effect today.

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A global war – a global project.

1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War is the largest digital English-language reference work on the First World War. The multi-perspective, peer-reviewed, open-access knowledge base is the result of an international collaborative project involving more than 1,200 authors, editors and partners from over 50 countries. The encyclopedia currently comprises in excess of 1,600 articles and offers a global historical overview of the First World War, strengthening the networking of international research.

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The Causes and Effects of World War I Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
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Introduction

The effects of World War I can be seen around the world even now, more than one hundred years after its end; however, there is still no consensus as to its cause. In the words of Alfred Korzybski, “the destruction was brought about by nationalism, entangled alliances, narrow ethnic concerns, and desires for political gain – forces that are still with people today.” (cited in Levinson, 2014). Even though the majority of United States citizens did not have the direct experience of the terrific upset that the war caused in Europe, it can be argued that the country’s concern with championing democracy around the globe is one of its products (Levinson, 2014).

Many historians agree that an atmosphere of twentieth-century Europe was conducive to the creation of a complex mixture of economic, social, and political reasons that translated into powerful forces of imperialistic, nationalistic, and militaristic movements leading to the diplomatic crises of 1914 (Donaldson, 2014). Therefore, it can be said that the blame for the war could not be assigned to any individual country or a group of countries.

Nonetheless, the issue of responsibility was the main focus of the world in the years following the Armistice of 1918 (Donaldson, 2014). To this end, the Commission on the Responsibility of the Authors of the War and the Enforcement of Penalties met in Paris in 1919 (Donaldson, 2014). The investigation conducted by the commission showed that Germany and Austria, along with Turkey and Bulgaria as their allies, were responsible for the aggressive foreign policy tactics that led to the precipitation of the war (Donaldson, 2014).

The start of World War I was precipitated by the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on June 28, 1914 (Mulligan, 2010) The elimination of the high-standing official was carried out by the group of secret society members called Black Hand and directed by Bosnian Serb Danilo Ilić (Storey, 2009). The political objective of the murder was to separate Austria-Hungary’s South Slav provinces to combine them into Yugoslavia (Storey, 2009).

In response to the killing of their official, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia that commanded its government to prosecute the assassins. The objective of the ultimatum was to make its terms so strict that Serbia would be forced to reject it, thereby giving an excuse for launching a small war against it (Storey, 2009). Taking into consideration that Serbia had diplomatic relationships with Russia strengthened by their shared Slavic ties, the Austro-Hungarian government decided to take precautions against the two countries declaring war on it and allied with Germany. It is agreed that Germany was not opposed to Austro-Hungarian bellicosity, but rather supported and encouraged it, thus providing one more reason for the precipitation of the Great War (Levinson, 2014).

Even though Serbia’s response to the ultimatum was placating, Austria-Hungary decided to take aggressive action and declare war. It is argued that the main reason for World War I was the web of entangling alliances among the countries having an interest in the conflict between Austro-Hungary and Serbia (Storey, 2009). Following the Austro-Hungarian declaration of war, the Russian monarch mobilized his army because of the binding commitment of the treaty signed by the two countries.

As a result, on August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on the Russian Empire (Levinson, 2014). France was bound by treaty to Russia, and, therefore, had to start a war on Austria-Hungary and Germany. Even though a treaty tying France and Britain was loosely worded, the latter country had “a moral obligation” to defend the former (Levinson, 2014). Therefore, Britain and its allies Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Japan, and the Union of South Africa also took a bellicose stance against Germany and offered their assistance in the military action against the country (Levinson, 2014). Thus, a gigantic web of entangling alliances pushed numerous countries to the precipice of war over what was intended to be a small-scale conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

Numerous other reasons led to World War I. The conflicting political interests of Russia and Japan over Manchuria and Korea resulted in a military defeat of Russia (Levinson, 2014). Therefore, the country wanted to restore its dignity by a victorious war. During the same period, a lot of small nations were seething with discontent over the Turkish and Austro-Hungarian rule, thereby providing an opportunity for the Russian Empire further to stir resentment by firing up nationalistic zeal under a pretense of pan-Slavic narrative (Levinson, 2014).

Austria-Hungary, on the other hand, sought an opportunity to establish its influence over a vast territory of mixed nations; the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne provided them with a perfect excuse for the initiation of the war. Political clashes in Germany were a reason for the country’s government to resort to the military conflict as a way of “averting civil unrest” (Levinson, 2014). Another factor that caused World War I was the desire of France to revenge a military defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 (Levinson, 2014).

It is impossible to name a single reason for the initiation of World War I. However, it is clear that the entangling web of alliances among numerous parties participating in the war, as well as complicated plots of governments and empires, led the small-scale dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia escalating into a military conflict that swept the entire world.

Donaldson, P. (2014). Interpreting the origins of the First World War. Teaching History , 155 (4), 32-33.

Levinson, M. (2014). Ten cautionary GS lessons from World War I. Et Cetera, 71 (1), 41-48.

Mulligan, W. (2010). The origins of the First World War . Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Storey, W. (2009). The First World War . Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

• World War I, Its Origin and Allies
• World War I and the 1920s
• Weddings in the Slavic Folklore
• The Late 19th Century and the First World War, 1850-1918
• Brusilov Offensive: An Unique Tactics in War
• The Worst Team in History: the Gallipoli Failure
• Principal Causes of the First World War
• "Two Cheers for Versailles" by Mark Mazower
• Germany's Aims in the First World War
• The First World War' Impacts on the History of Humanity
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• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2020, October 9). The Causes and Effects of World War I. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-causes-and-effects-of-world-war-i/

"The Causes and Effects of World War I." IvyPanda , 9 Oct. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-causes-and-effects-of-world-war-i/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'The Causes and Effects of World War I'. 9 October.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Causes and Effects of World War I." October 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-causes-and-effects-of-world-war-i/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Causes and Effects of World War I." October 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-causes-and-effects-of-world-war-i/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Causes and Effects of World War I." October 9, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-causes-and-effects-of-world-war-i/.

World War I

World war i essay questions, the world before 1914.

1. Explain why nationalism was a significant force in 19th century Germany.

2. How did the leadership of Otto von Bismarck shape the future of Germany to 1914?

3. What were the outcomes of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71? How did these outcomes shape late 19th and early 20th century European relations?

4. Explain how the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s ethnic, cultural and language diversity created problems for the ruling Hapsburg dynasty.

5. Why was the Ottoman Empire considered the ‘sick man of Europe’? How did its problems affect or concern major European powers?

6. Compare and contrast the British, French and German Empires at the beginning of the 20th century.

7. Explain how militarism shaped and affected politics, economics and society in Germany to 1914. How democratic and representative was German government during this period?

8. How did imperialism and imperial rivalry contribute to European tensions between 1871 and 1914?

9. Discuss three alliances of the 19th and early 20th centuries, describing how each alliance affected European relations.

10. Bismarck famously said that a European war would start from “some damn foolish thing in the Balkans”. What “foolish things” happened in this region in the decade before World War I – and how did they affect European relations?

The road to war

1. Identify and discuss the three most significant factors leading to the outbreak of World War I.

2. Investigate and discuss the ‘war readiness’ and military strengths and weaknesses of Europe’s major powers in 1914.

3. What was Weltpolitik and how did it contribute to European tensions to 1914?

4. “Kaiser Wilhelm II was more responsible for the outbreak of World War I than any other individual leader.” To what extent is this statement true?

5. In the early 1900s many believed England and Germany had much in common and should have been allies, not antagonists. What were the sources or reasons for Anglo-German tension prior to 1914?

6. Investigate the relationship between Serbia and Austria-Hungary in the years prior to 1914. Why was Serbian nationalism worrying for Austro-Hungarian leaders?

7. Austria considered Serbia wholly responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. To what extent was the Serbian government truly responsible?

8. It is often said that the alliance system made a major war inevitable. Did alliances alone compel European nations to war after June 1914 – or were other factors involved?

9. Many historians suggest that the ‘failure of diplomacy’ led to war in 1914. What attempts did European diplomats make to negotiate and avoid war, and why did these attempts fail?

10. What do the ‘Nicky and Willy telegrams’ (between the Russian tsar and German kaiser) reveal about the character and leadership of both men?

11. Were the Kaiser and his advisors anticipating a European war that involved Britain? Explain how Britain became entangled in the road to war in mid 1914.

12. Focusing on three different countries, describe how the press and the public responded to declarations of war in August 1914.

13. Investigate anti-war sentiment in 1914. Which groups and individuals wrote, spoke or campaigned against war? What arguments did they put forward?

14. Explain why the small nation of Belgium became so crucial, both in July and August 1914.

15. Why did the Ottoman Empire enter World War I? What were its objectives and how prepared was it for a major war?

Battles and battle fronts

1. Why did the Schlieffen Plan fail in its objectives? Could Schlieffen’s strategy have been made to work?

2. What were the outcomes of the Battles of Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes in 1914? What did these battles reveal about the Russian military?

3. What happened at the first Battle of the Marne in 1914? What were the outcomes of this battle and what influence did it have on the rest of the war?

4. Compare the Western Front and Eastern Front as theatres of war. What were the similarities and differences in warfare on these two fronts?

5. How did naval power and the war on the seas shape the course of World War I? Refer to at least three major battles or incidents in your answer.

6. Why did the Allies consider the Dardanelles of strategic importance? Explain why the Dardanelles campaign of 1915 was a failure for the Allies.

7. What were the main objectives of the war in the Middle East? Discuss at least three significant locations or battles in your answer.

8. Why did Italy enter World War I in 1915? Where did most Italian troops fight and what impact did the war have on Italy?

9. Explain why the Battle of the Somme was such a significant operation, particularly for British forces.

10. Germany’s strategy of ‘unrestricted submarine warfare’ was largely responsible for bringing the United States into the war. Was it a reasonable or justifiable policy? Why was it adopted?

Methods of warfare

1. “World War I generals used 19th century battlefield strategies against 20th century equipment.” Discuss and evaluate this claim.

2. It is often said that British soldiers were “lions led by donkeys”. To what extent was this really true?

3. Explain why trench warfare became the dominant form of warfare on the Western Front.

4. What was life like for the average trench soldier? What were the duties, routines and rotations for those who served in the trenches?

5. Evaluate the use and impact of chemical weapons in World War I. Were they an important weapon of war – or were they used for terror and shock value?

6. Prior to 1914 cavalry (horse-mounted soldiers) were an important feature of most armies. Did cavalry regiments play any significant role in World War I?

7. Using evidence and referring to specific battles or events, explain which three weapons had the greatest impact on the battlefields of the Western Front.

8. How were aircraft like planes and airships used in World War I? Did these machines have any impact on the war and its outcomes – or were they a sideshow to the real fighting on the ground?

9. Tanks are one of the most significant weapons to emerge from World War I. Investigate and discuss the development, early use and effectiveness of tanks in the war.

10. The Hague Convention outlined the ‘rules of war’ that were in place during World War I. Referring to specific examples, discuss where and how these ‘rules of war’ were breached.

1. How did the public in Britain and other nations respond to the outbreak of war in August 1914? Was there unanimous support for the war?

2. What impact did Kaiser Wilhelm II have on military strategy and domestic policy after August 1914? How effective was the Kaiser as a wartime leader?

3. What powers did the Defence of the Realm Act give the British government? How did the Act affect life and work in wartime Britain?

4. Referring to either Britain, France or Germany, discuss how one national government managed and coordinated the war effort.

5. Investigate voluntary enlistment figures in one nation after August 1914. When and why did voluntary enlistment fall? What steps did the government take to encourage volunteers to enlist?

6. Focusing on three different nations, discuss when and why conscription was introduced – and whether this attracted any criticism or opposition.

7. What was the Shell Crisis of 1915? What impact did this crisis have on the British government and its wartime strategy?

8. Using specific examples, explain how wartime governments used censorship and propaganda to strengthen the war effort.

9. Why was there a change of wartime government in Britain in late 1916?

10. What was the ‘Silent Dictatorship’ in wartime Germany? How effective was this regime in managing both the war effort and the domestic situation?

Towards a conclusion

1. Explain why casualties and loss of life were so high in 1916, particularly at Verdun and the Somme.

2. How did the leadership of Lloyd George (Britain) and Clemenceau (France) invigorate the war effort in their countries?

3. Discuss the issues and problems raised by conscription in Australia and Canada. Why was compulsory military service accepted in Europe but not in those two countries?

4. Why did the government of Tsar Nicholas II collapse in February and March 1917? How did the war help bring about revolution in Russia?

5. To what extent was the United States able to honour its pledge of neutrality in 1914-16?

6. Was the entry of the United States into World War I inevitable? Or was it a consequence of unforeseen factors?

7. What happened in the German Reichstag in July 1917? What did this reveal about German attitudes to the war?

8. What impact did the Allied naval blockade have on German society and the German war effort?

9. Explain the terms and effects of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed in March 1918. What implications did this treaty have, both for Russia and the war in general?

10. What did German commanders hope to achieve by launching the Spring Offensive? What problems or obstacles did they face?

Treaties and post-war Europe

1. Compare and contrast the objectives and approaches of the ‘Big Three’ (Wilson, Lloyd George and Clemenceau) at the Paris peace talks.

2. Describe how the map of Europe was changed as a consequence of World War I and post-war treaties. What grievances might have arisen from these changes?

3. Explain the fate of the Hapsburg dynasty and the Austro-Hungarian Empire after the conclusion of World War I.

4. What happened to the Ottoman Empire and its territories after World War I? Describe its transition from a 19th century empire to the modern nation-state of Turkey.

5. A French general said of the Treaty of Versailles that was not a peace but a “20 year armistice”. Was he correct and, if so, why?

6. Why was Article 231 included in the Treaty of Versailles? What was the response to this particular clause, both in Germany and around the world?

7. Discuss what happened to European colonial possessions after World War I. Were colonies retained, seized by other nations or liberated?

8. How did the United States respond to the Treaty of Versailles? What were the global implications of this American response?

9. How effective was the newly formed League of Nations at resolving conflict and securing world peace?

10. Investigate and discuss the social effects of World War I in at least two countries. How did ordinary people live, during and after the war?

11. How did World War I affect the social, political and economic status of women?

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Essay on First World War

The First World War

The first world war was one of the most brutal and remorseless events in history; ‘the global conflict that defined a century’. Over nine million soldiers and a large amount of innocent civilians lost their lives. Empires crumbled, revolution engulfed Russia and America rose to become a dominant world power. Huge armies deployed new weapons of devastating effect from rifles and pistols to torpedoes and flame throwers. These weapons were used not only in the trenches but by tanks too. This was an

War Tactics In The First World War

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The First World War : The Great War

The First World War sometimes referred to as the European War was more commonly referred to as the Great War. So much in the world was changed by this war, so it simply by most known as the Great War. “It is because no other war until then had had such an impact on the world. It was the first war to affect all of the major nations of Europe and the world. It took many lives and changed the lives of millions more.” (Rivera, 2014) Some countries do not refer to the war as great because they lost

The First World War (WWI)

World War I The following paper gives insights on various issues; Firstly, why the First World War started, its effects and lastly how and why America got involved in the First World War Causes of the First World War The First World War started in 1914 and ended in 1918. The causes of World War I were militarism, alliances between European countries, imperialism, nationalism and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Keegan, 2014). Primarily, it may be cited, that its cause was

First World War Dbq

The First World War was commonly called the “war to end all wars,” although it clearly was not. Just twenty years after the end of the First World War, as French Marshal Foch had predicted, the world descended into a second war that was even more widespread and deadly. Directly or indirectly, the First World War yielded some 40 million casualties from more than 20 countries. In contrast, the 50 to 80 million deaths induced by the Second World War were mostly civilian. Russia lost around 25 million

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When discussing the First World War, there are a myriad of topics, theories and debates that can be brought up, especially when its regarding to its breakout and and what lead to it. There are multiple direct and indirect causes that all are interconnected with one another, making it very difficult to just discuss about one topic without it overlapping with another completely different topic.　One of the most unquestionable causes that lead to the outbreak of the war was the alliance system that was

The causes of the First World War were similar and differed from the causes of the Second World War politically, economically, and socially. Both of these significant, historical events were substantially affected by the interaction of dominating societies during this time period. During the First World War, these leading societies were the European authorities of Britain, Germany, and Austria, with slight assistance from the U.S. However, the United States allocated their full engagement during

World War I, a time of struggle for power, a time where most men who joined would most likely die. World War I started with an act of terrorism, produced multiple technological advancements used today, and ended with the downfall of many powerful empires. Before World War I, Europe was in a state of peace for nearly a century (History.com). The Congress of Vienna included the British Empire, German Empire, France, the Ottoman Empire, Russian Empire, and the Austria-Hungary Empire (History.com).

Causes of the First World War

World War I Essay When a nation’s hunger for power and control become too great, the nation may be pushed to do things that may have harsh consequences. This was the case in the early 1900’s when the world engaged in its first major global military conflict. There were a number of causes of the First World War; due to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany accepted full responsibility for the war. Although the Germans had a large contribution in starting the war, they should not be fully held

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World War I was a major conflict fought in Europe and around the world between July 28, 1914, and November 11, 1918. Nations from across all non-polar continents were involved , although Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary dominated. Much of the war was characterized by stagnant trench warfare and massive loss of life in failed attacks; over eight million people were killed in battle.

The war was fought by two main power blocks: the Entente Powers , or 'Allies,' comprised of Russia, France, Britain (and later the U.S.), and their allies on one side and the Central Powers of Germany, Austro-Hungary, Turkey, and their allies on the other. Italy later joined the Entente. Many other countries played smaller parts on both sides.

Origins of World War I

To understand the origins , it is important to understand how politics at the time. European politics in the early twentieth century were a dichotomy: many politicians thought war had been banished by progress while others, influenced partly by a fierce arms race, felt war was inevitable. In Germany, this belief went further: the war should happen sooner rather than later, while they still (as they believed) had an advantage over their perceived major enemy, Russia. As Russia and France were allied, Germany feared an attack from both sides. To mitigate this threat, the Germans developed the Schlieffen Plan , a swift looping attack on France designed to knock it out early, allowing for concentration on Russia.

Rising tensions culminated on June 28th, 1914 with the assassination of  Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand  by a Serbian activist, an ally of Russia. Austro-Hungary asked for German support and was promised a 'blank cheque'; they declared war on Serbia on July 28th. What followed was a sort of domino effect as more and more nations joined the fight . Russia mobilized to support Serbia, so Germany declared war on Russia; France then declared war on Germany. As German troops swung through Belgium into France days later, Britain declared war on Germany too. Declarations continued until much of Europe was at war with each other. There was widespread public support.

After the swift German invasion of France was stopped at the Marne, 'the race to the sea' followed as each side tried to outflank each other ever closer to the English Channel. This left the entire Western Front divided by over 400 miles of trenches, around which the war stagnated. Despite massive battles like Ypres , little progress was made and a battle of attrition emerged, caused partly by German intentions to 'bleed the French dry' at Verdun and Britain's attempts on the Somme . There was more movement on the Eastern Front with some major victories, but there was nothing decisive and the war carried on with high casualties.

Attempts to find another route into their enemy’s territory led to the failed Allied invasion of Gallipoli, where Allied forces held a beachhead but were halted by fierce Turkish resistance. There was also conflict on the Italian front, the Balkans, the Middle East, and smaller struggles in colonial holdings where the warring powers bordered each other.

Although the build-up to war had included a naval arms race between Britain and Germany, the only large naval engagement of the conflict was the Battle of Jutland, where both sides claimed victory. Instead, the defining struggle involved submarines and the German decision to pursue Unrestricted Submarine Warfare (USW). This policy allowed submarines to attack any target they found, including those belonging to the 'neutral' United States, which caused the latter to enter the war in 1917 on behalf of the Allies, supplying much-needed manpower.

Despite Austria-Hungary becoming little more than a German satellite, the Eastern Front was the first to be resolved, the war causing massive political and military instability in Russia, leading to the Revolutions of 1917 , the emergence of socialist government and surrender on December 15. Efforts by the Germans to redirect manpower and take the offensive in the west failed and, on November 11, 1918 (at 11:00 am), faced with allied successes, massive disruption at home and the impending arrival of vast US manpower, Germany signed an Armistice, the last Central power to do so.

Each of the defeated nations signed a treaty with the Allies, most significantly the Treaty of Versailles which was signed with Germany, and which has been blamed for causing further disruption ever since. There was devastation across Europe: 59 million troops had been mobilized, over 8 million died and over 29 million were injured. Huge quantities of capital had been passed to the now emergent United States and the culture of every European nation was deeply affected and the struggle became known as The Great War or The War to End All Wars.

World War I was the first to make major use of machine guns, which soon showed their defensive qualities. It was also the first to see poison gas used on the battlefields, a weapon which both sides made use of, and the first to see tanks, which were initially developed by the allies and later used to great success. The use of aircraft evolved from simply reconnaissance to a whole new form of aerial warfare.

Thanks partly to a generation of war poets who recorded the horrors of the war and a generation of historians who castigated the Allied high command for their decisions and ‘waste of life’ (Allied soldiers being the 'Lions led by Donkeys'), the war was generally viewed as a pointless tragedy. However, later generations of historians have found mileage in revising this view. While the Donkeys have always been ripe for recalibration, and careers built on provocation have always found material (such as Niall Ferguson's The Pity of War ), the centenary commemorations found historiography split between a phalanx wishing to create a new martial pride and sideline the worst of the war to create an image of a conflict well worth fighting and then truly won by the allies, and those who wished to stress the alarming and pointless imperial game millions of people died for. The war remains highly controversial and as subject to attack and defense as the newspapers of the day.

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World War 1 Essay | Essay on World War 1 for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

World War 1 Essay: World War 1 was started in July 1914 and officially ended on November 11, 1918. Conflicts emerged among the most powerful forces in the modern world with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany and the Ottoman Empire (and briefly Italy) on one side, and Britain, France, Russia, and later the United States on the other side during the war.

The war took the lives of some 20 million people and the world’s great empires fell. Czarist Russia turned into reinstated as the communist Soviet Union. Imperial Germany turned into reinstated as the Weimar Republic and lost some parts of its territory in the East and West.

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Long and Short Essays on World War 1 for Students and Kids in English

We are providing students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short of 150 words on the topic of World War 1 for reference.

Long Essay on World War 1 Essay 500 Words in English

Long Essay on World War 1 Essay is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

World War 1 started with a European conflict and gradually it developed into a World War. Militarism, nationalism, imperialism, and alliances increased the tensions among the European countries. The first reason, militarism, is known as the trend toward developing military resources, both for national defense and the protection of colonial interests.

Militarism indicated a rise in military disbursement and it extended to military and naval forces. It put more impact on the military men upon the policies of the civilian government. As a solution to problems militarism had a preference for force. This was one of the main reasons for the First World War. The second reason is there were too many alliances that frequently clashed with each other. Every country was pawning to safeguard others, creating intertwining mutual protection schemes.

They made alliances in secret, and they created a lot of mistrust and intuition among the European powers. Their general intuition stopped their diplomats to find a proper solution to many of the crises leading to war. Imperialism was the third reason for the First World War. As some areas of the world were left to colonize, nations were competing for subsisting colonies, and they were looking for enlarging their borders with adjacent countries. The fourth cause was nationalism. Nationalism is frequently insinuated to as identification with one’s own country and support for the country. Nationalism contains a strong recognition of a group of personnel with a political entity.

The support of individuals for their own country can become of one’s nation can become hatred of other nations. These were just some of the basic reasons for the war. Many people think that the instant reason for the war was because of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the successor to Austria-Hungary’s throne. Archduke Ferdinand was fired and murdered due to what was thought to be a political conspiracy. The Austro-Hungarian Empire suddenly doubted Serbian conspiracy in the assassination and looked to frame a response that would both punish Serbia, and make the world respect Austria-Hungary’s prestige and determination.

You can now access more Essay Writing on this topic and many more.

The Great War lasted four years. The war was finally over after four years and it took the lives of many people. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, a cease-fire went into effect for all fighters. Though the war has been finished, the effects, are still seen perceptible in the world today.

In the aftermath of World War 1, the political, cultural, and social order of the world was drastically changed in many places, even outside the areas directly involved in the war. Old nations were removed, new nations were formed, international organizations set up, and many new and old ideas took a stronghold in people’s minds.

As Europe fell in debt from war investment, inflation beset the continent. In addition to this, the buoyancy of previous decades was relinquished and a discouraging, gloomy outlook on life was adopted after people had experienced the ferocity of warfare and the effects of the war were brutal.

Short Essay on World War 1 Essay 150 Words in English

Short Essay on World War 1 Essay is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

The War took the lives of approximately 20 million people and put a break in the economic development of several nations. The war happened between two parties consisting of more than one hundred nations. Though all of them did not send armed forces to the battlefield, they were a hoard of commodities and human resources and provided moral support to their companions. It continued for 4 long years from 1914 to 1918. Indian soldiers also took part in World War 1 as a colony of Britain from Africa and West Asia.

India had an aspiration that they might win independence. World War 1 war laid down the economy of the world. It led to food shortage, an outbreak of a pandemic, scarcity of vital items, etc. At the end of 1918, the war came to an end. The Allied Powers won the war. Both parties signed the Peace Treaty called an armistice.

10 Lines on World War 1 Essay in English

1. The First World War was instigated in 1914 by Serbia. 2. The cause of the war was a competition between countries to acquire weapons and build military powers. 3. In 1914, Serbia aroused anger by assassinating Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir of Austria-Hungary throne. 4. The Allied Powers, and the Central Powers fought against each other. 5. The Central Powers include countries, such as Germany, Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Turkey. 6. The Allied Powers consisted of Serbia, Russia, The United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, and Belgium. 7. India, as a British colony, supported Britain. 8. The German adopted a militaristic Schlieffen approach. 9. World War 1 was fought from trenches, so it is also called the Trench War. 10. The War ended in 1918 after both allies signed an armistice.

FAQ’s on World War 1 Essay

Question 1. List the names of the two allies of the First World War 1914-1918.

Answer: The Allied Powers and the Central Powers.

Question 2. Who declared the First World War?

Answer: Austria-Hungary.

Question 3. Name the countries of Allied Powers.

Answer: Britain, Japan, France, Italy, Russia, the USA.

Question 4.  Why did the First World War end?

Answer: The First World War ended in November 1918 when both allies signed the Peace Treaty known as an armistice.

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103 World War 1 Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

World War 1, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, with millions of soldiers and civilians losing their lives. This war had a profound impact on the world, shaping the course of history and setting the stage for future conflicts.

If you are studying World War 1 and are in need of essay topic ideas, look no further. Here are 103 World War 1 essay topic ideas and examples to help you get started:

• The causes of World War 1
• The role of nationalism in World War 1
• The impact of militarism on World War 1
• The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and its role in starting World War 1
• The alliance system in World War 1
• The role of imperialism in World War 1
• The impact of technology on World War 1
• The role of propaganda in World War 1
• The role of women in World War 1
• The impact of the Treaty of Versailles on World War 1
• The role of the United States in World War 1
• The impact of trench warfare on World War 1
• The role of gas warfare in World War 1
• The impact of the Russian Revolution on World War 1
• The role of colonial troops in World War 1
• The impact of the influenza pandemic on World War 1
• The role of war poets in World War 1
• The impact of the sinking of the Lusitania on World War 1
• The role of air power in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of the Somme on World War 1
• The role of the Balkans in World War 1
• The impact of the Armenian Genocide on World War 1
• The role of the Ottoman Empire in World War 1
• The impact of the Gallipoli campaign on World War 1
• The role of war crimes in World War 1
• The impact of shell shock on World War 1
• The role of war propaganda in World War 1
• The impact of the Christmas Truce on World War 1
• The role of intelligence in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Jutland on World War 1
• The role of submarines in World War 1
• The impact of the Zimmermann Telegram on World War 1
• The role of conscription in World War 1
• The impact of the Arab Revolt on World War 1
• The role of the Eastern Front in World War 1
• The impact of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on World War 1
• The role of the Red Baron in World War 1
• The impact of the Treaty of London on World War 1
• The role of the Home Front in World War 1
• The impact of the Paris Peace Conference on World War 1
• The role of the League of Nations in World War 1
• The impact of the Spanish flu on World War 1
• The role of the White Army in World War 1
• The impact of the Black Hand on World War 1
• The role of the Harlem Hellfighters in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Passchendaele on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Verdun in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Tannenberg on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Caporetto in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Marne on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Gallipoli in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Ypres on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Cambrai in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of the Falkland Islands on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Coronel in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Coronel on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Heligoland Bight in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Heligoland Bight on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Dogger Bank in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Dogger Bank on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Jutland in World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Arras in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Arras on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Aisne in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Aisne on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Meuse-Argonne in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Meuse-Argonne on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Cantigny in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Cantigny on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Belleau Wood on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Chateau-Thierry in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Chateau-Thierry on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Soissons in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Soissons on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Montfaucon in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Montfaucon on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Selle in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Selle on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of Courtrai in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of Courtrai on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of the Sambre in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of the Sambre on World War 1
• The role of the Battle of the Selle in World War 1
• The impact of the Battle of the Selle on World War 1

These essay topic ideas and examples cover a wide range of aspects of World War 1, from its causes and consequences to specific battles and events. Whether you are writing a research paper or a reflective essay, these topics can help you explore different aspects of this pivotal moment in history. Good luck with your writing!

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8 Questions About World War I Answered

World War I was a war that was virtually unprecedented in the slaughter, carnage, and destruction it caused. Some 8,500,000 soldiers died as a result of wounds or disease, and as many as 13,000,000 civilians also died. It concluded with the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed in 1919. The questions and answers in this list are taken from the Top Questions sections of the articles on World War I , Treaty of Versailles , Lusitania , and trench warfare .

What was the main cause of World War I?

World War I began after the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand by South Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.

What countries fought in World War I?

The war pitted the Central Powers (mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey) against the Allies (mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States).

How was trench warfare used in World War I?

The widespread use of machine guns and rapid-firing artillery pieces on the Western Front meant that any exposed soldier was vulnerable. Protection from enemy fire could only be achieved by digging into the earth. Assaults were carried out across “ No Man’s Land ” between the opposing trenches .

Why was the Lusitania important?

The British ocean liner ’s demise contributed indirectly to the United States’ entry into World War I. In 1915 it was sunk by a German U-boat , resulting in the death of 1,198 people, including 128 Americans. Despite outrage over the incident, the U.S. government continued to pursue a policy of neutrality for another two years. However, German submarine warfare was cited when the United States declared war in 1917.

Who won World War I?

The Allies won World War I after four years of combat and the deaths of some 8.5 million soldiers as a result of battle wounds or disease.

What was the significance of World War I?

Four imperial dynasties—the Habsburgs of Austria-Hungary, the Hohenzollerns of Germany, the sultanate of the Ottoman Empire , and the Romanovs of Russia—collapsed as a direct result of the war, and the map of Europe was changed forever. The United States emerged as a world power, and new technology made warfare deadlier than ever before.

What were the main provisions of the Treaty of Versailles?

The Treaty of Versailles gave Germany new boundaries. Alsace-Lorraine was given to France and Eupen-Malmédy to Belgium . Territory in eastern Germany was awarded to a reconstituted Poland . Memelland was placed under French supervision, and Saarland was placed under the administration of the League of Nations, but France was given control of its coal. In addition, a demilitarized zone was created between Germany and France. Germany was required to accept responsibility for causing all the damage of the war that was “imposed upon [the Allies] by the aggression of Germany…” and to pay an unspecified amount of money in reparations.

What were the results of the Treaty of Versailles?

Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles under protest, and the United States did not ratify the treaty. France and Britain at first tried to enforce the treaty, but over the next several years a number of modifications were made. Germany ignored the limits that the treaty placed on its rearmament. Payment of reparations proved ruinous, and the attempt was abandoned after the advent of the Great Depression . The League of Nations lasted for 26 years and had some initial successes but failed to advance a more general disarmament or to avert international aggression and war. It did, however, lay the groundwork for the subsequent founding of the United Nations .

Home — Essay Samples — History — World History — WW1 And Its Effects On The World

Ww1 and Its Effects on The World

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 966 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

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Causes of World War 1

This essay will examine the causes of World War I. It will explore the complex web of political, military, and cultural factors that led to the outbreak of the war, including nationalism, militarism, alliances, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. PapersOwl showcases more free essays that are examples of Conflicts.

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At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the world was seething with an explosive, hair-trigger force waiting to explode. Capitalism was undergoing a transition to imperialism. The world’s territory was divided among the world’s most powerful nations. Colonies were scattered throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The struggle between the new empires and the old ones was getting larger and larger.

As new forces began to snatch resources, uneven economic development and inadequate allocation of resources among countries created international pressure and conflict.

It was an era rife with nations enthusiastic about their military status’ and national pride. This perfect combination of pressure led to the beginning of the First World War in July 1914. There were four main causes of WWI — militarism, alliance, imperialism, and nationalism — that escalated into a global conflict. This free essay about the causes of WWI will explore the interconnectedness of these four concepts.

Militarism is when a country develops strong military and advanced technological weapons to pursue its own interests aggressively. This tactic highlights the national status and is a means to protect, expand, and intervene in territorial disputes as needed. During this time, nations raced to create advanced-power weapons and get them into the hands of their soldiers, a competition referred to as an arms race. Nations were investing in the idea that a strong military indicated a strong country, and those with the most progressive technology and efficient troops were perceived as the most powerful adversaries.) Before World War I, the most drastic forced competition was between Great Britain and Germany, respectively, showing their supremacy in military powers. This embrace of militarism, while not unique to these countries, also meant other nations were prepared for warfare.

In the early 20th Century, Great Britain possessed the strongest naval forces of developed nations. The battle-hardened British Navy helped Great Britain conquer a quarter of the world’s landmass. In 1889, the British Parliament passed the “Naval Defense Act,” which effectively doubled the size of the established British navy and established its size as even larger than the next two competing nation’s navy’s combined, with 62 warships of over 5,000 tons possessed by the British Navy, while the Germans had only 12.

Britain saw Germany as a potential military threat and continued to intensify its efforts to develop its military, especially the Navy. This was largely due to Germany’s leader, Kaiser Wilhelm II, who believed that formidable military strength would bring Germany untold prestige and power, firmly planting it as a center of European power. Germany passed the First Fleet Act in 1898, authorizing it to divert time and energy toward the development of a strong, competitive Navy.

Technological advancements followed suit, and Britain acquired new steel battleships, significant upgrades from previous wooden ones. The most imposing style was the steel ship the Dreadnought, equipped with 12-inch guns. Countries immediately aspired to create this new type of fearsome sea weapon. In 1914, Britain was the global leader in naval personnel, with 209,000 soldiers and 29 Dreadnought battleships. Meanwhile, Germany took second place with 79,000 soldiers and 17 Dreadnought ships but ultimately grew to have 38 of the fearsome ships.

Germany set Britain as a military target and then attempted to catch up with it. Germany Kaiser Wilhelm II believed that formidable military strength will bring Germany prestige and power. Meanwhile, Germany will be received respect from other European nations. If Germany could not possess powerful troops and advanced weapons, there would be no place and no discourse power for Germany in many European countries. Wilhelm II’s call boosted the passing of The German First Naval Law in 1898. The law claimed to begin the process of building a powerful navy.

After that, the second law required double the size of the German Navy from 19 battleships to 38. Wilhelm II’s encouragement supported the improvement of naval forces: “Germany is a young and growing empire. She has worldwide commerce, which is rapidly expanding and to which the legitimate ambition of Patriotic Germans refuses to assign any bounds. Germany must have a powerful fleet to protect that commerce and her manifold interests in even the most distant seas. She expects those interests to go on growing, and she must be able to champion them manfully in any quarter of the globe”. Moreover, Germany had the most powerful army, the Prussian army, which defended itself against the French in 1871, and the victory made them the most dangerous and effective military force in Europe. (Cleary)

The national governments of many European nations constantly instilled militarism into people’s minds, regarding leaders as heroes, advocating officers, and glorifying and romanticizing militarism. The nations permeated this idea into every corner. A strong military force could bring them prestige, protection, expansion, and improvement of the economy. Fighting, then, rather than negotiations, seemed to be the most reasonable method for resolving international conflict.

Militarism cannot begin a war alone. In order to succeed, nations need to form alliances. An alliance is an agreement of two or more countries in regard to political, military, or economic cooperation. European countries had many alliances before World War I, though they were often short-lived. Some were due to the emergence of new leaders or the replacement of old alliances with new ones. Some were due to the collapse of the countries or the betrayals between nations. Europe, the melting pot of ethnic and territorial disputes, is a place where change was possible and was happening fast.

One example of these fluid alliances was in 1873 with the Three Emperors’ League. Germany, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Within five years, Russia pulled out of the league to attend to its own national conflicts, and the league officially collapsed in 1878. Germany and Austria-Hungary formed The Dual Alliance in 1879, eventually adding Italy and becoming the Triple Alliance in 1882, allowing all three nations to support one another. In response, the Franco-Russian Alliance emerged, partnering with France and Russia in 1894.

Military alliances usually require signatory nations to support each other when they have wars with other countries, showing up in battle or with financial support, aligning against shared common enemies. Britain, Russia, and France overcame cultural differences and historical tensions to form a new alliance, the Triple Entente, in 1907. Britain was hoping to achieve victory in their arms race against Germany, while France was attempting to recapture provinces that had been previously ceded to Germany, uniting the two nations.

Additionally, Russia was still fighting with Austria-Hungary for control of the Balkan territory. These intertwined conflicts and disputes divided Europe into two major alliances, which lit the fuse of the bomb of World War I that followed. “The alliances created an excessively rigid diplomatic framework, within which relatively small detonators could produce huge explosions,” said A. J. P. Taylor, an English historian who specialized in 19th- and 20th-century European diplomacy. (European History)

The third contributing factor to World War I is Imperialism, loosely defined as using military might and force to overtake or influence other nations.s. Usually, colonies were controlled by the imperial nation or governed by a local puppet government. Military troops stationed locally in aid of maintaining order and suppressing rebellions. Colonization allowed imperial nations to acquire abundant resources, cheap laborers, and advantages of trade or commerce.

Before World War I, Great Britain was the largest and wealthiest dominant imperial power in the world. It possessed a quarter of the global landmass and was called “the empire on which the sun never sets” due to its immense size. Britain had colonies on every continent except Antarctica. The British Empire’s imperialism focused on expanding and maintaining trade. It used the colonies as factories to provide its home country with raw materials and manufactured goods as well as cheap labor. France maintained colonies in what are modern-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, some islands in the Pacific and Caribbean, small territories in South America, and areas of West Africa and India. German colonies included one province in China, Shandong)New Guinea, Samoa, numerous Pacific islands, and several areas in central and southwest Africa.

Before World War I, as empires grew stronger and larger, the competition between them also became fierce as they clamored for land, power, and money Germany and Italy were two relative newcomers to empire-building. When they first joined this imperial group, they found out much of the world’s land was controlled by their European neighbors. As such, Germany plotted to invade and take control of large swaths of East Africa. Within six years of their imperial outset, Germany controlled much of the region and established the German East Africa Company. However, the British and French Empires reckoned that Germany had threatened their holdings in Eastern Africa, increasing European tensions and conflicts.

The scramble for empire in Africa caused diplomatic incidents. One such conflict happened in Morocco in North-West Africa. Although Morocco was not a colony of France, its location of Morocco led it to be influenced by France’s control. France was trying to expand its rule in Morocco, but the German Kaiser stirred up tensions between France and Morocco by giving a speech that encouraged Moroccan independence. This had angered the French government and sparked wrathful diplomatic actions. When France attempted to suppress a revolt in Morocco, the German troops attacked an armed vessel at the Moroccan port of Agadir. Germany’s provocation almost touched off the war. Another event that made the European situation become unstable and intense. The decline of the Ottoman Empire attracted tensions of other European nations. After several failed wars, the Ottoman Empire almost collapsed. Other empires were eager to gain territory and influence in this dying empire. Austria-Hungary, Russia, Germany, France, and Britain all had colonial and trade interests in this region, leading to increased nationalism as they clamored to gain power.

Nationalism is when a country puts its own interests above all. It inspires citizens’ patriotism and a sense of national honor. Nationalism is the most significant contributor to World War I as it permeates militarism, alliances, and even imperialism. Nationalism is the base that triggers these three reasons. Countries pursued military strength and competed due to this nationalistic belief that they were superior to other neighboring nations. However, Nationalism is not relegated only to the matters of weapons.

Nationalism persuades people that their country is supreme in military, economic, and cultural aspects and is often displayed through music, visual arts, literature, and even theater. In a bid to convince people that their own countries are supreme, literature usually included libel or grand falsified statements to shed their opponents in a negative light.

Nationalism made countries excessively confident and gave them the illusion of military strength. Countries all believed their own military capacity was the best. The British were proud of the country’s naval power and developed economy. The French reckoned that they had solid defenses to block the attack of other nations. In Russia, the emperor believed he and his empire were under divine protection. They had the largest land force, which contained 1.5 million men, and their massive population made the country believe it would defeat other smaller countries easily. Germany’s advantages were shown in its developed advanced military weapons and increasing battleships and U-boats. The Germans believed their Schlieffen Plan would be effective and successful. (Nationalism)

Throughout Europe, great powers were considering an invasion of neighboring nations while also accounting for their own defense and national supremacy. The less powerful nations, who opposed these powers, were hoping to gain independence and freedom. The conflict came to a head in the Balkans of Eastern Europe. The Slavic people, who lived in the Balkan region and some of what is presently Serbia, felt they should have their own country. Serbia held a large Slavic population, but it was controlled and influenced by the Austria-Hungary Empire. Slavic nationalists were outraged by the invasion of Austria-Hungary, especially the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Young Slavic nationalists joined the “Black Hand ” group to oppose the Austria-Hungary Empire and its presumed heir, Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

The combination of the fuel of independence and nationalism was powerful, and the “Black Hand” group made a drastic decision that would change the direction of international relations forever – they assassinated the heir to the Austria-Hungary throne, Franz Ferdinand. The assassination of Archduke Frank Ferdinand by the Black Hand in Sarajevo directly led to the outbreak of World War I as nations scrambled to support their ally countries and vested interests abroad.

The essay on the causes of World War 1 highlighted that the four causes are closely related. A single reason is not enough to cause a Great War between several nations or between two alliances, though nationalism seems to be the most powerful. However, when these factors come together, they increase the possibility of war. Nationalism played the most important role in this because it led to military competition, land expansion, and cliques.

There were various factors that contributed to Germany’s decision to start WWI, including territorial ambitions, frustration with the Treaty of Versailles, and a belief in their own superiority. Germany sought to expand its empire and viewed itself as deserving of more power and land. Additionally, they presumed they could win the war quickly and simply, further fueling their desire to take action.

The primary causes of World War I were militarism, alliances, and imperialism. Militarism refers to the belief that a powerful military is crucial for a nation’s security. Alliances are pacts between nations to support each other in case of war. Imperialism denotes the desire to extend a nation’s authority and influence by acquiring additional territories.

To write about World War 1 in an essay, one must understand that it was a catastrophic global conflict that caused immense loss of life and lasted over four years. It commenced in 1914 following a chain of events that prompted various nations worldwide to mobilize their forces. Ultimately, the Allied Powers emerged triumphant over the Central Powers in 1918 to end the war.

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Causes of World War 1. (2021, Apr 19). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/causes-of-world-war-1/

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PapersOwl.com. (2021). Causes of World War 1 . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/causes-of-world-war-1/ [Accessed: 12 Sep. 2024]

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PapersOwl.com. (2021). Causes of World War 1 . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/causes-of-world-war-1/ [Accessed: 12-Sep-2024]

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