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Explore the multifaceted origins of World War I, including the rise of militarism and arms races among European powers, economic and imperial rivalries, and aggressive nationalism such as Pan-Slavism. Delve into critical events like the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which lit the fuse of conflict. The war initiated trench warfare, leading to unimaginable casualties and suffering. Gain insights into the roles of women in the war effort and the psychological impact of battles like Verdun and the Somme, ultimately revealing the stark realities of "No-man's Land."
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Two Armed Camps! Allied Powers: Central Powers:
2. Militarism & Arms Race Total Defense Expenditures for the Great Powers [Ger., A-H, It., Fr., Br., Rus.] in millions of £s.
Pan-Slavism: The Balkans, 1914 The“Powder Keg”of Europe
The Assassin: GavriloPrincip
Spies • “Mata Hari” • Real Name: Margareetha Geertruide Zelle • German Spy!
Verdun – February, 1916 • German offensive. • Each side had 500,000 casualties.
The Somme – July, 1916 • 60,000 British soldiers killed in one day. • Over 1,000,000 killed in 5 months.
Trench Warfare • Both sides began to construct deep trenches protected by machine guns & barbed wire. • Parallel lines of trenches soon stretched from the English Channel to Switzerland • Opposing forces were only separated by 25m in some areas. • Trench warfare dominated the battlefields of WWI.
No-Man's Land • The space between the trenches was called "No-man's Land" because it did not belong to either side. • Most of the time the soldiers could only peep at it through tiny holes in defences. It was a horrible sight with dead bodies stuck in the barbed wire, broken trees and big holes caused by explosions.