Origins, progression, and significance of World War I

¶ … war, how it started, and the war's importance to world history. World War One was supposed to be the war that ended all other wars on the planet, and it was controversial from the day it started. It began in August 1914, but the United States did not enter the war until 1917, and it ended on November 11, 1918. It took hundreds of thousands of lives, decimated large parts of Europe, and showed what the technology of the Industrial Revolution could accomplish when it came to warfare and killing.

Most people believe World War One began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914. However, in reality, the origins of the war were much more complex. In fact, under Kaiser Wilhelm, Germany had become much more aggressive. They did not renew a key treaty with Russia, and because of this, many of their neighbors banded together in case of attack from Berlin. France and Russia allied because they were afraid of Germany's military buildup, and Great Britain had allied itself with these two countries, as well. Germany continued to build up military and naval forces, while Germany was allied with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was quickly disintegrating due to tension and turmoil within. When the Archduke was assassinated, the Austro-Hungarian Empire felt Serbia was behind the killing, and with Germany's blessing and support, they tried to retaliate. This literally threw the continent into war, which many believe Germany wanted all along. Thus, actual war began in August of 1914, and raged throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa until 1918 (Sheffield).

The two factions of the war made up most of the most powerful nations on earth; making this war what many called the Great War or the War to End All Wars. The Entente Powers, (also called the Allies) included France, Russia (which withdrew from the war after the 1917 Revolution), the British Empire, and in 1915 Italy, and in 1917 the United States. They fought against the Central Powers, which included the Austro-Hungarian, German, and Ottoman Empires.

As for the battlegrounds of World War I, most people believe it was fought in Europe, but in fact, another thing that set this war apart was that it was fought in many areas of the world. One historian writes, "Major land fighting took place in France and Belgium, eastern Europe, Italy, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), East and South West Africa and on the Gallipoli peninsula" (Bourne ix). It was also fought on the seas of the world, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and for the first time, in the air, as well. This is a result of the Ottoman Empire's association with Germany and Austria-Hungary, and their involvement as an ally of those nations.

The battles were memorable, of course, for the sheer carnage and amount of casualties they produced. Much of the war was fought along the Western Front in Europe, and much has been written about the terrible conditions present on the battlefields. The wars were fought in trenches, dug by hand and deep enough to shelter men from far off rifle shots. However, the trenches were often muddy and filled with water, and they were no match for the newly designed tanks that became a standard part of warfare.

This was a very different war than the world had been used to. There were many more inventions, such as airplanes, tanks, and new types of explosives and weapons helped turn both sides into very efficient killing machines, and hundreds of thousands of lives were lost before the war was over. Industrialization also meant that the men fighting could be transported quickly and efficiently from area to area, and they could receive continual supplies, as well. Another historian writes, "A century of industrialization meant that the Germans, French and British could each keep millions of men under arms on the Western Front - clothed, fed and free from lethal epidemic diseases, day and night, all the year round without respite" (Badsey). Thus, World War One create a whole new kind of warfare that was far more deadly and could last almost indefinitely, which this war seemed to do.