WWI is still defining the world we live in. The Sykes Picot line, the Balfour Declaration, the rise of the Soviet Union, the rise of post colonial nation states the list never ends

Another important factor missing is the decline of the Ottoman Empire created a power vacuum in the Balkans which the Austro-Hungarians and Russia vied for influence and control while the British and the Russians butted heads on what to do with the Ottoman Empire. While Germany itself wanted to preserve the Empire against the Russians. German Empire also increases its influence in the Ottoman Empire with the Baghdad railway and the British believed their control of the Suez was under threat and their control of the Persian gulf.

I was teaching a class and asked them this "who started WWI?". One of the boys put his hand up, "it wasn't me, Sir" he said. I took him to the headmaster and told him what the boy had said. "I know this lad well", said the head, "he's usually a good boy. If he says it wasn't him, I believe him".

Britain had fought a war on the continent of Europe after Waterloo, the Crimean War. Can’t believe they omitted that in the first 2 minutes.

To quote a man of the time: 'The thing is: The way I see it, these days there's a war on, right? and, ages ago, there wasn't a war on, right? So, there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? and there being a war on came along. So, what I want to know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs?'

1870, Britain had 32 percent of the world's manufacturing capacity, but by 1910 Germany had 15.9 percent and Britain had only 14.7 percent. (The U.S. had also boomed, with 35.3 percent.) And Germany, now industrialized, began to develop colonial ambitions, which caused conflicts with Britain, France, and other European countries. 1897 debate in the German Reichstag, its parliament, the foreign secretary stated, "In one word: We wish to throw no one into the shade, but we demand our own place in the sun." The head of the German Empire, Kaiser Wilhelm II, committed himself to making Germany into a global power through aggressive diplomacy and the acquisition of overseas colonies. One instance of the kaiser's aggressive diplomacy was in North Africa. In 1905, he disembarked from a German warship in the Moroccan port of Tangier and spoke in favor of Moroccan independence. Germany had no real interest in Morocco, but France did. The kaiser's goal was to support the sultan of Morocco and to impress others with Germany's power and prestige. A conference took place the next year in the Spanish town of Algeciras to discuss issues of international law in the African colonies. But the outcome was not particularly positive for Germany, because Britain voted with France, as did Italy, and only Austria backed the kaiser. In July 1911, a German gunboat, the Panther, arrived at Agadir, a large city on the Moroccan coast. The Germans stated that they had come to protect Morocco from French troops, which had entered the city of Fez to put down rebels. But Germany's true goal was to get access to territory in the Congo. Negotiations between France and Germany resulted in Germany's obtaining a small parcel of territory in the French Equatorial African colony of Middle Congo - a marshy area where sleeping sickness was widespread. The kaiser in Germany, jealous of Great Britain's empire, implemented Weltpolitik, "world policy." The aim of Weltpolitikwas to transform Germany into a global power through aggressive diplomacy, the acquisition of overseas colonies, and the development of a large navy. The kaiser believed that Germany's greatness depended on her becoming a naval power. "We have fought for a place in the sun," the kaiser said, and won it. "Our future is on the water." And Britain, which long had enjoyed naval supremacy, became alarmed at Germany's intentions. From 1902 until war broke out in 1914, the British and Germans engaged in a naval arms race. The British designed a powerful new battleship, the Dreadnought, which it launched in 1906. The Germans immediately copied the Dreadnought, and the British Admiralty decided to maintain as many ships as Germany plus an additional six. The British also redistributed their ships so the biggest and most powerful ships were situated to fight the Germans. The effects of this race put a huge financial burden on both countries. But the naval race continued as the two powers struggled to dominate the seas. The Russians and Japanese, competing for territory in Korea and Manchuria, went to war in 1904. The Russians also had imperialist goals in Persia and on the borderlands with India, which created tension with Britain. India was part of the British Empire, and the British were also heavily invested in Persia, which it saw as an important source of oil. 1908. Russia was trying, as it had throughout history, to get control of the Turkish Straits (the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles), which connect the Black and Aegean seas. Control of the straits would give the Russian navy access to the Aegean and the Mediterranean. August 1, France ordered mobilization, and two hours later Germany declared war on Russia. The final step, which brought Britain into the war, came on August 3 when Germany invaded Belgium and declared war on France. Britain issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding that Germany withdraw its forces from Belgium. Germany refused, and on August 4, 1914, Germany and Britain were at war. The Zimmerman Telegraph "We intend to begin on the first of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the President's attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace." Signed, ZIMMERMANN. THE HAZARDS OF THE UNFORESEEN World War I was probably history’s worst catastrophe, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was substantially responsible for unintended consequences of the war that played out in Germany and Russia, contributing to the rise of totalitarian regimes and another world war. American “isolationism” - armed neutrality would be a more accurate term - developed as a sensible reaction to his policies. After Germany’s initial advances into the Low Countries and France, the adversaries in World War I dug trenches and seldom advanced or retreated much from those lines. German soldiers were generally outnumbered on the Western Front, but the Germans had smarter generals and more guns. The British navy enforced an effective blockade that made it difficult for the Germans to obtain many vital supplies, including food. Germany responded by building a submarine fleet, but it didn’t give them a way to invade Britain or the United States. By 1918, the war had been stalemated for more than three years, neither side able to force vindictive terms on the other. One of the last German offensives ground to a halt in the French countryside when German commanders couldn’t prevent their starving soldiers, amazed by the abundance of food, from gorging themselves on cheeses, sausages, and wine. If the U.S. had stayed out of the war, it seems likely there would have been some kind of negotiated settlement. Neither the Allied Powers (France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and several smaller states) nor the Central Powers (Germany, Austria‐ Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria) would have gained everything they wanted from a negotiated settlement. Both sides would have complained. But a catastrophe would have been less likely after a negotiated settlement than after vindictive terms were forced on the losers. The U.S. played a significant military role only during the last six months of the war, but that was enough to change history - for the worse. By entering the war on the side of the French and British, Wilson put them in a position to break the stalemate, win a decisive victory, and - most important - force vindictive surrender terms on the losers. France in 1870 - a war that France had started. Clemenceau wasn’t to be denied, since most of the fighting during World War I took place on French soil and the French suffered some 6 million casualties. He made sure the Versailles Treaty obligated Germany to pay huge reparations and surrender a long list of assets including coal, trucks, guns, and ships - private property as well as property of the German government.

For 1,000's of soldiers on all sides the war was over before Christmas.

Very informative. It shows very well how easily local conflicts can escalate into major wars under the wrong conditions. It's a sobering reminder of how important the current war in Ukraine is, and what could potentially be at stake if global food supplies remain threatened by that conflict.

Excellent distillation of a very complex period of time. Anyone wishing greater detail should read Barbara Tuchman’s “The Guns of August.”

I understood Serbia’s “failure” to meet the Austro-Hungarians’ steep ultimatum (6:23) was because the German general staff pressured them (A-H) to refuse to accept any concession from Serbia, which the Serbians actually wanted to do. In point of fact they didn’t want Serbia to capitulate - that’s why the ultimatum was intentionally so draconian. This is not a trivial point - it means the war could have been avoided, if the Central Powers had a sincere desire to do so.

Nicely done. Please continue your coverage of The Great War, as the IWM has access to archival footage and information one cannot find anywhere else.

Germany was planning to build the Berlin-to-Baghdad railroad. This would have enabled Germany to build an oil pipeline along the right-of-way securing an oil supply for its industrialization and mobilization. Such a railroad would have bypassed Britain's dominance of the seas and made Germany a power in Europe.

Thank you for the thorough yet digestible explanation. I just remember learning in school about the assassination of Franz Ferdinand but that was always such an unsatisfying and over simplistic exclamation

Very interesting and easy to understand. Thank you!

I think you will find that this topic has already been extensively covered by Capt E Blackadder in his groundbreaking work “Why we are here “

As usual for videos on this channel very interesting and no waffle or going off on tangents.

This is the best, straight to the point.

"forced the USA" hahaha I'm from the US. The us gov was just WAITING for a reason to get involved and make some juicy cash of the war. Dude.

Germany's fleet was never at more than 20% of the Royal Navy, that was used as a pretext only. Sir Edward Grey started negotiating with France in 1906 but didn't tell anyone in parliament until the war had already begun. Britain's first division went to Basra, the Berlin-Baghdad Railway was prevented from completion, Churchill moved the fleet in position before the war, which was forbidden, Britain seized all German colonies as soon as war was declared, Britain had no obligations towards Belgium. By secretly aligning with France, Russia AND Serbia, Britain clearly demonstrated her intention to crush Germany's fast growing economy, industrial might and to seize all foreign markets. That was also demonstrated by the whole Versailles tragic comedy, particularly by Churchill's ongoing food blockade that starved to death around 700,000 German civilians and the famous guilt clause which was based on the non-sensical assumptions that the Kaiser and his government had planned, provoked, started and had committed war crimes the likes of which no one could imagine when they all knew nothing of the sort was true, that war was all about oil and preserving Britain's supremacy using secret alliances and the means of total destruction rather than by honest and open commercial competition. Germany had nothing to gain from going to war at that time, she was doing better than ever before and the Kaiser was perfectly aware that she had everything to lose.

Very detailed and at the same time briefly explained.

This is excellent, thank you for this video!

This is a fantastic summary.

Great videos. What music do you use? Can you please list them in the video descriptions

Nice bite size Doc. Thank you.

Thx! Writing like 10 or more pages (the subject is ww1,2 and possibly war thats happening right now), thanks for the info!

Great video. This is exactly where we are now! History will repeat itself

Big thank you on this Info :)

After The ArchDuke got shot everything went downhill....

Well done. Thank you.

Amazing simple explanation

Great video!

One of the most forgotten aspects of the post WW1 era was the Rhur Crisis. Germany was in the midst of what would become its hyperinflation crisis and was falling behind on payments to France and Belgium as part of the terms of the Treaty of Versaille. The French decided to take matters into their own hands, motivated by fears of a resurgent Germany, and decided to occupy the industrial region of the Rhur Valley. They did this as a means of using raw materials to receive payment if currency didn't work. The problem was, the French government miscalculated. Rather than being supported by their wartime allies, Britain and the United States, the French were condemned as a destabilising influence in Europe. What's more the German government declared a State of Emergency and encouraged people in the Rhur to passively resist the French, making it harder for the French to achieve what they wanted. In the end, the French were forced into a humiliating climb down and all their action in 1923 succeeded in doing was ultimately create the conditions necessary for the Nazis to increase their popularity on a national level in Germany and leading to Germany becoming what the French thought was going to happen in 1923, only leaving France worse off for it

"Archduke Ferdinand found alive! - World War One a mistake!" - Spike Milligan

Nice video

5.23 'Britain drifted closer to france and russia though without forming an alliance'. There was an alliance signed in 1904 between Britain and France. The Entente Cordiale.

Answer: Humans.

Great video. Suggest a follow up that lists the moments that war might have been prevented e.g. when the Serbians had accepted all but one of the principal terms of an Austro-Hungarian ultimatum, Austria might have agreed but they demanded all or nothing. Metternich basically failed to see the consequences and wouldn’t listen to counsel from allies.

As an adult this war is fascinating to me. Idk why we didn’t hardly learn anything about it in public school.,

Hi there, How about continuing with the WW1 theme? Could talk about mobilisation, mentioning the various types of background of the ordinary British soldier, as distinct from the Officer class. Then, with mobilisation there are the pro-war and anti-war groups. The role of women in Britain just before the war would be interesting. What jobs were they doing? Could they vote? Why was the phrase "home by Christmas" used? How patriotic were people back then? After this "setting the scene" there is the story of the "Road to Mon." Mon experienced the first clashes between the BEF and German reconnaissance units. The BEF was rolled back before the gigantic German Army........ And so the story continues. There are many aspects of WW1 which would be worth a mention, eg, submarine warfare, aerial warfare, hospitals, gas warfare, life in the trenches, food in the trenches, trench systems, censorship of letters, life back home, deserters, conscientious objectors, fashion, ration books, espionage, medicine, tanks, I hope this sparks some ideas. It was a really interesting video. Thank you!

Amazon video as usual. Just wondering if you can make some explaining the military of each sides in ww1. Like there armies, their navies, their aircrafts, their tactics, their formations, their frontiers(especially the trenches), and the roles of 3rd parties like the Scandinavian countries, Asian countries and south American countries.

Wonderful session. RS. Canada

Good video

There's some nonsense in this. France wasn't threatened by Germany: France had been without allies for decades after the Franco-Prussian War and Germany had done nothing. Germany was not the primary disruptive power in the decade before 1914; it was Britain which reversed a pro-Ottoman and anti-Russian stance, largely to secure access to oil. The clearest sign is the Italo-Turkish War that could not have been launched without British compliance and Italy was actively encouraged by Britain. That war left the Ottomans vulnerable to the Balkan League's attack.

It would be better if the video mentioned things like the Entente Cordiale, Three Emperor’s League.

An excellent book to check out regarding this era is Robert Massies' "Dreadnought". Not given much discussion here is the naval arms race that Germany and Britain engaged in. Tirpitz had decided that Germany needed a fleet comparable to the RN if Germany was ever going to become a world power. This arms race even affected smaller countries like Chile and Brazil, who also had battleships built by Britain for prestige or as a counter to their opponents' ships. Enormous sums were spent chasing superiority. At the end of WWI treaties were enacted to limit the naval forces of major countries. London Conference limited numbers, tonnage etc. These measures were taken because at the time it was realized how much the naval build-up had led the world into war. The naval arms race would have started the war sooner or later without the Archdukes' murder. It was a, if not the, major cause of WWI.

Any suggestions on a book to read to learn more about this war

Germany hesistated for quite a while before fulfilling their commitments to their Austrian-Hungarian allies, but then certain powers pushed (mainly energy sector interest)

A bit Anglo centric perspective presented here. Not sure I heard much mention of the Astro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia, which was accepted for the most part, except one point, by Serbia, but Austria went forward to commence hostilities, declaring war on August 1st. Nor mention of the possibility that Russia didn't want to back down in a German/Austria confrontation with Serbia like back in 1908. Now while France had a treaty with Russia to come to its aid, I believe the Germans preemptively declared war on France on August 3rd before those terms could be invoked, and invaded Belgium on July 28th, after an ultimatum was issued on safe passage on August 2nd. Interestingly enough, Germany cited dubious claims of air incursions as the basis for its declaration of war on France: "The German administrative and military authorities have established a certain number of flagrantly hostile acts committed on German territory by French military aviators. Several of these have openly violated the neutrality of Belgium by flying over the territory of that country; one has attempted to destroy buildings near Wesel; others have been seen in the district of the Eifel; one has thrown bombs on the railway near Carlsruhe and Nuremberg." The war was still primarily a continental European conflict. And it stemmed from tension and confrontation in the Balkans that brought three monarchies - Germany, Austria-Hungary and Tsarist Russia - into a collision. But a good share of responsibility for that collision can be attributed to Germany and Austria; and expansion to the conflict to Western Europe was the direct result of German actions. If Germany had waited for France to formally announce practical military support for Russia, and refrained from invading Belgium, then the country would have looked much less the aggressor.

Im Canadian my ancestors from Punjab. I never paid any allegance to britian and never will.

I watched so many vids on ww1 just to get some basic informations and how did start and I’m Still confuse

Very interesting. I remember this from my History lessons at school, covering the early 20th century. One question: I understood that Italy was allied to France, Britain and Russia (the Allies) during WW1? And Turkey was allied to Germany and Austro-Hungary (the Central Powers?)?

Thanks.

Wow you guys really nailed it like few others. The infographics and explanations were crystal clear.

Christopher Clarke has written a very good book about this tpoic. According to him every single nation involved in this war is to blame for the war.

Hello. Can someone recommend the best books/articles about the causes of the 1st WW?

Brilliant. Would you consider making a video on the Armenian Genocide? It was in many ways the forerunner to the Holocaust.

Better than history books fr fr

driver of that car was czech, car was from count Harrach - from mountain region of todays Czech Republic ( Krkonose )

Britain may not have fought a war on the European continent, but they were in the Boer war not too long before Ww1.

Cool

Yes, very interesting.

Many thanks. How do the respective participants pay for the war? Is it taxes, borrowing or a combination? And, where did that money come from? The rich, the colonies? And what were the societal consequences?

more on Ireland and Northern Ireland would be great, especially northern Irelands contribution to the second world war as I feel we don't hear very much about that.

I heard it started when a bloke called Archy Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry....

I highly recommend a book called The Darkest Day’s A small clique in Government inc Churchill Grey and Asquith manoeuvred Britain into Russian German War centred on the Balkans The consequences of getting involved in that Stupidity ruined not only Britain but Europe forever

I can see Switzerland sitting there cosily and peacefully right in the midst of all this anarchy...

Ww1 related topics please

0:56 I think this would be my ideal career.

You gotta appreciate German resilience.Kicked by the boot on their face yet coming strong than before every time

My mate Geoff down the Wagon and Horses recons he started it.

I'm very pleased you donst simple say Germany started the war.

Imperial Germany was doomed the day that Kaiser Wilhelm II signed an alliance with Austria-Hungary. Bismarck warned him not to (as he had warned the Kaiser's father, but not only did Wilhelm ignore him, he sacked Bismarck. Bismarck knew very well that Austria-Hungary was decaying and it would be a dead weight, indeed a dead albatross around Germany's neck. The most obvious country for Germany to have had an alliance with...was Great Britain! The headstrong Kaiser though had it in for Britain for personal reasons, not the least that his teenage mother (who was Queen Victoria's eldest child Princess Victoria) had difficulties with his birth leaving him with a life-long withered left arm. Yet the Kaiser doted on Queen Victoria and was present at her bedside at her death. Interesting to consider how history might have changed if the succession had gone to Victoria's eldest child instead of (as per the rule then) her eldest son.

I would love to know what the German POWs went through in Russia

How did fighting Germany work for the Empire?

European colonial competition led to all sides wanting war.

It is sad but fun at the same time

Hope history never repeat.

I would like to know how, and why the war escalated into Messopotamia, and Gallipoli?

How old was Steiner in WW1?

Actual reason was a fellow called Archie Duke who shot an ostrich when he was hungry. That poor old ostrich died for nothing.

Britain had a hand in the assassination of Franz-Ferdinand. The British Intelligence Community was in cahoots with the Serbian Intelligence Community. so the saying goes and both were invested in provoking Austrian-Hungary.

Nobody! It was just an accident. Europe just sleep-walked into the Great War.

Hmm this all sounds so familiar if you apply this to 21st century geopolitics.

didn't fight a war in Europe since Napoleon ?! What about Crimea?

The problem was that all the powers had plans to get their armies to the borders but no plan to de-escalate and return to their camps inside their borders away from the "front line". And then some-one started with an accidental incident that triggered everyone else to start shooting. ALP Taylor blamed the raiiway schedules which allowed one way traffic at the borders. Of course everything was made harder by the lack of fast communication and diplomatic mire.

I love how the brits will shift blame from their colonialism and arrogance to ANYONE else.

Three or four of the grandchildren of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert squabbling about who has the biggest stick...

A better title for this video would have been "The thing is, the way I see it these days there is a war on, right? And ages ago there wasn't a war on, right? So there must have been a moment when there not being a war on went away, right? And there being a war on came along. So what I wanna know is: How did we get from the one case of affairs to the other case of affairs."

Raymond Poincaré. Poincaré visited Petrograd in July 1914. He and the Tsar agreed to go to war. Russia was first to mobilize their troops, France lied.

Britians colonies didn't OWE their allegiance to the empire, they were subjugated.

What if someone broke. That bond 😮

I thought it started because some bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry.

04:57 Part of the narrative about the alliances is incorrect. Germany's alliance with Austria-Hungary (1879) came before France's alliance with Russia (1894)

I See The Video At Class

If men are to do and die, for mercy’s sake let them question why as thoroughly as possible; else some other men are to to be required to do and die as a consequence of this blindness and haste. If people had questioned why, not only this war but nearly, perhaps every other modern war would have been spared us. Vernon Lee, Satan the Waster (1920) My words The War of Unnumbered Tears

I'm really enjoying your videos however I can't help but feel that they are too short. I feel like your telling me a story and then you stop.

wow

Great video. Can you do a video about why Germany invaded Russia in WW2?

Why not mention about Ottoman Empire?? On 31 October 1914, the Ottomans formally entered the war on the side of the Central Powers. Russia declared war on 1 November 1914. The first conflict with Russia was the Bergmann Offensive of the Caucasus Campaign on 2 November 1914.

The Austrians, led by General, Conrad Von Hotzendorf and Foreign Minister , Leopold Von Berchthold started the war . Their determination to have a war at any cost, as a means to restore Austria's postion as a great power and also destroy nationalists movements within the Hapsburg Empire started the chain of events that ultimately dragged Europe into war.