The Start of the First World War

In September 1914 the First World War began. It was to last for four years, involve dozens of countries and result in the death of over 11.5 million people. When the war began people were eager to join up. It would all be over for Christmas!

How was it that the World had been thrown into such chaos and how had they allowed themselves to be pulled into a dispute that was eventually to prove of no value to anyone?

The key to understanding how the war began is to look at the high levels of mistrust that existed between the great European powers.

On this map you can see why France and Russia were so concerned about the German's expanding and equally you can see why Germany was concerned when France and Russia allied to 'box' Germany in.

Germany had allied with Austria-Hungary and had clearly proven that they wanted to expand. France had suffered at the hands of German expansion in 1870. France was really worried about their borders as were the Russians. These two countries had little in common but they shared their fear of German expansion. Italy decided to throw their lot in with Germany and Britain ended its view that it could go alone and joined up with Russia and France. The hope was that no country would go to war as the consequences would be so dramatic. However, it also meant that should a dispute begin between any of these countries it would soon develop into a much bigger conflict.

A cartoon showing the German Kaiser trying to consume the World