learntoquestion ltq discussions

Sources to peruse:

In addition to what we’ve done in class, our screening of the 2018 film directed by Peter Jackson, They Shall Not Grow Old, and your examination of the following powerful websites/online exhibitions:

1. World War I via photographs
2. World War I by the numbers
3. 5 Things You Need to Know about World War I
4. The firsts of World War I
5. The first World War: The Study of a Global Conflict. For this site, poke around. This site is SIMPLY AMAZING. Pay particular attention to these sections:

#1: Origins [3:16]

#3: Empires [3:29]

#5: Slaughter [5:05]

And make sure you click on the interactives between the horizontal number menu along

the lower part of the screen.

The four BIG questions I’d like you to address in this post depend on your thoughtful and careful examination of the five items above. As you respond, please make specific reference to these five items AS WELL AS anything relevant from class.

• We can debate the whys behind the war, the long-term and short-term causes (and I’m sure you’ve taken tests in other classes about this) etc. but here’s the essential question that matters: What was the point? What was gained from this war? What was lost? Why did it matter?
• What lessons should we learn from this war? (And by extension, what lessons did the world learn—at the time?)
• There are folks who argue that there was a world before the First World War and an entirely different world afterwards. Is that true? What changed forever?
• And finally, why is it important to understand World War I and learn about it, even if we can argue that war = insanity, (this one in particular)?

Before the war, Austria-Hungary was very powerful and even larger than Germany. Germany was uneasy and not yet unified, yet their intense nationalism led them to be an example for other European countries. However, Germany felt threatened because it was encircled by its enemies. The entire world was linked through networks of trade and commerce. When the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was killed by a Serbian nationalist, they gave the Serbs a list of demands, which they refused. This was because Serbia had Russia as a powerful ally. After this, 30 nations declared war, and everyone mobilized their troops. The war was fought because of nationalism and the country’s fears of losing their territory or influence. At the time, it seemed as if the whole world had already been discovered, the only way for empires to gain land was to conquer. The British and French wanted the Ottoman Empire for themselves and to destroy Germany’s military capabilities, this was known as the Eastern Question. America entered the war after Germany sunk some of their merchant ships in the British Isles, they served mainly as a financial part of the war. A domino effect was caused by empires joining the war and bringing their colonies with them. Many colonial subjects fought because they thought they would be able to use their participation to barter for increased rights in the future, they were wrong. Overall, the cause of the war was ego, which spiraled and dragged others into it.

From the worst typhus epidemic in history to the millions of people who died and suffered on the battlefield, this war should teach us that violence and conflict should always be a last resort. 65 million people became soldiers, 8.5 million of them died along with 13 million civilians. The French even lost 27,000 soldiers in one day. And these soldiers were not experienced adults, some were untrained and as young as 12 years old. When they were likely injured, the quality of care received by soldiers depended on their likelihood of survival. Other groups suffered as well. Soldiers committed atrocities against helpless civilians in towns they took. Air raids wiped out villages and left people with no feeling of safety or security. Serbians experienced racism and mass executions due to their involvement in starting the war. All of the useless violence that came from this conflict taught the world what brutality humanity is capable of.

The world changed forever after WWI. The end of the war marked the end of the Russian, Ottoman, and Austro- Hungarian Empires. New horrifying innovations were made such as chemical warfare, which was later marked as a war crime due to its effects on people. Soldiers were bombed with shells that made craters 15 feet deep, and a lot of them later experienced shell shock. The flamethrower was also utilized throughout the war, killing people and destroying acres of land. However, the war created the funds to create good inventions such as wristwatches, Kleenex, and Blood Banks. It also gave women new opportunities to participate in the workforce. People from colonies who had never been outside of their homeland were able to see the lands and cultures of other countries. One commentator from the Guardian website states, “The fields of the Great War were the first United Nations”. But the war had way more negative effects than positive. It is surprising, after all of that death, that we continue to fight wars.

In my opinion, WWI was a meaningless war. We need to understand WWI in order to prevent anything like it from happening again. This war was insanity, but it was the egos and nationalism of the different groups that led to the spread of propaganda, convincing people that the fight was just. When writing this post, I considered how WWI compares to WWII. I thought that WWII was morally justified due to the Holocaust, but then remembered that the war only began when Hitler invaded Poland, not when he started killing Jewish people. So both of these wars began over territorial disputes, not any humanitarian efforts. We need to study WWI and realize that the people of the Earth are one people, it does not matter what side of a line we fall on on a map.

The point for discussing the war and its causes is to teach the younger generations about what happened and prevent this from happening ever again in the future. The things gained from the war are significantly less than what was lost. The things that were gained from the war were new innovations, such as weaponry, as stated from the article “5 Things You Need to Know about World War I”. Many countries were racing to invent new things for usage during the war, the faster ones had an upper hand in the fighting. While many things were lost during the war, millions of human lives were lost, homes destroyed, and materials used. This matters because WWI is a pointless and useless war because of its origin. The reason for the war is dumb, but for that dumb reason the whole globe participated in the war. Additionally, nothing good is gained from it, all we got from it is millions of innocent lives dead and wounded.

The lessons that we can learn from this war are that problems should not be solved with war and that propaganda is very impactful. There were tensions in the European powers but instead of sitting down and trying to fix it, they went to war. Which cost many human lives, and this didn’t stop them from ending the war for a long time. Additionally because of propaganda, many young men were tricked into enlisting for the war and that cost their livelihood.

I agree that the world before WWI is different from after. After WWI, people were still trying to heal from the trauma they faced in the war. Many had family members who died or were wounded during the war. Soldiers from the war who first handedly saw the horrors of war will never be the same after. Additionally, empires collapsed and new countries were forced after. Boundaries are redrawn and organizations are established. People have also adopted new ideologies after the war. Many things have changed after WWI.

It is important to understand and learn about WWI because it shaped the world we live in today. Also it is our history, we cannot throw away our history. We should learn from history even if WWI is seen as insanity. Even if war is insanity, it will be a good example of what we don’t want to repeat again in the future.

The biggest change that World War 1 brought was the redrawing/collapse of empires and countries in Eastern Europe, mostly the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires. But other than new countries being made and/or existing countries getting smaller or bigger, there was no point to the war. Some peoples in those redrawn countries earned some independence from their existing empires, but there was no gain. After bloody battles, little to no territory was captured and the soldiers didn’t advance at all. The “war to end all wars” was pointless with no gains and the loss of millions of soldiers and civilians’ lives. The war only began because of heightened political tensions. Unlike other wars, like World War 2 and, most recently, the Ukrainian War, where they are started by some invasion of another country, WW1 was started by some extremist killing the heir of a government. (You would think that it would be an Austro-Hungarian and Serbian problem, but the whole world decided to join in.)

We should learn that war and violence are never the answer to problems, especially smaller ones. Instead, we should encourage politicians and other leaders to figure out more peaceful solutions to issues and disagreements. The devastation of the environment and the deaths of millions of people is not worth a small, petty disagreement between countries and ideologies. If aggression hadn’t been used and hadn’t provoked the war, all those deaths and all the wounded people would have lived out their lives happily without knowing the hardships of war, the trauma, the destruction, and the terrible trenches. At the time, the world learned about the negative effects of technology and the destruction it could bring. The invention of new weapons and new strategies (trenches, machine guns, tanks, etc) brought about so much more death and destruction which ended up meaning nothing since neither side ever advanced any significant amount, if they advanced at all.

The world before World War 1 was significantly different from the world post-ww1. Other than the basic geographic change in Europe and 8.5 million people that died (excluding civilians who were severely targeted), there was a shift in the way people talked and thought about war and death. Unlike in the past, people have become more aware of the dangers of war (even though political leaders continue to engage in them) and teaching about wars has become more integrated into society. Schools, media, and places of worship have discussed war and its traumatic effects - apart from the countless war memorials all around the world. Even Remembrance Sunday has become a tradition to honor the dead and remember how damaging war can be. It’s important that history doesn’t repeat itself, especially the bad and ugly parts of it like war, but to not repeat it, we need to learn it. Learning about the Great War helps us know how small arguments can lead to huge conflicts that can forever change the world and result in millions of pointless deaths. In the film we watched in class, soldiers were so happy and also too excited to be part of the war effort, so much so that they often lied about their ages just to get in. But once they were deployed, they felt very differently and, even though most said they didn’t regret their service, they were not excited about the war anymore. The destruction and both psychological and physical damages done to soldiers and civilians is not worth any war.

In my opinion, there was absolutely no point to World War I. If you asked me now what was the cause of WWI, I would say it was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but I’m still not sure why a WAR was necessary. I’m sure the soldiers who were fighting in the war weren’t sure either. They were just told to fight by their country so they enlisted and fought. They had no personal motives behind their actions except for “representing their nation”. The only thing we gained from the war was the deaths and trauma left behind. Not only did 10 million soldiers die in battle, over 20 million were injured and around 13 million civilians died in the process. We gained victory, sure, but we lost millions of lives, millions of dollars, and the soldiers who came back, often injured or crippled, did not get the compensation that they deserved.

I think what we all need to learn from this war is that war isn’t just “fun and games”. It isn’t just oh you go in, you fight heroically for your country, your side wins and everyone was happy. It’s so much more than that. Especially when the armies consisted of 15-16 year olds who aren’t even old enough to think of the consequences AFTER the war. These are children, they’re barely old enough to graduate high school, and yet they’re out here on the battlefield because of propaganda, peer pressure, and fear of dishonoring their families. In the movie, the veterans called it “a big game that we all played”, and I’m sure most of the young boys who enlisted at that time saw it as such. Maybe the thought of never coming back did cross their minds, but they didn’t think about what life would be like if they lost a leg, an arm, both legs and arms, life in the trenches, what would happen if they saw a friend being killed in front of their eyes, etc. They didn’t think about what would happen to their families at home, because remember, it wasn’t just soldiers who died. So what I think we need to learn from this war is to not rush into things before we think about the consequences, and definitely don’t push children into a position they can’t refuse.

I agree that it was an entirely different world after WWI. I think that the way people saw things changed forever. They didn’t trust their government as much and they definitely took war much more seriously. That’s why when World War 2 occurred, no one was excited to enlist. They had all seen what had happened the first time around. The government-funded propaganda told them to “fight for freedom”, “fight for glory”, “we want YOU for the army”, but when it’s all said and done, what did the government give back to the returning soldiers? The economy changed. Jobs that needed hires were given to women and African Americans. The men returning were unemployed. Most of them couldn’t even work factory jobs because of their disabilities. There were multiple depressions due to overspending in the war. Rich people grew richer, poor people grew poorer. There was already a class disparity in America, but the war just made it worst. Now these men who “fought bravely for the country” have no where to go and the dead cannot be brought back.

It’s very important to learn about WW1 because it taught us that we can’t just jump headlong into a war without thinking it over. It’s not just about helping countries, it’s also about OUR people and OUR casualties. For example, when the Vietnam War was happening, thousands were protesting against it. They didn’t want another pointless war where millions had to die for a matter that did not concern them. Now with the Ukrainian War, of course we’re going to help the refugees by providing them a place to stay and sanctioning Russia, but no one (well maybe some) is encouraging the U.S. to interfere in the war. Why? Because even more innocent people are going to die if we do. I’m a firm believer that war = insanity, and we should not repeat the mistakes that we made over a century ago.

The immediate cause of World War One was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in 1914, but the underlying causes were more complex. Nationalism, imperialism, and alliances between European powers all contributed to the outbreak of war. The point of the war for the various belligerent nations varied, but generally, it was fought for national glory, territorial expansion, and economic gain.

The human cost of World War One was staggering. Millions of soldiers and civilians died, and many more were wounded or traumatized. The war also devastated large parts of Europe, both physically and economically. The war also led to the collapse of several empires, including the German, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires. The gain of World War One was the imperialistic power gained by the United States. Being on the "winning" end of the war bolstered their status as an international powerhouse. Through an astonishing butterfly effect, this war led to World War Two, the Cold War, the Holocaust, and all of the ensuing chaos taking us to present day.

One lesson from World War One is the danger of nationalism and the use of military force to achieve political goals. The war also showed the need for international cooperation and the importance of diplomacy in resolving conflicts. Additionally, the war highlighted the destructive power of modern technology and the need to use it responsibly.

The world before World War One was very different from the world after it. The war led to the collapse of several empires, the redrawing of national borders, and the rise of new political ideologies. It also led to significant advancements in technology and medicine.

Understanding World War One is essential for understanding the twentieth century and the world we live in today. The war had far-reaching consequences that still shape the political, economic, and social landscape of the world. Studying the war also helps us learn from the mistakes of the past and avoid repeating them in the future. Additionally, understanding the human cost of war can help us work towards peace and international cooperation.

The only thing gained from World War One was a short-term shift in the power dynamics of the old European Empires, as France and Britain became the dominant powers in the region for a time. This was short-lived, however, as both countries were utterly devastated by the war, giving them little power to actually enjoy the new land they had gained before they focused on rebuilding their own countries. Germany was utterly humiliated by the war, putting the country in the perfect position for a fascist takeover. The Austrian-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires were dissolved as a result of the war; Austria-Hungary was divided up into new, independent states, while the Ottoman Empire was carved up by the British. Over 8.5 million lives (World War One By the Numbers) and the innocence of an entire generation were lost during World War One. Those who were not killed in battle returned home forever traumatized by their experiences in the war, and there was a population shortage of men in many of the major powers post-war. The only reasons why World War One matters are because people died, people found new ways to kill each other, and it led to the second one. The most important lesson to be learned from World War One is that the vast majority of wars are only fought for the benefit of powerful people. One of the most striking images from The Atlantic's collection of WWI-era photographs was the second picture, which depicted nine European monarchs gathered together for the funeral of King Edward VII four years before the outbreak of the war. A few short years after this photo was taken, these nine men sent their millions of subjects into the meat grinder of war just to gain more power for themselves. There was no righteous cause for this war, nor every other war fought in history (with incredibly few exceptions). WW1 did, however, result in many new technological innovations that likely would never have come about if this war never occurred. Of course, those innovations were all new ways to murder people. Tanks, poisonous gas, air attacks on civilians, camouflaged units, and flamethrowers were all new inventions and innovations created for World War One, and all contributed heavily to its utter brutality (Firsts of the First World War). The war also saw massive propaganda campaigns on both sides of the conflict, creating stereotypes about other nationalities that persisted for many years after the war's end, still lingering to this day (5 Things You Need to Know About the First World War). I believe that the world was forever changed by the First World War, as the conflict utterly divided a Europe that was facing many common struggles before the war's outbreak (Study of a Global Conflict). WWI also changed many people's perspectives on war as a concept, as the massive amounts of casualties with no major gains for any of the major world powers made many realize the futility of war. I believe that fighting in war is utter insanity for the average person, as people are dropped feet first into hellish combat zones for no reason other than to satisfy the egos of the rich and powerful. For the rich and powerful, however, war can be an extremely lucrative opportunity. If you are a head of state, you can acquire vast new lands and resources for your country. If you are a manufacturer, then you can produce weapons for the war effort. Those who have win, and those who have not lose.

World War I was stupid. While the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand may have triggered the war, I do not get why it was necessary to fight. The war resulted in nothing but death and trauma. Although victory was achieved, the costs were far too high for the war.

The lesson we should learn from the war is that war is not something that we should play with, especially when young teenagers are drafted to fight, who are supposed to be the future of the world but instead are dying in war. These children are driven into the army without fully considering the consequences of their actions. They may have seen the war as a big game, but they did not think about the physical and emotional toll it would take on them, their friends, or their families. The war changed people's perception of the government, and made them more serious about the consequences of war.

World War II showed that people were less willing to fight after experiencing the horrors of the previous war. Nevertheless, the returning soldiers did not receive the support they deserved, and the economy suffered. The war widened the class disparity in America, leaving returning soldiers unemployed and struggling to find work. This teaches us that we must consider the impact of war on our own people, rather than just focusing on helping other countries.

It is vital to learn about World War I to avoid repeating the same mistakes. The war demonstrated that we cannot rush into a conflict without fully considering the consequences. War is insane, and we can not relive the past ever again.

I don’t think that there was any real point to the war. I know about how the whole assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand kicked everything into motion and people wanted revenge, but for having that be the cause of an entire world war seems kind of weird. I’m not saying that the war necessarily shouldn’t have happened, I’m sure that we wouldn’t be where we are today without it, but this war doesn’t seem to have a purpose. For things that were gained, I think the frontrunner should be technology, specifically military technology. The introduction of modern weaponry is something that is beneficial, especially because it was sort of a wide span thing. The things that were lost were lives. Around 20 million deaths and even more wounded. On top of that, empires were destroyed and concrete alliances were gained. This especially matters because the gain of the US becoming a superpower leads into communism and eventually Hitler. It’s a weird butterfly effect thing. Millions of people could’ve been saved from this reality, but there’s always the chance of something different yet similar happening.

There were all sorts of things learned from this war. To start, the level of barbaric-ness that can be attained is scary. People stopped at nothing to try and win. From the National Archive of photos, German soldiers were fleeing a poison gas attack in Belgium. The utter disregard for human life is crazy. War reached new heights. We’ve also learned that people would stop at nothing to serve their country, even if there wasn’t a real cause for it. An interesting number is 12. The youngest British soldiers were 12 years old. These kids should be in middle school, not the front lines dying for their country. An extension of this could also be how effective propaganda is at manipulating people. The British propaganda of "It is Far Better to Face the Bullets..." got people to join the army, showing how governments, extremely effectively, used persuasive tactics to convince citizens to fight and die for their country. The British were at the top of their game when enlisting troops, employing the first usage of compulsory military service. The policy represented a new level of government control over citizens' lives and was one of the reasons why the war became so all-encompassing and devastating. Lastly, watching The Guardian's clip "Origins" helps to understand the global context and causes of the war. Being able to see how actions can have these drastic consequences is a learning point for all.

There was definitely a turning point on a global scale from before to after World War I. The entire structure of world order shifted. Progress was seen as something that was made in vain. Everything leading up to it: political, economic, and social factors, all didn’t matter considering it seemed like the end of something more or less great. The after effects of the war followed soon after, showing literal evidence of a shift from before to after.

It’s important to learn about the war because it shows the human experience as well as the nature from which the war came from. Gaining the knowledge of the capacity for destruction and brutality is sobering, but also seeing the resilience and determination that comes from it is uplifting in a way. Being able to see good from such great evils is good to learn about. On top of this, being able to see what led up to the war allows people to recognize the warning signs for possibilities of another one. Even though there’s the saying of “history repeats itself”, being able to potentially predict it could break the cycle. Steps are being taken in the right direction by learning about the war.

The point of the war was a power struggle. They wanted to become more powerful than they were currently, and the war technically started due to the assassination, but that was only an excuse to start the fighting. It started a chain of fighting in Europe where all the countries strived for more, and that was the main reason for the U.S. joining as well. When their ships were being attacked going to England they got angry at this and declared war to not be looked down upon, and to spread their influence to Europe. In the end, not much was gained but a lot was lost, such as the people, and many of the country's power. Even if the British and French won't the war the catastrophes caused heavy damage on both sides of the war so not much was gained. This war helped to present the future world powers around the world and to show who will be leading the world for centuries to come.

The millions of deaths during this war due to the political struggles of the world powers at the time taught the world a lesson and an obvious one at that. Which is to never resort to war unless it is absolutely necessary. This war could have been resolved if Serbia just met the agreements of the Austro-Hungarian empire, or even compromised on it, but because they didn't it caused a big war to start. World War 2 was a different war, however, and we most likely needed to step in in order to stop the Nazis from exterminating the Jews. I only say this because even though I want to say how the world should be rid of wars such as these, and I would love for this to happen but this isn't possible because of these dictators and politicians making these decisions causing problems for the rest of us. World War I taught the world to stay away from war, and taught us the truth of war, and how to only rely on war as a last resort.

The war definitely changed the war for better and for worse. It created new weapons for wars to come and caused more countries to prepare for such wars in the future. This led to weapons such as agent orange and the atomic bomb which killed many people in their creation and created many problems later. It also was the end of three empires, The Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires. During this time, people also learned of the dangers of war, and the truth of war such as the constant bombing throughout the day and night while the men were in the trenches which caused trauma for these men even after the war. However, during the war outside the battlefield, women started to gain more acknowledgment in the public sphere and were able to work in different jobs. Also, new cultures came together due to these connections made during the war, and it made relations between these countries better.

Learning about both of these wars is a necessity so we can make sure this never happens again in the future. If we are blinded by the government to believe that war is a good thing we won't have any other choice but to accept their words. However, by learning about this war we can avoid situations such as these from occuring again in the future, and if we are drafted to the war, we won't be like the english soldiers, and be super happy to serve our country, and instead we would be agraind and try to fight agains the draft in fear of what is to come. If we know what wars are like we can avoid them in the future by making wiser decisions than those made by politicians in the past.

World War I began when a Serbian nationalist killed Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. This conflict eventually involved 30 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. From the film and the stories that the former soldiers were telling, it didn't really seem like they knew what they were fighting for, they just did what they were told, which was to kill people on the other side. There were a lot of innovations and weapon and military technological advancements, including tanks, poison gas and flamethrowers.

From this war, we should learn that war is not very necessary, and a lot of times, the soldiers do not know what they were getting into, and the after the war, they are not sufficiently cared for with their trauma. There were a lot of casualties, both in the front lines and in civilian towns that had to be dealt with after the war was over, which did not seem that important when countries were joining the war.

There definitely was a huge difference before the war and after because there was a lot of new inventions and advancements. There were so many deaths and injuries that would affect millions of people's lives, people who lost family members, soldiers who lost friends, the horrors of war that would stay with the soldiers for their lifetime, civilians who were air bombed in their homes. There was also a great economic impact, the amount of men leaving for war, and women being able to get factory jobs, rations being held to help the military with resources, and the change that would occur when the millions of people returned from war.

It is important to understand World War I because there were so many changes to everyday life- economically, medically, technologically- and we should know what happened to get us to where we are today. People should also know about the negative side of history, like WWI, which was useless but caused so much pain and deaths, so they know how one event can lead to such a catastrophic event, and shouldn't happen again.

Most scholars believe World war I came about from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. However, those who deeply examine the conflict understand it had just as much to do with border disputes in their colonies, as it did with the assassination of a major political figure. Some accounts from The Atlantic even argue that there were disputes amongst siblings in power. Nevertheless, we must honor the 40 million people who died at the hands of this destructive force. These deaths can be traced back to the increase in military technology like planes, gas, and tanks. These weapons, along with unreliable defense systems, are some of the many reasons why millions of soldiers and civilians died on the home front or got caught in the crossfire. Other images from The Atlantic display the destruction caused by these new weapons. These desolate areas were coined "no mans land" as all forms of life were annihilated by millions of bullets and bombshells. This war did not matter in the slightest. It was only a matter of time before empires that were close to each other, would fight a war against one another. The Western European empires had been swiftly conquering territory and reaping the benefits of their resources, while also racking up a major ego that would lead to its downfall in the future. We learned many years ago what an all-out war can lead to (ie: WW2 and Vietnam war) and as military technology continues to advance, the possibility of more destruction increases with it it. The world at this time became very distasteful of war. When the Nazis began their conquest of Europe, Britain and France were hesitant to enter the war, as they had witnessed the mass destruction that occurred a couple of years earlier. I completely agree with this idea. as I pointed out above, the chief cause of mass destruction during World war I and World war two, was military and technological advancements. The human brain is constantly evolving and adapting and while it may positively advance medicine and the environment, it will continue to bring weapons of mass destruction. Patriotic morale was also gravely affected after WWI due to the number of soldiers killed. In Britain, nearly 750,000 servicemen died in combat and another 1.5 million were injured within the first couple of years. Many questioned the purpose of fighting in a war that would inevitably lead to death. While it is true that World war I was a destructive event, it is still important to learn about it. World War I is a significant event that profoundly impacted the world we live in today. It is important to learn about this history to gain a deeper understanding of the world we live in, and how it has been shaped by past events. By studying the causes and outcomes of World War I, we can learn from the mistakes made and try to avoid similar conflicts in the future. Understanding the complex factors that led to the war can help us identify warning signs and take preventative measures. It is also important to honor the millions of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for some greater good, whether you agree or disagree, that is a fact.

I don’t understand the point of WWI. I think that it was the result of pride and a relatively small situation that was completely blown out of proportion. Yes, the assassination of a leader is devastating, but to use that as an excuse for an ego based expansion war seems senseless. Bringing over 30 countries and 65 million people into it also seems like something that should’ve been avoidable. The amount of loss and destruction is nowhere near anything that was gained. I think that other than to boost the egos of countries on the winning side through land acquisition/the dissolving of their enemies’ empires, there was no real point to this war– especially because the reason that this was was waged was to make Serbia pay for the assassination but it ended up being Austria-Hungary that suffered. Although the motives behind it seem like they shouldn’t be significant, the outcome of them definitely is. This war is an extremely important part of modern history because of the destruction and loss that came with it.

I think that it is important to learn from this war so that future generations don’t make mistakes that lead to something like this happening again. Recognizing that this was the worst possible outcome of the (relatively) small situation that started it is the first step that we can take to prevent it in the future. At the time, participating countries learned just how devastating war can be. Nothing like this had ever happened, and when it did no one thought it would happen again. They learned from new innovations such as barbed wire and new practices such as triage that would later be adapted into civilian life. Aside from this, countries also felt a new sense of unity and nationalism. The effects of war were felt by all, and in some cases it was the energy of the civilians that allowed their nation to continue fighting. This was a new experience because it was the first time where countries felt the ‘us against the world’ mentality and were definitely united by it.

WWI definitely changed the world for good. It was so significant at the time that it was given the title of “the great war” because no one thought that anything like it could ever happen again. From the massive losses to the rearranging of Europe’s geographical and national makeup, there is no doubt that this war set the stage for the future of Europe. Additionally, the innovations of the time definitively changed the world. The power and destruction able to be caused increased exponentially, and human understanding of power through chemical warfare became a key component in years to come– also changing our views of how far is too far in a war.

Understanding WWI is the first step we can take to preventing another one, but also to recognizing when intervention is necessary. In this situation, it probably could’ve been handled without ALL of the world’s powers throwing all of their arms and money at it. If we know to think about the repercussions of misguided support, it is more likely that we will make decisions that benefit all in the future. In the end, I think that war (especially this one) = insanity and something like it should be avoided at all costs.

Originally posted by Martha $tewart on February 14, 2023 17:45

Before the war, Austria-Hungary was very powerful and even larger than Germany. Germany was uneasy and not yet unified, yet their intense nationalism led them to be an example for other European countries. However, Germany felt threatened because it was encircled by its enemies. The entire world was linked through networks of trade and commerce. When the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was killed by a Serbian nationalist, they gave the Serbs a list of demands, which they refused. This was because Serbia had Russia as a powerful ally. After this, 30 nations declared war, and everyone mobilized their troops. The war was fought because of nationalism and the country’s fears of losing their territory or influence. At the time, it seemed as if the whole world had already been discovered, the only way for empires to gain land was to conquer. The British and French wanted the Ottoman Empire for themselves and to destroy Germany’s military capabilities, this was known as the Eastern Question. America entered the war after Germany sunk some of their merchant ships in the British Isles, they served mainly as a financial part of the war. A domino effect was caused by empires joining the war and bringing their colonies with them. Many colonial subjects fought because they thought they would be able to use their participation to barter for increased rights in the future, they were wrong. Overall, the cause of the war was ego, which spiraled and dragged others into it.

From the worst typhus epidemic in history to the millions of people who died and suffered on the battlefield, this war should teach us that violence and conflict should always be a last resort. 65 million people became soldiers, 8.5 million of them died along with 13 million civilians. The French even lost 27,000 soldiers in one day. And these soldiers were not experienced adults, some were untrained and as young as 12 years old. When they were likely injured, the quality of care received by soldiers depended on their likelihood of survival. Other groups suffered as well. Soldiers committed atrocities against helpless civilians in towns they took. Air raids wiped out villages and left people with no feeling of safety or security. Serbians experienced racism and mass executions due to their involvement in starting the war. All of the useless violence that came from this conflict taught the world what brutality humanity is capable of.

The world changed forever after WWI. The end of the war marked the end of the Russian, Ottoman, and Austro- Hungarian Empires. New horrifying innovations were made such as chemical warfare, which was later marked as a war crime due to its effects on people. Soldiers were bombed with shells that made craters 15 feet deep, and a lot of them later experienced shell shock. The flamethrower was also utilized throughout the war, killing people and destroying acres of land. However, the war created the funds to create good inventions such as wristwatches, Kleenex, and Blood Banks. It also gave women new opportunities to participate in the workforce. People from colonies who had never been outside of their homeland were able to see the lands and cultures of other countries. One commentator from the Guardian website states, “The fields of the Great War were the first United Nations”. But the war had way more negative effects than positive. It is surprising, after all of that death, that we continue to fight wars.

In my opinion, WWI was a meaningless war. We need to understand WWI in order to prevent anything like it from happening again. This war was insanity, but it was the egos and nationalism of the different groups that led to the spread of propaganda, convincing people that the fight was just. When writing this post, I considered how WWI compares to WWII. I thought that WWII was morally justified due to the Holocaust, but then remembered that the war only began when Hitler invaded Poland, not when he started killing Jewish people. So both of these wars began over territorial disputes, not any humanitarian efforts. We need to study WWI and realize that the people of the Earth are one people, it does not matter what side of a line we fall on on a map.

I completely agree nationalism strongly unified these nations, but it's also important to note the how this nationalist pride led to the high death toll in both WW1 and WW2

Originally posted by bigbear on February 14, 2023 21:25

The point of the war was a power struggle. They wanted to become more powerful than they were currently, and the war technically started due to the assassination, but that was only an excuse to start the fighting. It started a chain of fighting in Europe where all the countries strived for more, and that was the main reason for the U.S. joining as well. When their ships were being attacked going to England they got angry at this and declared war to not be looked down upon, and to spread their influence to Europe. In the end, not much was gained but a lot was lost, such as the people, and many of the country's power. Even if the British and French won't the war the catastrophes caused heavy damage on both sides of the war so not much was gained. This war helped to present the future world powers around the world and to show who will be leading the world for centuries to come.

The millions of deaths during this war due to the political struggles of the world powers at the time taught the world a lesson and an obvious one at that. Which is to never resort to war unless it is absolutely necessary. This war could have been resolved if Serbia just met the agreements of the Austro-Hungarian empire, or even compromised on it, but because they didn't it caused a big war to start. World War 2 was a different war, however, and we most likely needed to step in in order to stop the Nazis from exterminating the Jews. I only say this because even though I want to say how the world should be rid of wars such as these, and I would love for this to happen but this isn't possible because of these dictators and politicians making these decisions causing problems for the rest of us. World War I taught the world to stay away from war, and taught us the truth of war, and how to only rely on war as a last resort.

The war definitely changed the war for better and for worse. It created new weapons for wars to come and caused more countries to prepare for such wars in the future. This led to weapons such as agent orange and the atomic bomb which killed many people in their creation and created many problems later. It also was the end of three empires, The Russian, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires. During this time, people also learned of the dangers of war, and the truth of war such as the constant bombing throughout the day and night while the men were in the trenches which caused trauma for these men even after the war. However, during the war outside the battlefield, women started to gain more acknowledgment in the public sphere and were able to work in different jobs. Also, new cultures came together due to these connections made during the war, and it made relations between these countries better.

Learning about both of these wars is a necessity so we can make sure this never happens again in the future. If we are blinded by the government to believe that war is a good thing we won't have any other choice but to accept their words. However, by learning about this war we can avoid situations such as these from occuring again in the future, and if we are drafted to the war, we won't be like the english soldiers, and be super happy to serve our country, and instead we would be agraind and try to fight agains the draft in fear of what is to come. If we know what wars are like we can avoid them in the future by making wiser decisions than those made by politicians in the past.

The urge to have more power was bolstered by these western empires' conquest of inferior territories around the Globe.