The first total war

World War I is different from most other wars in that it was not a direct result of aggression by one entity towards another, notwithstanding the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian elements. Instead, it was the consequence of a number of forces amidst a disruption of the tenuous balance of power in Europe.

For the initial post, select and address one of the following:

• Option 1: Identify two forces that lead to WWI. Examine how they contributed to the outbreak of war.
• Option 2: Select a major battle such as Verdun, Marne, Ypres, or the Somme and chronicle that battle. Add further details about the battles.
  • What was the main strategy? What were they trying to accomplish?
  • How did leaders influence and mobilize troops?
  • What were the main consequences of the result?