Introduction
The Great War, usually called World War I, began in 1914. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the future heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, was killed on Jun 28, 1914, in Sarajevo by Princip Gavrilo, a 19-year-old Slav citizen (Epic History TV 2022). The assassination of Ferdinand sparked a conflict that raged throughout Europe up to 1918.
During the four-year struggle, the Central Powers— Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Germany, and Bulgaria fought the Allied Powers— Russia, Japan, France, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, Romania, and the United States. The atrocities of fighting in trenches and new military innovations contributed to World War I’s extraordinary levels of death and damage. World War I was a significant turning point in human history because it sparked previously unheard-of political, social, and technical changes that transformed whole countries and communities, underscoring its enormous influence on Western civilization.
Political, Social, and Technical Transformations Resulting from World War I
Political
World War I triggered political changes as the assassination of Franz Ferdinand triggered a series of political maneuvers and declarations. A series of events began to escalate after the murder of Franz Ferdinand swiftly. In this instance, Austria-Hungary issued a war declaration after Serbia refused their request, which demanded embarrassing concessions.
The Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, felt obligated to protect Serbia as a brother Slavic country and commanded the Russian regiment to mobilize as soon as Austrian soldiers began bombarding Belgrade. Kaiser Wilhelm covertly guaranteed his allegiance on Jul 5, offering Austria-Hungary a “blank check” guarantee of Germany’s assistance in the event of conflict (Ha and Petrovic 2022). Given Russian military prowess and yearly gains, Wilhelm and his generals believe that war with Russia is imminent and that the earlier it occurs, the better.
Technical
Moreover, the conflict brought technical changes in military strategies. In this case, Germany knew that a conflict with Russia would also imply an armed struggle with France, an ally of Russia. To combat this possibility of war on two fronts, Germany created the Schlieffen Plan (Onion 2018). First, German soldiers would march quickly through neutral Belgium to encircle and decimate French armies close to Paris and secure an immediate victory (Onion 2018). When Russia’s massive army was ready to mobilize, its soldiers may go east to confront the war.
Social
Additionally, the war catapulted Western civilization in that other countries were influenced to join the war. The United States, following Wilson’s presidency and Wilson Woodrow’s stance on non-intervention, withdrew from World War I at the start of hostilities in 1914. However, in light of Germany’s unrestricted submarine aggressiveness against ships that were not hostile, particularly those carrying passengers, impartiality became increasingly challenging to uphold.
Moreover, considerable outrage following the crash of the U-boat in May 1915—which had a large number of American passengers—helped shift public sentiment in the United States against Germany. Congress enacted a $500 million armaments expenditures package in February 1917 to prepare the US for war (National Archives 2021). The following month, Germany sank four more American trade ships, and on Apr 2, Woodrow testified before Congress and urged the United States to declare war on Germany.
Further Exploration of the Changes
Political
World War I triggered complex political maneuvering and realignment of nations to survive. For example, the coalition tried to defeat the Ottoman Empire, which joined the battle in favor of the Central Allies in late 1914 when the war had essentially reached a standstill in Europe. In April 1915, Allied troops under the command of Britain launched a massive ground attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula following a disastrous assault on the Dardanelles.
The invasion was a total disaster, and in January 1916, after incurring 240,000 losses, Allied troops conducted a thorough withdrawal from the peninsula’s coasts (Epic History TV2022). In Mesopotamia and Egypt, British-led forces fought the Ottoman Turks; in northern Italy, 12 fights between Austrian and Italian fighters took place near the Isonzo River, which marked the frontier between the two countries.
Technological
Sophisticated technological advancements in weapons and ammunition were invented and used during the war. Before World War I, no other country’s navy dared to challenge the dominance of the British Royal Navy. Yet, the German Navy had significantly narrowed the disparity between the two maritime superpowers. Germany’s deadly arsenal of U-boat submarines contributed to the country’s supremacy on the high seas.
The first significant combat to effectively use aircraft was World War I. Pilots’ knowledge assisted the Allies in taking advantage of gaps in the German defenses throughout the First Battle of the Marne, which helped the Allies drive Germany away from France (Epic History TV 2022). The first automatic weapons were installed aboard aircraft in the United States in June 1912.
Social
Furthermore, the war prompted the societal perception of the war, including public sentiment and morale, to counter the assaults. After the ceasefire with Russia, Germany was able to bolster its forces on the Western Front, and Allied forces fought to thwart another German assault. On Jul 15, 1918, German soldiers engaged in the Second Battle of the Marne, which would end up being their final assault of the conflict. The Allies effectively repelled the German onslaught, who then began their counteroffensive three days later (Epic History TV 2022).
Germany was obliged to abandon its intended onslaught further north. As such, the Central Allies were disintegrating on every front by 1918. The Turks approved a pact with the Allies in late October 1918, notwithstanding the Turkish win at Gallipoli. On Nov 11, 1918, Germany was obliged to request an armistice, ending World War I (Epic History TV 2022). This surrender was due to diminishing military supplies, unhappiness at home, and the Allies’ capitulation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the tumultuous World War I forever changed the globe, changing political environments, shifting social mores, and speeding up the development of technology. The lessons learned from such tragedies opened the way for attempts towards international collaboration and diplomacy to avert future conflicts. More than 9 million troops lost their lives in these wars, along with 21 million more who were injured, and close to 10 million civilians also suffered fatalities.
The post-war period saw the redrawing of borders, a complex interplay of power relations, and the emergence of new states. The anguish experienced, the millions of sacrifices made, and the resulting meaningful transformations serve as a sobering reminder of human heroism and foolishness. As people consider the effects of World War I, they must work together to ensure that such a disastrous struggle stays a lesson learned rather than a sad cycle repeated and to learn from history’s mistakes.
References
Epic History TV. 2022. “World War One (ALL PARTS).” YouTube video. Web.
Ha, Raymond, and Vladimir Petrovic. 2022 “A Miscalculated Risk: Austria-Hungary, the ‘Blank Cheque’ and the Origins of the First World War.” Journal of Student Research 11 (3): 1-10. Web.
National Archives. 2021. “Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War against Germany (1917).” Web.
Onion, Amanda. 2018. “Was Germany Doomed in World War I by the Schlieffen Plan?” History. Web.