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WW2: History’s most savage and devastating war

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An interactive timeline of World War Two, the most destructive global conflict in history, which began when Nazi Germany unleashed ferocious attacks across Europe.

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AQA GCSE History - Conflict and Tension 1918-1939 - Revision Videos

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Medicine in Britain, c.1250 to the present day - GCSE History Revision - Edexcel - BBC Bitesize

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GCSE History Medicine in Britain, c.1250 to the present day learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.

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Primrose Kitten Academy | GCSE & A-Level Revision

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AQA GCSE History Germany, 1890-1945: Democracy and dictatorship | Grade 9 revision for exams

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In 1914, the most powerful countries in Europe went to war with each other.

World War One lasted for four years, from 1914 - 1918, and resulted in the deaths of millions of people.

Some of the causes of the war dated back to the 1800s and long-term tensions.

Germany was a relatively new country, formed in 1871. They had ambitions to grow an empire to compete with France and the UK. Kaiser Wilhelm II made a famous speech in Hamburg in 1901, saying he wanted Germany to have 'a place in the sun.'

Germany's ambition concerned the UK and France, as they started to see them as a potential threat. Germany interfered in French attempts to Morocco in 1911, sending a called The Panther to Agadir, on the Moroccan coast. Germany was eventually forced to back down, but they had shown their intent to challenge the UK and France.

The Triple Alliance created suspicion in other European countries. In 1894, France and Russia signed an agreement to support each other, forming the Franco-Russian Alliance, as they feared the strength of the Triple Alliance.

With France to the east and Russia to the west, Germany was surrounded by countries who had united against them in the Triple Entente. Germany created a plan to avoid fighting on their eastern and western fronts at the same time. They planned to invade France by going through Belgium and then circling back to fight Russia on the eastern front. This was called The Schlieffen Plan.

The Schlieffen plan made several assumptions:

There would be minimal resistance from Belgium.

Russia would take six weeks to mobilise their army.

The UK would not get involved.

The plan failed, because:

The Belgian army managed to slow the German advance, giving the French time to move their army to the border with Belgium.

Russia mobilised their army in ten days, meaning Germany had to move soldiers to the eastern front.

The UK declared war on Germany, honouring the Treaty of London, signed in 1839, that said Belgium should be a neutral country. The UK was also concerned about Germany winning control of Belgian ports, giving them a base to invade from.

Having failed with their plan for a quick victory, the German army decided to hold their position, digging 400 miles of trenches from the English Channel to the border with Switzerland. This was to protect soldiers from heavy artillery and machine gunfire.

In order to build an empire, Germany needed to expand their navy to be able to travel across the seas to other countries.

This was a threat to the UK, who at the time had the biggest navy in the world. They had adopted a 'two-power' standard, meaning they wanted their navy to be at least as big as the second and third biggest navies combined. Because the UK is an island, a navy was more important than an army for defence. They had a small standing army, compared to the size of France, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary, but their navy was significantly more powerful.

This led to a naval race, with countries across Europe building up bigger and more powerful weapons and ships. The UK launched HMS Dreadnought in 1906, which was seen as the first modern battleship, and sparked a naval race with Germany, who wanted to challenge the UK's navy. Future ships built in this style were referred to as Dreadnoughts.

In 1914, a group was formed called the Black Hand. The Black Hand was a group of Serbians who wanted Austria-Hungary to leave Bosnia and planned to assassinate the heir to the Austrian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the nephew of Austria-Hungary's emperor Franz Joseph.

On 28 June, Ferdinand was visiting Sarajevo in Bosnia. The Black Hand's first attempt at assassination failed when their bomb exploded and missed the car he was travelling in.

When Ferdinand ordered his car to take him to visit the injured in hospital, it drove back past one of the assassins, Gavrilo Princip. He fired two bullets, killing both Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie.

Austria-Hungary's emperor, Franz Joseph, was furious at the assassination of his nephew and heir to the throne. He issued a ten-point ultimatum to Serbia, holding them responsible for the murder. Serbia only agreed to nine of the points, so Austria-Hungary declared war.

The German Kaiser Wilhelm promised Austria-Hungary he would support them in whatever they decided to do, as part of their commitment in the Triple Alliance. This has become known as the 'blank cheque' and could be interpreted as encouraging Franz Joseph to declare war, as he was certain of German support.

Russia entered the war on Serbia's side. Germany followed the Schlieffen Plan which involved invading France by going through Belgium. The UK went to war to protect Belgium, because it had promised to do so in the 1839 Treaty of London, and World War One began. You can find out more about life on the front line in World War One in this guide .

Who or what do you think was the main cause for the outbreak of World War One?

Historians have often split the causes of World War One into four main reasons. You can use the word MAIN to help you remember them.

ilitarism - many countries believed it was important to build large armies and navies.

lliances - the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente were said to have been formed to help prevent war. But in reality, they created opposing sides and conflict.

mperialism - European nations were creating empires and coming into conflict.

ationalism - countries wanted to show their power and strength over other countries.

It is important to look at how each reason is connected. The actions of one country often led to a response from another.

Regardless of who or what was responsible, the consequences for millions of people were extremely grave.

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Learn about the causes of World War One with BBC Bitesize History. For students between the ages of 11 and 14.

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An interactive online resource with games, articles, and videos about medieval life, suitable for middle school students.

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Medieval society and life - KS3 History - BBC Bitesize

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KS3 History Medieval society and life learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers.

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This illustrated book shows the preparation and celebration of a medieval feast, offering insight into food culture and social customs.

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A detailed but accessible look at castle life, perfect for young readers interested in medieval architecture and daily castle operations.

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Medieval Times: England in the Middle Ages

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Medieval Times: England in the Middle Ages

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An engaging online resource featuring artifacts, images, and information about life in medieval England.

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The Medieval Europe gallery showcases many of the world's greatest medieval treasures.

British, European and Byzantine objects tell the story of a period of great change when territorial wars and political turmoil shaped the continent we know today.

From the power and dominance of the Church in everyday life, to the social change spread through Europe by a new merchant class, unique and famous objects provide a gateway to the major developments of the age.

The ritual and protocol of the royal court is explored, as well as the cultural, intellectual and political exchange brought about by travel, trade and pilgrimage. Examples of sacred art also show how the divine was represented at the time.

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The Medieval Europe gallery showcases many of the world's greatest medieval treasures. British, European and Byzantine objects tell the story of a period of great change when territorial wars and political turmoil shaped the continent we know today.

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Knights and Castles: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #2

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Knights and Castles: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #2

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A fact-filled companion book that explores the real history behind castles and knights, perfect for middle-grade readers.

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Filled with detailed illustrations and photographs, this book provides a comprehensive look at various aspects of medieval life with excellent visual aids.

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Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village

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Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village

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A Newbery Medal-winning book that brings medieval characters to life through monologues. Perfect for understanding different perspectives from a medieval village.