Although not as tragic as its sequel, World War I in many ways was the most asinine war ever fought, resulting in over 16 million deaths. The war did nothing except prove that the world had progressed far enough to fight conflicts on a global level even if it could not fight them effectively. The emergence of new technology and world super powers had led to an arms race forwarded by Wilhelm II of Germany with England determined to not fall behind. Advancements in technology, however, do not mean advancement in tactics as World War I saw many men marching in straight lines or charging with swords on horseback against machine gun nests. The inability to adapt tactics to new weapons of death led to a long war of attrition fought from trenches where more men died of disease than bullets. The war "to end all wars" as it was called was started by an event concerning none of the major countires involved in the fighting. The much loved Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife Sophie the Duchess of Honenberg were gunned down in the streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia by Yugoslav Nationalist Gavirillo Princep. The Archduke was there to attend the opening of a hospital and came despite knowing dangerous situations may arise. A very angry Austria delivered a list of 10 extreme demands to Serbia, Gavirillo's own country. The question of a war had already been answered. When all but 2 of the demands were met Austria attacked. This led Serbia to call all of her allies for aid which in turn caused Austria to do the same and that was how the entire world went to war over an issue that had nothing to do with it. Four years later who remembers the squabble between Austria and Serbia compared with the death match that involved Britain, France, America, Russia, and Germany. The first World War accomplished absolutely nothing except to allow the rise of communism in Russia as it weakened the country's government allowing the Bolshevik Revolution to take place. Within a few years the new communist regime would be committing genocide against its own people totaling in the millions. In the West the heavy-handed Treaty of Versailles, disliked by the British and unrecognized by the Americans, was bent on punishing Germany thanks to France. It not only guaranteed another war in the future, but also ensured the fighting would continue as soon as the Germans felt ready. The undefeated German army marched home to their economically broken country feeling betrayed. The abusive poverty made the nation and its people ready to listen to anyone who promised to make them great again. It just so happened to be a man named Adolf Hitler.
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Although not as tragic as its sequel, World War I in many ways was the most asinine war ever fought, resulting in over 16 million deaths. The war did nothing except prove that the world had progressed far enough to fight conflicts on a global level even if it could not fight them effectively. The emergence of new technology and world super powers had led to an arms race forwarded by Wilhelm II of Germany with England determined to not fall behind. Advancements in technology, however, do not mean advancement in tactics as World War I saw many men marching in straight lines or charging with swords on horseback against machine gun nests. The inability to adapt tactics to new weapons of death led to a long war of attrition fought from trenches where more men died of disease than bullets. The war "to end all wars" as it was called was started by an event concerning none of the major countires involved in the fighting. The much loved Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne, and his wife Sophie the Duchess of Honenberg were gunned down in the streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia by Yugoslav Nationalist Gavirillo Princep. The Archduke was there to attend the opening of a hospital and came despite knowing dangerous situations may arise. A very angry Austria delivered a list of 10 extreme demands to Serbia, Gavirillo's own country. The question of a war had already been answered. When all but 2 of the demands were met Austria attacked. This led Serbia to call all of her allies for aid which in turn caused Austria to do the same and that was how the entire world went to war over an issue that had nothing to do with it. Four years later who remembers the squabble between Austria and Serbia compared with the death match that involved Britain, France, America, Russia, and Germany. The first World War accomplished absolutely nothing except to allow the rise of communism in Russia as it weakened the country's government allowing the Bolshevik Revolution to take place. Within a few years the new communist regime would be committing genocide against its own people totaling in the millions. In the West the heavy-handed Treaty of Versailles, disliked by the British and unrecognized by the Americans, was bent on punishing Germany thanks to France. It not only guaranteed another war in the future, but also ensured the fighting would continue as soon as the Germans felt ready. The undefeated German army marched home to their economically broken country feeling betrayed. The abusive poverty made the nation and its people ready to listen to anyone who promised to make them great again. It just so happened to be a man named Adolf Hitler.