How to Be a World War I Buff

World War I was a tragic, but crucial period of history. The bloodshed was mindless and it was a war that was fought simply for the sake of fighting. From the easily avoidable beginning to the endless bloodshed to the entrance of the United States into the conflict it was a war that we can still learn a great deal from. Becoming a World War I buff will not only enhance your understanding of the past, but also present lessons for the future.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• An interest in World War I

1. Understand the origins of World War I. The beginning of the war was not an all out offensive by one country against another. There were no bad guys like Hitler. Through a series of mutual secret defense agreements and out of control nationalism, lines were drawn that resulted in a tragic conflict. By the time Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914 by an inept member of a separatist organization what should have been a regional issue spread to a continental conflict because every country was looking for a fight.
2. Comprehend the horrors of trench warfare. The majority of the fighting in World War I took place in eastern France. Both sides dug long trench lines which were defended by machine guns. Basically the opponents took turns running through the area between their trenches, referred to as "Dead Man's Land" for obvious reasons, in an attempt to infiltrate the enemy's trench. This was a highly wasteful and ineffective tactic.
3. Notice the impact of the lack of weapons technology. The airplane had just been invented and was only good for reconnaissance, rockets or missiles as we know them were not available, tanks were introduced, but were not agile enough to be effective. This meant that the machine gun and howitzer were the primary weapons. The howitzer was good for killing from a distance and the machine gun was a defensive weapon that allowed one person to mow down many. Because of the lack of offensive weapons a defensive and devastating war was inevitable. The only technology that proved to have an offensive impact was chemical warfare.
4. Enter the United States. Because there was no real good or bad country involved in World War I, the United States simply wanted to stay out of it. Woodrow Wilson was reelected as president on the basic idea that he kept the US out of the war during his first term. Germany was using submarine warfare in an attempt to keep goods and materials out of Britain and France. Because of this, Germany had been placing ads in newspapers in the east coast warning people against traveling by boat across the Atlantic. Despite the warnings, many Americans died when a German U-boat sank the Lusitania. It may or may not have been carrying weapons, we will never know for sure, but the sinking of a passenger ship helped tip public opinion in America against the Germans and led to the United States entering the war on the side of Great Britain and France.
5. Set the course for the rest of the 20th Century. World War I set the stage for World War II and the Cold War. Germany wanted to erase the wrongs they perceived were imposed upon them by the Treaty of Versailles. This gave Hitler the leverage he needed to militarize the country and the people the desire to fight World War II. France and Great Britain were determined not to suffer through another conflict like World War I which set the stage for appeasement. Russia was sent into Civil War that saw the Communists come to power under Lenin. Any World War I buff will realize the impact the conflict had over the next 75 years.