World War I Essay, Research Paper

Jason Rollins

December 1, ! 999

Cheryl Salley

English III

World War I

World War I involved more states and caused greater devastation than any other

war, except World War II. An bravo? s slug set off the war, and a system of military

understandings plunged the chief European powers into the battle. Each side expected a quick

triumph ; but the war lasted four old ages and took the lives of about ten million military

military personnels.

Military bill of exchanges raised larger ground forcess than of all time before, and utmost nationalism gave work forces

a cause they were willing to decease for. Progaganda whipped up support for the war by

doing the enemy seem nefarious.

On June 28, 1914, an bravo gunned down Archduke Francis Ferdinard of

Austria-Hungary in Sarejevo, the capital of Austria-Hungary? s state of Bornia. The

slayer, Gavrilo Princip, had ties to a terrorist organisation in Serbia. Austria-Hungary

believed that Serbia? s authorities was behind the blackwash. It seized the

chance to declare war on Serbia and settle an old feud.

Austria-Hungary decided to utilize this blackwash as an alibi to settle its battle with

Serbia. Germany backed Austria, and on July 23 Austria presented a warlike ultimatum

to Serbia. It allowed 48 hours for a answer. On July 28, Austria refused Serbia? s

answer and declared war on Serbia.

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All states in Europe had been anticipating war and rival groups had been doing

pacts and confederations for many old ages. Europe was divided into two cantonments. Germany,

Austria-Hungary, and Italy were members of the Triple Alliance, or Cardinal Powers.

Russia, France, and England formed the rival Triple Entente Powers, which was later

called the Allies. The Balkan States sided with Serbia and the Allies. Serbia? s enemies

were on the side of the Central Powers. The confederations were brought into action when

Austria declared war. It took a hebdomad for all Europe to be at war. ( Bender )

Germany won early triumphs in World War I on the chief battlegrounds. The western

front barely moved for three and a half old ages in malice of ferocious combat. The combat went

back and Forth until 1917 when a revolution broke out in Russia which resulted in Russia

inquiring for a armistice. ( World Book Encyclopedia )

The United States remained impersonal at first, but many Americans turned against the

Cardinal Powers after Germany began droping unarmed ships. In 1917 the United States

joined the Allies. As a consequence the Allies gained the work force they nee

ded to win the war.

In 1918, the Central Powers surrendered. ( World Book Encyclopedia )

World War I grew into the greatest war the universe had of all time seen. The sum of

money spent was tremendous. The war costed about two hundred billion dollars. The

United States entirely spent as much money as it did on all the disbursals of the authorities

from 1791 to 1914. ( World Book Encyclopedia )

More than 65 million work forces were mobilized for the ground forcess and naval forcess. Over eight

million lost their lives, and more that twenty-one million were wounded. Civilian

populations worked as ne’er before to bring forth tremendous measures of guns,

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ammos, and other supplies. Civilians suffered more in World War I than in any

old war. Because they played such an of import portion, this was called? entire war. ?

The blackwash of Archduke Francis Ferdinard triggered World War I. But the war

had its beginnings in developments of the 1800? s. During this clip one force that swept

across the continent that helped convey about World War I was patriotism. Different

groups of people felt they should each hold a separate national authorities in a state

where everyone spoke the same linguistic communication. Another cause of the war was that the

economic involvement and competitions played a considerable portion in making international tentions.

Besides it was the turning feeling of insecurity that led the European authoritiess, one after

another, to seek to strength their places by reasoning confederations with other authoritiess

holding similar involvement. ( Tuchman )

During World War I, politicians and publicizers spoke of great yearss to come, when

there would be no more wars or clangs between states. Many historiographers have stated,

? The actuality of rough via medias in the pacts along with continued force in some

states, misgiving among the peoples, and a crisp recession produced a widespread sense of

disillustionment. ? Peace understandings after the war did alter the map of the universe.

New authoritiess appeared in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Finland, Germany,

Hungary, Latvia, Lithunia, Poland, Russia, Yugoslavia, and several states of western

Asia. However this war did non work out the universe? s jobs. The peace colonies that

followed created conditions that plunged the universe into another war less than 20

old ages subsequently. ( Tuchman )

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Bender, David L. World War I. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998.

Tuchman, Barbara W. The Guns of August: Macmillan, 1962.

World Book Encyclopedia. Copyright 1996, V.21 World Book, Inc.