The Great War As Total War - 1081 Words

The Great War as Total War Week 1 Assignment By: John Moore When World War I was initially called â€Å"The Great War† by the people of those times, great did not mean good. Great was the word used to show the magnitude of the war. The war was massive. It was gigantic in terms of the impact it had on literally the entire world. Only later in time would the event become known as World War I. Tensions between countries had been building across Europe. Many people thought war was inevitable. There was propaganda all over European countries that helped to instigate the rise of tensions. Some nations were just looking for a reason to attack other countries. People were happy when the war first began. It was predicted to be a quick war. Things did not go according to plan as the war lasted five years. When peace was finally reached in November of 1918, the war had gone on a lot longer than originally anticipated. There are many reasons why it was so absorbing and could be classified as a â€Å"total war†. Countries and nations all across the world would become involved before it end. There were countries fighting from Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Thirty five nations in all would send troops to fight. No other war before this time had involved this many different continents. Another reason why it was total war was that millions of men and women died fighting for their country. More lives were lost than all of the previous wars combined. Estimates show that around 10Show MoreRelatedThe Second World War II1261 Words   |  6 PagesThe Second World War is one of the most familiar wars to the everyday person because of its massive effect on the global community’s future. It is arguably the first and only total war in the history of the war. Hew Strachan believes that it is because of its totality, which is seen through all of the components and scale of World War II. His fellow historian Robert Messer agrees saying â€Å"That first truly global conflict mobilized economies and populations of the world on a scale and degree thatRead MoreThe Unions Ability to Conduct Total Warfare and Confederate Defeat931 Words   |  4 PagesThe Unions Ability to Conduct Total Warfare and Confederate Defeat The American War for Independence was a successful struggle of a smaller nation fighting a larger, more powerful force. However, in the case of the American Civil War, the larger more powerful Union defeated the southern Confederacy. The Union won the Civil War because the Confederacy could not sustain a war of attrition in the Napoleonic style that evolved into Total War. This paper will briefly explain what Napoleonic warfareRead MoreHow Comprehensively Are the Characteristics of â€Å"Total War† Illustrated by the First World War?1083 Words   |  5 PagesFirst World War was unlike previous conflicts in its scope and scale. While previous wars tended to be limited wars, where war only consisted of direct combat away from society, the Great War was a total war. For the purpose of this essay, total war will be defined as a type of war that involves all aspects of society and comprises of both the destruction of the enemy by direct combat and the disruption of enemy resour ces and morale. This essay will argue that the characteristics of total war are clearlyRead MoreWas World War I a Total War? Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesWas World War One a total war? Why? Why not? The First World War of 1914-1918, also known as the Great War, was the first total war in history. What began as a European struggle over the balance of power between the triple alliance of France, Britain and Russia on one side and the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary on the other, soon became a global conflict that involved the imperial powers of Europe, their colonies and lands such as the Ottoman Empire, Japan and the United StatesRead MoreWhat Distinguishes A Hero From A Villain?1129 Words   |  5 PagesWhat distinguishes a hero from a villain? When assessing William Tecumseh Sherman’s goals and actions on the battle field, the lines aren’t always so clear. General Sherman commanded the Union army during the bloodiest war in American history: the Civil War. His march to the sea during the fall and winter of 1864 stands out as one of the pivotal successes for the Union, because of the brilliant tactics used to expose weakness in the Confederacy. Cutti ng off his supply lines, he led 62,000 soldiersRead MoreEssay on Was World War I a total war?1078 Words   |  5 Pages Was World War One a total war? Why? Why not? The First World War of 1914-1918, also known as the Great War, was the first total war in history. What began as a European struggle over the balance of power between the triple alliance of France, Britain and Russia on one side and the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary on the other, soon became a global conflict that involved the imperial powers of Europe, their colonies and lands such as the Ottoman Empire, Japan and the United States.Read MoreThe Year That Changed Europe The Start Of World War I1366 Words   |  6 Pagesof World War I. Total was broke out between Germany, France, Britain, and Russia and it was the first total war in history. Many historians have takes on World War I, not that it was just a total war, but also because this time in Europe, it was a completely different kind of war that was being fought. In Understanding the Great War, World War I was a break from the history of warfare because of its violent style of fighting, its influence on women an d children, and its propaganda. War of Europe’sRead MoreThe War Of The World War II1387 Words   |  6 Pagesthem apart-- World War II is one of those events. While the beginning is not set in stone, many will argue that the war all started with the unwarranted German attack on Poland in September of 1939. As tensions rose between countries, conflict began to swell. Over 20 countries were involved, and alliances were established. The war was fought between two major alliances; the Allied powers and the Axis powers. The Allied powers consisted of the following major countries: France, Great Britain, RussiaRead MoreThe War Of The World War I1341 Words   |  6 PagesWorld War One is considered to be one of the most important events in modern world history. Lasting four years and resulting in large numbers of casualties, the war represented a total war in which nations devoted all of the resources at their disposal to the war effort. Before this time, wars were fought by trained armies sent to fight on a ba ttlefield, and had little impact on the lives of civilians not involved in the fighting. However, during World War One, governments controlled the economyRead MoreThe Impacts of Adolf Hitler1199 Words   |  5 Pagesin history? The start of World War II was one of the biggest impacts. There were many countries involved in this war. The major countries under the allies were Britain, France, U.S., Soviet Union, and under the axis also had major countries like the Germany, japan, and Italy. The Germany was at its peak. And it was all because of one man, Adolf Hitler, he was one of the most dominant German leaders in history, no doubt about that. Other great leaders during World War II were: Franklin Roosevelt, Winston