The Great War
World War I began July 28th, 1914 with Austria-Hungary’s declaration of war on Serbia. What would follow would bring the deaths of millions upon millions, forever changing the history of our species and the meaning of war. The Great War began with conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia over the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but it was the involvement of each country’s allies, and then their allies in turn, that created a global conflict.
In response to the initial declaration of war, two coalitions of great powers took up arms in conflict—the Triple Entente of France, Russia, and Britain (known now as The Allied Powers, with other allies included), and the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (known as the Central Powers). These two coalitions would wage a war across the world on a scale far, far greater than anything humanity had ever seen.
For the first few weeks, the war resembled those before it as Germany marched through Belgium and France towards Paris. As the French managed to stop the advance and assume defensive positions, the world quickly realized the old wars were a distant memory. New technology, especially machine gun fire and artillery, leading to trench warfare being a nearly impossible task. Dozens, or even hundreds, of thousands of men would be lost in attacks and offensives that could take months. The inventions of poison gas, tanks, and flamethrowers were all attempts to solve the problem of trench warfare, but none were entirely successful. The war was bitterly and bloodily fought until its end in 1918.
Before the war could be ended, over nine million estimated combatants were killed, and over seven million estimated civilian lives were lost directly due to The Great War. Touted as the “war to end war”, it would be a mere 21 years before Poland was invaded.
World War I is often discarded, a footnote to the more memorable World War II. No greater crime of history can be committed. It is the actions that created this war that allowed WWII to exist at all. The mistakes and the bravery, for better or for worse, of the men and women who fought and struggled through The Great War make our world what it is today. We can never forget their sacrifice, the callousness of nations, or our eagerness to throw aside their memories.
In the table below, hover over the name of a country to see the rest of the statistics. For reference: If the USA were to lose 2% of its population (the rate lost by the UK in WWI) in 2019, over 6 million Americans would be dead. The casualty statistics of World War I, as frightening as they may be, reflect a much smaller world.
| Nation | Population | Dead | Wounded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 64,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 4,000,000 |
| France | 39,000,000 | 1,400,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Russia | 175,000,000 | 2,200,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Austria-Hungary | 50,000,000 | 1,300,000 | 3,600,000 |
| UK & Colonies | 45,000,000 | 800,000 | 1,600,000 |
Further Reading
For further information on the topic of the Great War, I highly recommend the following websites and media. They represent a variety of viewpoints and perspectives on the Great War, with a focus on those who experienced it firsthand.
Web Resources
- Behind Their Lines: Poetry of the Great War
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- An excellent blog by scholar Connie M. Ruzich, Ph.D., documenting the history of the war and those it effected through regular posting of archived war poetry. Providing a wide variety of otherwise lost voices, from both military personnel and civilians, this amazing resource is a testament to the impact the Great War had on the entirety of the world. I cannot recommend it enough.
- The Wilfred Owen Association
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- The official website of the Wilfred Owen Association. Formed in 1989 to ensure we remember Owen’s life and work. Their website contains excellent poetry critiques, news, and a great deal of information on Owen’s life.
Literature
- All Quiet on the Western Front
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- A classic in every sense of the word, All Quiet on the Western Front is considered one of the most powerful books of the 20th century for a very good reason. Published in 1929 and written by German novelist Erich Remarque, this novel is an undeniable cry of pain in the face of a war that turned a generation into obituaries and empty shells. Burned by Nazi Germany for its unrelenting anti-war stance, this book’s message remains a lesson for us to learn.
- Under Fire
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- Published in 1916, this novel by the French author and soldier Henri Barbusse, Under Fire is a crushing and deeply human look into the madness and hope of World War I. Written with both uncompromising realism and a tragic undercurrent of hope, this novel remains one of the most underappreciated of the century.
- Storm of Steel
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- Written by German officer Ernst Jünger and published in 1920, this memoir remains one of the most brutally honest and graphic depictions of military life in the 20th century. Wounded 14 times throughout the war, Jünger's story is a powerful look into the life of the soldier, stripped clean of idealism or philosophy.
Film
- Paths of Glory (1957)
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- Paths of Glory tells the story of a French Colonel who attempts to defend his soldiers from a court martial, following their refusal to continue an attack with no hope of success. A classic of the century and a powerful early film from Kubrick, the film remains one of the most impactful war films of all time.
- They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)
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- Peter Jackson’s powerful and technically amazing documentary attempts to give views an honest look into the life of a British soldier in the Great War. Utilizing never-before-seen archival footage and interviews, alongside advanced media restoration techniques, this film brings the world of over a hundred years ago into the present day.
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