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The fighting in the “Great War,” as it was called then (it is now called World War I), was savage and brutal.  Army casualties totaled more than 37 million people, and there were another 10 million in civilian deaths.  For weeks armies fought in trenches (deep, long ditches in the ground), spending day after day trying to kill their opponents lined up in an opposite trench several hundred feet away.  This was known as trench warfare.  Movement of ten or twenty feet in advance of a trench was a big success.  Barbed wire marked off an area known as “no man’s land” between the two trenches, where anyone who went into this area would be shot on sight.  Also, a deadly flu virus spread among the soldiers and infected the world, killing millions more.  The late 1910s was a dreadful time for the world.

The fighting in the “Great War,” as it was called then (it is now called World War I), was savage and brutal.  Army casualties totaled more than 37 million people, and there were another 10 million in civilian deaths.  For weeks armies fought in trenches (deep, long ditches in the ground), spending day after day trying to kill their opponents lined up in an opposite trench several hundred feet away.  This was known as trench warfare.  Movement of ten or twenty feet in advance of a trench was a big success.  Barbed wire marked off an area known as “no man’s land” between the two trenches, where anyone who went into this area would be shot on sight.  Also, a deadly flu virus spread among the soldiers and infected the world, killing millions more.  The late 1910s was a dreadful time for the world.

At the end of the war, the nations signed a peace agreement that was so misguided that it caused another great war to occur (World War II).  So this World War I was bad news all around.  Nothing was achieved by it. World War I was even pathetic in terms of military strategy.  The first year and a half (1914-15) is known as “Entrenchment,” during which there were terrible casualties without either side gaining the upper hand.  The next year, 1916, is known as “Continued Stalemate”.  Get the idea?  The following year, 1917, is known for the entrance by the United States and the withdrawal by Russia due to its communist revolution.  In 1918 more nations withdrew from the war, and the major remaining nations of Britain, France, Germany and the United States ended the war with an armistice in November of that year.

At the end of the war, the nations signed a peace agreement that was so misguided that it caused another great war to occur (World War II).  So this World War I was bad news all around.  Nothing was achieved by it. World War I was even pathetic in terms of military strategy.  The first year and a half (1914-15) is known as “Entrenchment,” during which there were terrible casualties without either side gaining the upper hand.  The next year, 1916, is known as “Continued Stalemate.” Get the idea?  The following year, 1917, is known for the entrance by the United States and the withdrawal by Russia due to its communist revolution.  In 1918 more nations withdrew from the war, and the major remaining nations of Britain, France, Germany and the United States ended the war with an armistice in November of that year.

=== The Colonies and the Great War ===

=== The Colonies and the Great War ===

The colonies were not much help to the European powers, and attempting to use them for World War I left some bitterness.  For example, Britain drew upon its colonies of Canada, Australia and New Zealand to supply a failed Gallipoli campaign, which attempted to forge a supply line to Russia.  But these three colonies suffered heavy losses that left them bitter about Britain, and desirous of independence from the British empire.

The colonies were not much help to the European powers, and attempting to use them for World War I left some bitterness.  For example, Britain drew upon its colonies of Canada, Australia and New Zealand to supply a failed Gallipoli campaign, which sought to forge a supply line to Russia.  But these three colonies suffered heavy losses that left them bitter about Britain, and desirous of independence from the British empire.

Britain was successful in enlisting troops from the colonies of Egypt, India, Australia and New Zealand to defeat the weakened Ottomans.  An Arab revolt against the Turks (German allies) was led by a British soldier named T. E. (Thomas Edward) Lawrence, known as “Lawrence of Arabia.”  His guerrilla warfare campaign against the Turks kept large numbers of troops tied up trying to suppress it, and it helped the British capture Aqaba and Damascus.  Meanwhile, the Indian Mohandas Gandhi encouraged support of the British in the war as a way of building good will towards the Indian cause for independence.  French colonies also lent some support to its efforts.

Britain was successful in enlisting troops from the colonies of Egypt, India, Australia and New Zealand to defeat the weakened Ottomans.  An Arab revolt against the Turks (German allies) was led by a British soldier named T. E. (Thomas Edward) Lawrence, known as “Lawrence of Arabia.”  His guerrilla warfare campaign against the Turks kept large numbers of troops tied up trying to suppress it, and it helped the British capture Aqaba and Damascus.  Meanwhile, the Indian Mohandas Gandhi encouraged support of the British in the war as a way of building good will towards the Indian cause for independence.  French colonies also lent some support to its efforts.

Also in 1916, and also in France, the British and French armies met at the Somme River to begin a massive attack on the Germans in order to distract them from Verdun.  This became the Battle of the Somme, and the fighting was even heard across the British channel in England.  First the Allies “shelled” (fired many shots and bombs) at the Germans to weaken them, and then 100,000 British soldiers charged the enemy.  But the shelling did not have its intended effect, as the Germans were dug in too deeply to be affected by it.  On July 1, 1916, the Germans killed 20,000 of the British soldiers and wounded over 40,000, making it the single worst day for the British in their history.  This battle, which did not succeed in moving trench lines, eventually involved over 2 million men along a 30-mile front.  The British and French lost nearly 750,000 men.  

Also in 1916, and also in France, the British and French armies met at the Somme River to begin a massive attack on the Germans in order to distract them from Verdun.  This became the Battle of the Somme, and the fighting was even heard across the British channel in England.  First the Allies “shelled” (fired many shots and bombs) at the Germans to weaken them, and then 100,000 British soldiers charged the enemy.  But the shelling did not have its intended effect, as the Germans were dug in too deeply to be affected by it.  On July 1, 1916, the Germans killed 20,000 of the British soldiers and wounded over 40,000, making it the single worst day for the British in their history.  This battle, which did not succeed in moving trench lines, eventually involved over 2 million men along a 30-mile front.  The British and French lost nearly 750,000 men.  

 

====Third Battle of Ypres====

====Third Battle of Ypres====

(Also known as the Battle of Passchendaele)

(Also known as the Battle of Passchendaele)

===Terms of Peace===

===Terms of Peace===

The war was over at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, but the terms of peace remained unresolved.  The Allies convened at the historic Palace of Versailles outside Paris in January 1918 to discuss peace terms.  The representatives at the Paris Peace Conference included Woodrow Wilson from the United States, David Lloyd George from Great Britain, Vittorio Orlando from Italy, and Georges Clemenceau from France.

The war ended in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, but the terms of peace remained unresolved.  The Allies convened at the historic Palace of Versailles outside Paris in January 1918 to discuss peace terms.  The representatives at the Paris Peace Conference included Woodrow Wilson from the United States, David Lloyd George from Great Britain, Vittorio Orlando from Italy, and Georges Clemenceau from France.

President Wilson wanted his “Fourteen Points” adopted as the peace treaty.  His proposal included moving national borders, creating new nations, and allowing ethnic groups to choose their own governments.  His main point (#14) was to create a new entity known as the League of Nations to resolve international conflicts in the future.  The American people never supported the League of Nations and the U.S. Senate never ratified the treaty establishing it, and President Wilson died thinking he was a failure.  But less than 30 years later the United States did join a similar entity known as the United Nations, though it remains controversial and many Americans oppose it.

President Wilson wanted his “Fourteen Points” adopted as the peace treaty.  His proposal included moving national borders, creating new nations, and allowing ethnic groups to choose their own governments.  His main point (#14) was to create a new entity known as the League of Nations to resolve international conflicts in the future.  The American people never supported the League of Nations and the U.S. Senate never ratified the treaty establishing it, and President Wilson died thinking he was a failure.  But less than 30 years later the United States did join a similar entity known as the United Nations, though it remains controversial and many Americans oppose it.