Lead
World War I began in a world of empires and ended with political maps rewritten. The
war expanded beyond battlefields into factories, homes, and colonies—mobilizing
entire societies. Industrial weapons increased casualties, while propaganda and
censorship shaped public opinion. When the fighting ended, old empires collapsed
and new states emerged, but peace treaties often created unresolved grievances.
This story matters because many features of the twentieth century—mass politics,
state propaganda, revolutionary movements, and international
institutions—accelerated during and after World War I. The war also demonstrates
how alliances, nationalism, and miscalculation can turn a crisis into catastrophe.
Understanding World War I is essential to understanding the rise of extremist politics,
new borders, and the fragile peace that followed.
Timeline
 1914: Assassination crisis escalates into alliance-based war
 1914–1916: Stalemate and trench warfare; industrial-scale casualties
 1917: Revolutions and new entrants reshape the conflict
 1918: Armistice ends fighting
 1919: Peace negotiations redraw borders and impose settlements

 1920s–1930s: Instability grows; grievances and economic shocks intensify
References
 Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers
 Hew Strachan, The First World War
 Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919
 John Keegan, The First World War