The Great War

[Horatio Nelson]

I know modern history paints the "Central Powers" as the bad guys. But I don't think they were so unjustified, the heir of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in the streets by the Black Hand. Though it is disappointing that Germany couldn't keep it's shit together and started declaring war on everything in site because they believed they were so great. The war really shouldn't have spread the way it did, the only real beef was between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

The Allies also had vague reasons for declaring war. Russia asked France for help, and you know how the rest goes.

I'd like to know your guys' thoughts and opinions.

I think it is an overlooked time in history. After all, it did dismantle the worlds largest imperial powers and set the stage for modern politics.

[JamesSuperBoy]

why do you think it is overlooked?

[Horatio Nelson]

why do you think it is overlooked?

It seems to me that WWII gets more attention than WWI. But I think it was a more defining moment in history.

[Serzh98]

Austria-Hungary just waited for something to happen, so that they can attack Serbia.
Sarajevo assassination wasn't reason, but excuse.

[SethfromMI]

well America got involved because Germany wanted Mexico to go to war with us and in exchange, Germany would have greatly rewarded Mexico.

I agree WWII gets more attention than WWI (though I think WWII had the bigger impact). as you mentioned, it did not have to escalate the way it did, but one bad mistake often leads to many others

[riverboy]

WWII gets more attention because it was fought on a bigger scale and more people were involved in it. Plus it is closer to the present time so people could have had living relatives in it like my Grandad. Also you can say WWII brought on the cold war which my Dad was in.

[SethfromMI]

WWII gets more attention because it was fought on a bigger scale and more people were involved in it. Plus it is closer to the present time so people could have had living relatives in it like my Grandad. Also you can say WWII brought on the cold war which my Dad was in.

true. now Cold War though, what exactly do you mean? because during that time there was the Korean war and Vietnam War, but the Cold War itself was not actual battles between us and Russia, though both sides were always ready for such an event to happen

[riverboy]

Your right about the Cold War not a shooting war. Dad was station in Germany and he never fired at anyone but two Armies were looking at each other but that is were the cold war was mostly fought. The end of WWII brought USA out of isolation and into being a world player. During this time USSR and USA never went into a shooting (hot) war.

[SethfromMI]

Your right about the Cold War not a shooting war. Dad was station in Germany and he never fired at anyone but two Armies were looking at each other but that is were the cold war was mostly fought. The end of WWII brought USA out of isolation and into being a world player. During this time USSR and USA never went into a shooting (hot) war.

I was just clarifying. it still would have been a very tense situation

[JamesSuperBoy]

It seems to me that WWII gets more attention than WWI. But I think it was a more defining moment in history.

Perhaps more to do with media and news technology. By the end of the war, four major imperial powers—the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires—ceased to exist - I would think that also impacted on the recording of history.

[riverboy]

I was just clarifying. it still would have been a very tense situation

I agree. Think of nuclear weapons pointing at each other and having some soldier ready to launched them.

[Horatio Nelson]

I was just clarifying. it still would have been a very tense situation

I agree. Think of nuclear weapons pointing at each other and having some soldier ready to launched them.

I would appreciate it if you guys could stay on topic.


Perhaps more to do with media and news technology. By the end of the war, four major imperial powers—the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires—ceased to exist - I would think that also impacted on the recording of history.

True, media was much larger in WWII. But that shouldn't take away from the historical value of WWI.

[DoodleSnap]

Although I know very little about WWI, I still feel I know enough to have the opinion that it was another product of ruling royals politicians making decisions on the behalf of millions of pressured lives, despite aforementioned decisions having very little real moral standpoint. Everyone managed to scare themselves into a war that cost everyone so much, but fixed so little. Us and them, etc, etc...
For those reasons, I think it is fair that WWII is more discussed in modern society than WWI, due to its evolution into a partly morally guided conflict. WWI was still however very important, due to its shaping anf merging of the great empires of the time.
Sorry if this was off-topic.

[Capto]

Wars never go how they 'should'.

Power projection and national realpolitik is a bitch in that regard.

I will say that WWI is not overlooked by any means of the word. Quite the opposite, I feel as though there are several much more interesting events and periods that don't get the same fantastic recognition that the First World War does in today's historical musings and discussions.

[sunnieseason]

I think WWII gets more attention cause the nazis are better bad guys. WWI Germans in their funny pointy hats and huge mustaches didn't look menacing enough!

P.S. I haven't gotten to the WWI part of my history class yet, but someone recommended I listen to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History Podcast. He's done a big serious on WWI.

[riverboy]

Why do you think this time period is over looked?

[Miserabilia]

Actualy if you think about it, it's pre-world war wars like the French-German war that mattered the most; these settled relationships between european countries and prepared them for future allies/enemies. (which lasted through 2 world wars)

[thatcountrykid]

It's the alliance system that caused a cluster fuck. Germany was friends with Austria. Austria was starting some shit that France and Britain didn't want. Germany already wanted a war and told France to knock their shit off. They didn't so Germany, prepared for war, went apeshit and started invading shit.

[Horatio Nelson]

It's the alliance system that caused a cluster fuck. Germany was friends with Austria. Austria was starting some shit that France and Britain didn't want. Germany already wanted a war and told France to knock their shit off. They didn't so Germany, prepared for war, went apeshit and started invading shit.

Pretty much, except you forgot that Russia was allies with Serbia (who Austria-Hungary declared war on, causing Germany and Russia to go to war) and they were the ones that asked the French for help. The only reason England got involved was because Germany attacked a neutral Belgium.

[Left Now]

I know modern history paints the "Central Powers" as the bad guys. But I don't think they were so unjustified, the heir of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in the streets by the Black Hand. Though it is disappointing that Germany couldn't keep it's shit together and started declaring war on everything in site because they believed they were so great. The war really shouldn't have spread the way it did, the only real beef was between Austria-Hungary and Serbia.

The Allies also had vague reasons for declaring war. Russia asked France for help, and you know how the rest goes.

I'd like to know your guys' thoughts and opinions.

I think it is an overlooked time in history. After all, it did dismantle the worlds largest imperial powers and set the stage for modern politics.



The only thing which I can say is that neither WWI nor WWII had really terrible results ( alongside their benefits which in comparison are 0.1 against 1000000 ) for here (Iran particularly).For example more than 10 Million people dying because of food shortage due to Alliance Powers (particularly Tsardom of Russia and United Kingdom) sucking to the last spoon of grains and foods from weak Ghajar Shahdom reserves to feed their own soldiers,and many other grave consequences like unpredicted and unknown diseases which were caused due healthy water and food shortages.

So,if you ask me I would say both Alliance Powers and Central powers were In-Hell same for people of other nations in those times.Both only thinking about their own interests,both seeking colonization of other people.

[Katie96xox]

The First World War is definitely overlooked in history. WWI caused infinitely more death and destruction over four years than any other war prior to it and as a result the way people viewed life and everything that goes with it changed. WWI and its aftermath provoked the rise of Hitler and then the Second World War. WWII led to the Cold War then the Vietnam War and the Korean War and then the Afghanistan War. Despite the Cold War having ended there is still great tension and distrust between Russia and the West and this was recently on show in the dispute about Crimea during which led to MH17 being shot down and hundreds of deaths. The Afghanistan War beginning in 1979 provoked all the tensions that currently exist in the middle east and all the terrorist attacks and the 21st century wars there. And all this and so much more really all stems from the First World War. Had it not occurred much of this would never have happened, many of the now defunct monarchies of pre-20th century Europe would most likely still exist or at least would have lasted a few more decades and the world would be an extremely, unrecognisably different place politically, religiously, socially, etc. Nothing in modern history has changed the world and humanity both directly and indirectly like the First World War has.

[ImCoolBeans]

Most history classes I've taken focus more on WWII, but still recognize the importance of WWI and do a pretty good job covering it. Although I do agree that it is overlooked, compared to WWII. WWII gets more attention because it had worse bad guys, was a tad more extreme, involved a holocaust and nuclear weapons. It also is more a part of modern history than WWI was not only because it was ~30 years later, but also because of the type of warfare.

The war definitely should not have spiraled into a world war, and I don't think anybody foresaw that happening. Germany also did not have the cojones to fight a two front war, and did themselves in with that one. Perhaps they should have learned from that and should have waited until after the winter to invade Russia in WWII.