Why was World War 1 so bad?

Because defensive weapons had developed faster than offensive weapons and tactics. One machine-gun could decimate a whole advancing regiment, therefore the Armies ended up in trenches

trenches

Trench warfare is the type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which troops are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery.

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Trench warfare - Wikipedia

to be picked off by disease and artillery or sent over the top in pointless offensives.

What made ww1 so bad?

The loss of life was greater than in any previous war in history, in part because militaries were using new technologies, including tanks, airplanes, submarines, machine guns, modern artillery, flamethrowers, and poison gas.

Is ww1 the worst war in history?

The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was about 40 million: estimates range from around 15 to 22 million deaths and about 23 million wounded military personnel, ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.

What was the worst effect of ww1?

A: It changed the world. It led to the Russian Revolution, the collapse of the German Empire and the collapse of the Hapsburg Monarchy, and it led to the restructuring of the political order in Europe and in other parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East.

Was world war 1 a pointless war?

It was a sad, pointless war, for which we're still paying a price. A hard-hearted peace treaty and a ravaged economy produced a “lost generation” of young Germans and led directly to the rise of Hitler and an even uglier worldwide conflagration.

How Did World War 1 Start?

What was the most pointless war?

The War of Jenkins' Ear

For good measure and no reason, they also cut off his ear. Eight years later, the British were looking for an excuse to force Spain out of the Caribbean and South America, so they launched a war that saw 25,000 dead or wounded and nearly 5,000 ships lost to avenge that ear.

Why did people not like WW1?

However, trade unions feared that their members might be replaced by cheaper foreign or female labour and opposed conscription. Some groups argued that the whole war was immoral, and it was unjust to force people to fight. In Australia, women had full rights to vote which was then rare.

What was more brutal WW1 or ww2?

World War II was the most destructive war in history. Estimates of those killed vary from 35 million to 60 million. The total for Europe alone was 15 million to 20 million—more than twice as many as in World War I.

What were the horrors of WW1?

Many aspects of the Western Front have become symbolic of World War I: mud-filled trenches, artillery bombardments, appalling tactical blunders, futile charges on enemy positions, periods of stalemate, high death rates and atrocious conditions.

How bad was WW1 for us?

America mustered more than 4.7 million service members with astonishing speed and suffered 53,402 battle deaths and 63,114 other deaths in service, many from Spanish flu. America's involvement was crucial to the Germans' defeat in 1918, profoundly shaping what came to be known as “the American century”.

What historical event killed the most humans?

Table ranking "History's Most Deadly Events": Influenza pandemic (1918-19) 20-40 million deaths; black death/plague (1348-50), 20-25 million deaths, AIDS pandemic (through 2000) 21.8 million deaths, World War II (1937-45), 15.9 million deaths, and World War I (1914-18) 9.2 million deaths.

What were the odds of dying in ww1?

About one to every 10,000 men. With one exception – I'll speak about that later – there has been no widespread disease among the armies on the western front. This is a splendid record. In our previous wars thousands of soldiers died in hospitals without ever seeing action.

What was the longest war ever?

Some historians consider England's Scilly conflict to be the longest war in known history, dragging on for a staggering 335 years. Yet one side was not a country in its own right, there were no casualties for the entire duration, and not a single shot was fired.

Was World War 1 worth it?

It brought to an end the social and economic improvements of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Mass unemployment, poverty and destitution were the result. Politically, the war ended the slow and uneven progress the world had made towards greater democracy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Why did America fight in World War I?

Wilson cited Germany's violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, as well as its attempts to entice Mexico into an alliance against the United States, as his reasons for declaring war.

What is to blame for ww1?

The Treaty of Versailles, signed following World War I, contained Article 231, commonly known as the “war guilt clause,” which placed all the blame for starting the war on Germany and its allies.

Who was murdered to start ww1?

Two shots in Sarajevo ignited the fires of war and drew Europe toward World War I. Just hours after narrowly escaping an assassin's bomb, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to Austro-Hungarian throne and his wife, the Duchess of Hohenberg, are killed by Gavrilo Princip.

What was the most gruesome day in ww1?

For example, on March 21, 1918, during the opening day of the German spring offensive, the Germans casualties are broken down into 10,851 killed, 28,778 wounded, 300 POW or taken prisoner for a total of 39,929 casualties.

What happened to the losers of ww1?

After the devastation of World War I, the victorious western powers imposed a series of harsh treaties upon the defeated nations. These treaties stripped the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary, joined by Ottoman Turkey and Bulgaria) of substantial territories and imposed significant reparation payments.

Why did Germany start ww1?

Germany sought to break up the French-Russian alliance and was fully prepared to take the risk that this would bring about a major war. Some in the German elite welcomed the prospect of beginning an expansionist war of conquest. The response of Russia, France and later Britain were reactive and defensive.

Who was bad in ww1?

The majority joined on the side of the Allies, including Serbia, Russia, France, Britain, Italy and the United States. They were opposed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, who together formed the Central Powers.

Why did Germany lose ww1?

Germany lacked the necessary raw materials to make cordite (the vital propellant for bullets and shells) and explosives. Austria-Hungary was hampered by a lack of rail transport and rail infrastructure. Britain had a manpower shortage and a paucity of acetone, the key component for making cordite.

Can you refuse to go to war?

A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.

Why did the US not want to enter ww1?

Put simply the United States did not concern itself with events and alliances in Europe and thus stayed out of the war. Wilson was firmly opposed to war, and believed that the key aim was to ensure peace, not only for the United States but across the world.

Who did not fight in ww1?

During World War 1, neutral nations had an important role, though it is often overlooked. Some nations, such as Switzerland, Denmark, Monaco, and Sweden, remained perfectly neutral and did not choose a side or send resources.