FREE ESSAY ON WWII

WWII

As the first shots of the Great War (WWI) echoed throughout the world, many questions were
laid upon humanity. Yet the main question that lingers in our minds today "was World War
I inevitable?" A question which has many sides about the War to End All Wars". Though in
my opinion, if certain encumbrances were avoided, the start of the first savage war in
the 20th century could have been eluded.
The spark of the Great War was the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir
to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife by a Serbian nationalist on June 28, 1914,
while traveling in a motorcade through Sarajevo. If that assassination had never taken
place WWI would have never started. Though there were many other reasons led to this war,
some occurring as far back the late 1800's. Nationalism, militarism, imperialism, and the
system of alliances were four main factors that pressed the great powers towards this
explosive war. In the ninetieth and twentieth centuries, especially after the French
Revolution nationalism was becoming a powerful force in Europe so people that had the
same culture, language wanted their own country. And that was the problem for the
government of Austria-Hungary that did not want to lose their power and control. The
Slavs in the southern part of the empire were their main concern since they wanted to
join up to Serbia. Militarism is the second cause. To understand what militarism is, one
should be familiar with the situation of the world in the beginning of the century, which
was the result of both industrial and democratic revolutions. Britain at that time was
the largest empire in the world, and it also had the largest navy. The navy was so big
and strong because the Britons needed to protect their empire and maintain the sea routes
between the different colonies. The Kaiser William II of Germany hated and envied Britain
for having a stronger navy than his. He increased the German navy and built many
warships. Britain responded with building more ships and increasing its navy too. This
started a race for building more and better warships and it created tension and
competition between those two countries. Imperialism and the system of alliances are the
last two major causes of the War. 
On July 28, 1914 Austria declared war against Serbia. Russia responded by partially
mobilizing against Austria as a 'protector of Slavs', and Germany insisted that Russia
immediately demobilize. Russia refused to do so, and on August 1 and 3 declared war on
Russia and France. In order for Germany to accomplish its Schlieffen Plan, Germany
occupied Belgium. By August most of Belgium was under German occupation and the
Schlieffen Plan appeared to be going well, but it brought Britain into the war because
they had made a treaty with Belgium before, and Schlieffen Plan involved the invasion of
neutral Belgium. The integrity of this war, wouldn't have been so overwhelming if the
German's didn't take matters into there own hands and break the rules by stampeding
through Belgium. Germans had the first submarines and used them to blockade Britain by
sinking British ships. The sinking of Lusitania is the famous example of the submarine
warfare during the World War I. The Lusitania had civilians on board, where 100
passengers were American citizens. After sinking Lusitania a letter was sent to the
German Government by President Wilson to warn the German government against killing
Americans citizens. Two sides were facing each other across the no man's land of mud,
shell holes and barbed wires.
The two biggest and horrifying battles of the World War I are the 
Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme. Over million soldiers were killed on both
sides only in a single battle of Somme during 1916. The second biggest battle of Verdun
was fought at the cost of the French Army, and it is often compared to a sausage machine,
because 315,000 Frenchman died. The human kind had never sees such battles throughout the
whole history, with so many losses, which was quite shockfull experience for the soldiers
who fought the First World War. This war resulted shortages in practically 
everything, and rising prices. By the end of 1916 America was still not involved in the
war. 
Fateful year of 1917 marked the beginning of the modern world. Several 
important events took place in 1917. First and the most important event was the Russian
Revolution and the rise of a Communist Power in the World. The same year America enters
the war against Germany. Two great non-European leaders with two different ideas of what
is good for humanity emerge, and the European History becomes a World History. Vladimir
Ilich Lenin, was helped by some German agents to be able to go to Russia in a sealed
train. Germans helped Lenin, because they knew that if the Revolution 
occurs, the war with Russia would eventually finish. As a matter of fact Lenin and the
Bolsheviks takes over the country on November 7, 1917. Everything that was planned by
Germans came true and Russians made peace with Germany.
In March of 1918 Russia signed a treaty in Brest-Litovsk which put a 
formal end to the war and agreed to stop fighting. The war that was supposed to be over
by Christmas seemed endless; however, in 1918, after great Franco-American Offensive
Germany gave up. It happened on November 11, after 4 years and over 8 million military
deaths on both sides. Germany agreed to President Wilson's 14 points, issued in January
1918 where Germany agreed no to have secret treaties with other countries, most 
importantly to end submarine warfare and to free the seas.