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Fort Belvoir,Virginia, 1941
Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives

After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan. Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. a few days later, and the nation became fully engaged in the Second World War.

U.S. involvement in the Second World War was quickly followed by a massive mobilization effort. With millions of men and women serving overseas in the nation's armed forces, most of those who remained at home dedicated themselves to supporting the war effort in whatever means was available to them. Women, who had worked as homemakers or had held jobs outside military-related industries, took jobs in aircraft manufacturing plants, munitions plants, military uniform production factories, and so on. As the need for steel and other resources increased, American citizens participated in rationing programs, as well as recycling and scrap metal drives. Americans also supported the war effort with their hard-earned dollars by purchasing Liberty bonds. Sold by the U.S. government, the bonds raised money for the war and helped the bond purchasers feel they were doing their part for the war effort.

The U.S. entry into the war helped to get the nation's economy back on its feet following the depression. Although just ten years earlier, jobs were very difficult to come by, there were now jobs for nearly everyone who wanted one. With the creation of 17 million new jobs during the war, workers were afforded the opportunity to pay off old debts, as well as to begin saving some of their earnings.

Not all Americans remaining at home gained favorably from the war. Fearing that Japan might invade the West Coast of the United States, the government rounded up thousands of Japanese Americans who lived on the West Coast, and confined them to internment camps. By 1948 when the internment program ended, tens of thousands of Japanese had suffered as internees. In addition, German Americans, Italian Americans, Hungarians, Romanians and Bulgarians were also interned.

On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered. After the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945, and the Second World War came to an end. The war cost the lives of more than 330,000 American soldiers. Many more were permanently injured or maimed.

To find more documents on this topic in Loc.gov, search with such terms as internment camps, defense workers, atomic bomb, and the names of world leaders such as Franklin Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler.

Documents

Women Defense Workers

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World War II | Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945 | U.S. History Primary Source Timeline | Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress | Library of Congress

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After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan. Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. a few days later, and the nation became fully engaged in the Second World War.

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On the early morning of September 2, 1945, the veranda deck to starboard of the USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay, was prepared for the ceremony. The bay was populated with over 250 vessels; the majority were American, but others represented the nations that fought against the Japanese. Dignitaries representing the Emperor of Japan, along with the Allied Powers gathered together, and the formal surrender documents were signed on board the USS Missouri, designating the day as the official Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day). V-J Day was especially momentous as the gruesome and exhausting second world war was officially over.

World War II was, arguably, the most significant and influential event of the twentieth century. The devastation is almost incalculable: total military and civilian deaths are estimated at 70 to 85 million, about 3% of the global population during that time. World War II also saw the dawn of the nuclear age. The Manhattan Project and its culmination in the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan led to the nuclear arms race that continued into the 1980s and to some level, even today. The United States and the nations of Western Europe formed NATO as a means of enhancing collective defense, and United Nations began to function as a body, one of whose goals was the prevention of further war. Once bitter enemies, now Japan and the United States are allies and continue to have a strong relationship.

The end of WWII was a time of transition. The war provided an opportunity for millions of Americans, and by the end of the war, the nation emerged as the world's dominant economic and military power. Women enjoyed employment gains during the war, 6 million women had entered the workforce for the first time, boosting the percentage of women in the total workforce to 35 percent in the manufacturing industry. After the war ended, over 85% of women wanted to keep their jobs although all were not able to do so.

Despite the opportunities that opened up for women and minorities during the war, old prejudices and policies persisted, both in the military and at home. By 1945, and the end of the war, more than 400 committees had been established by American communities to improve race relations. Progress was slow, but African Americans were determined not to give up the gains no matter how small they had made. In 1944, to help ease the transition of returning servicemen to civilian life, Congress passed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, better known as the GI Bill of Rights. This bill provided education and training for veterans, paid for by the federal government. Just over half the returning soldiers, or about 7.8 million veterans, attended colleges and technical schools under the GI Bill. The act also provided federal loan guarantees to veterans buying homes or farms or starting new businesses.

The legacy of the end of WWII is ever-present, it is a legacy of death and destruction but also hope, sacrifice, determination, and innovation. Here in the United States, over 400,000 Americans sacrificed their lives to ensure our nation's freedom. An entire generation of Americans and our allies came together to defend democracy and defeat the forces of oppression and tyranny in Japan and Germany, and they paid an absolutely terrible price for the victory. Technology developed during WWII such as radar, atomic bombs, and even the ability to mass-produce penicillin along with countless other innovations, has had far-reaching applications in the modern world. The examples set forth by these brave men and women must never be forgotten and maybe more important now more than ever with all the division and anger currently across our great nation.

It is with great pride and a strong sense of civic duty that The National Museum of the Pacific War protects and preserves the lessons and individual stories of this conflict and disseminates them across the globe. As this year marks the 75 th anniversary of the end of WWII, it is important to thank and honor our veterans of WWII, including all those that worked on the Homefront, to create the great "Arsenal of Democracy" that enabled the Allies to continue in their pursuit of victory. Here at the Museum, we honored the 75 th anniversary by paying tribute to historic events, along with the personal stories of heroism, sacrifice, and hardship. Through a number of programs throughout the year-including webinars, lectures, symposia, commemorative programs, and distance-learning - we have examined the war's lasting impact on the world, and reflect on its legacy that continues to influence our future.

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Dignitaries representing the Emperor of Japan, along with the Allied Powers gathered together, and the formal surrender documents were signed on board the USS Missouri, designating the day as the official Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day).

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The Second World War was the most destructive conflict in human history. Years of international tension and aggressive expansion by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany culminated in the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later.

The decisions that led to war reflected the ambitions, rivalries, fears and anxieties that developed in the two decades that followed the end of the First World War. The European powers were willing to go to war to extend or protect what each nation saw - in dramatically different ways - as matters of vital interest, great power status, international prestige, and national survival.

The Legacy of the First World War

The First World War and its subsequent peace settlements gave rise to new ambitions, rivalries and tensions. People had high expectations that the post-war peace settlement would create a new world order and ensure that the slaughter of the First World War was never repeated.

The Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919, created the League of Nations - an international body intended to promote peace and prevent war. However, the treaty was an uneasy compromise as each of the victorious Allies - Britain, America, France and Italy - looked to pursue their own interests. Germany was forced to surrender territory, disarm and pay for the war's damage. These divisive conditions were criticised as overly vindictive by many in Britain and America. The treaty's terms caused immediate outrage and lasting bitterness in Germany.

The sense of defeat, humiliation and injustice would have a significant impact on German foreign and domestic policies, and calls to revise the terms of the treaty became a major aspect of international politics in the 1920s and 1930s. The period between the two world wars was one of instability and insecurity. Political, economic and social unrest was made worse by the collapse of the international economy in 1929.

In Germany, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 and established a totalitarian one-party state under the Nazis. Political opposition was violently repressed. Hitler exploited the popular belief that Germany had been humiliated after the First World War. He promised economic recovery, national revival and that Germany would return to international prominence through a revision of the Treaty of Versailles.

Germany withdrew from the League of Nations in October 1933. In 1935, Hitler announced German rearmament and re-introduced conscription, which was prohibited under Versailles. The ultra-nationalist governments of both Italy and Germany each pursued aggressive foreign policies of territorial expansion that threatened to destroy the world order established by the post-war peace settlement.

Germany Expands

Hitler's ambitions for German expansion became increasingly evident throughout 1938. German troops marched into Austria on 12 March and, with the enthusiastic support of most Austrians, the country was annexed to Germany the next day. There was little international resistance to this Anschluss, which many viewed as a natural union. However, Hitler's demands for the German-speaking areas of Czechoslovakia created a crisis that brought Europe to the brink of war in September 1938.

The multi-ethnic state of Czechoslovakia had been created towards the end of the First World War. Many Germans living in Czechoslovakia wanted to re-join Germany. Most lived in an area along the German and Austrian borders, known as the Sudetenland. In the summer of 1938, Hitler threatened war if the Sudetenland was not ceded to Germany. Britain and France, although in the process of rearming, did not yet feel able to confront Hitler with force. But by 27 September, both had reluctantly accepted that they would go to war if German troops entered Czech territory without international agreement. The next day, Hitler agreed to an international conference to resolve the Sudeten issue.

Britain's renewed rearmament programme was not yet complete. Support from the Dominions was uncertain and France, Britain's ally in Europe, was weakened by political and economic crisis. Most Britons were desperate to avoid the destruction of another world war, a view shared by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain sought to find a peaceful solution, but appeasement had its limits. Once Britain began to see German demands as a direct threat to its security or the security of its Empire, the tone of British policy began to change.

Recognising that Poland was likely to be Germany's next target, they gave guarantees to defend Polish independence. Britain and France, who had renewed their entente in February, began joint military planning. Both countries continued rearming and in April 1939 Britain introduced peacetime conscription for the first time in its history. However, war was still viewed as a last resort.

In October 1938, the German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop met with the Polish ambassador Josef Lipski to discuss Danzig's return to Germany. Discussions became more forceful at a meeting between Hitler and Polish Foreign Minister Józef Beck on 5 January 1939 (pictured here). However, the Poles refused to back down - Danzig was an issue over which they would fight. Polish resistance to German demands strengthened after Britain and France issued their guarantees to defend Poland's independence in March 1939. In April, Hitler ordered preparations for the invasion of Poland. He strengthened ties with Japan, the main threat to Britain's Empire in the Far East, and in May he signed a military alliance with Italy.

Simultaneously, the Soviet Union was discussing a settlement with Germany. The Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact was signed on 23 August 1939, along with a secret protocol that left Hitler free to attack Poland without risking war with the Soviet Union and divided eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence.

Hitler offered to guarantee the safety of Britain's empire, but emphasised the need to 'solve' the crisis over Poland. On 29 August, Hitler presented British ambassador Sir Nevile Henderson with a set of minimum conditions for settlement, which included conceding both Danzig and the corridor. Hitler also made cursory demands for Poland to send a representative for direct negotiations within 24 hours. Britain and Poland refused. The situation became deadlocked. The German invasion of Poland began at 4.45am on 1 September.

Britain and France Declare War on Germany

Neville Chamberlain broadcast this announcement to the nation at 11.15am on 3 September. A British ultimatum demanding that Germany withdraw its troops from Poland had been delivered earlier that morning and expired at 11.00 without a reply. Britain was once again at war with Germany. The outbreak of war did not come as a surprise.

Tensions in Europe had been building for years and there was a growing feeling that German aggression needed to be confronted with force. The British reluctantly accepted that war was necessary to stop Hitler. Germany represented a direct threat to British security and the security of its empire. Accepting German domination of Europe had grave implications for British status and survival. Britain went to war in 1939 to defend the balance of power in Europe and safeguard Britain's position in the world.

BBC radio broadcast by British Prime Minister announcing declaration of war on Germany, 3/9/1939.

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The Second World War was the most destructive conflict in human history. Years of international tension and aggressive expansion by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany culminated in the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later.

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Adolf Hitler, byname Der Führer (German: "The Leader"), (born April 20, 1889, Braunau am Inn, Austria-died April 30, 1945, Berlin, Germany), leader of the Nazi Party (from 1920/21) and chancellor ( Kanzler) and Führer of Germany (1933-45). He was chancellor from January 30, 1933, and, after President Paul von Hindenburg's death, assumed the twin titles of Führer and chancellor (August 2, 1934).

Hitler's father, Alois (born 1837), was illegitimate. For a time he bore his mother's name, Schicklgruber, but by 1876 he had established his family claim to the surname Hitler. Adolf never used any other surname.

Early life

After his father's retirement from the state customs service, Adolf Hitler spent most of his childhood in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. It remained his favourite city throughout his life, and he expressed his wish to be buried there. Alois Hitler died in 1903 but left an adequate pension and savings to support his wife and children. Although Hitler feared and disliked his father, he was a devoted son to his mother, who died after much suffering in 1907. With a mixed record as a student, Hitler never advanced beyond a secondary education. After leaving school, he visited Vienna, then returned to Linz, where he dreamed of becoming an artist. Later, he used the small allowance he continued to draw to maintain himself in Vienna. He wished to study art, for which he had some faculties, but he twice failed to secure entry to the Academy of Fine Arts. For some years he lived a lonely and isolated life, earning a precarious livelihood by painting postcards and advertisements and drifting from one municipal hostel to another. Hitler already showed traits that characterized his later life: loneliness and secretiveness, a bohemian mode of everyday existence, and hatred of cosmopolitanism and of the multinational character of Vienna.

In 1913 Hitler moved to Munich. Screened for Austrian military service in February 1914, he was classified as unfit because of inadequate physical vigour; but when World War I broke out, he petitioned Bavarian King Louis III to be allowed to serve, and one day after submitting that request, he was notified that he would be permitted to join the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. After some eight weeks of training, Hitler was deployed in October 1914 to Belgium, where he participated in the First Battle of Ypres. He served throughout the war, was wounded in October 1916, and was gassed two years later near Ypres. He was hospitalized when the conflict ended. During the war, he was continuously in the front line as a headquarters runner; his bravery in action was rewarded with the Iron Cross, Second Class, in December 1914, and the Iron Cross, First Class (a rare decoration for a corporal), in August 1918. He greeted the war with enthusiasm, as a great relief from the frustration and aimlessness of civilian life. He found discipline and comradeship satisfying and was confirmed in his belief in the heroic virtues of war.

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Adolf Hitler | Biography, Rise to Power, & Facts

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Adolf Hitler, the infamous dictator of Nazi Germany, rose to power with his radical ideology and orchestrated one of history's darkest periods through World War II and the Holocaust.

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The End of WWII and the Division of Europe | CES at UNC

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Despite their wartime alliance, tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States and Great Britain intensified rapidly as the war came to a close and the leaders discussed what to do with Germany. Post-war negotiations took place at two conferences in 1945, one before the official end of the…

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Six Causes of World War I

The First World War began in the summer of 1914, shortly after the assassination of Austria's Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, and lasted more than four years, ending in 1918. The Great War left more than 20 million soldiers dead and 21 million more wounded, which can be attributed to trench warfare and the number of countries involved in the war. For aspiring historians, understanding the causes of World War I are equally as important as understanding the conflict's devastating effects. Though the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was the direct precipitating event leading to the declaration of war, there were many other factors that also played a role in leading up to World War I (WWI).

European Expansionism

In the 1900s, several European nations had empires across the globe, where they had control over vast swaths of lands. Prior to World War I, the British and French Empires were the world's most powerful, colonizing regions like India, modern-day Vietnam and West and North Africa. The expansion of European nations as empires (also known as imperialism) can be seen as a key cause of World War I, because as countries like Britain and France expanded their empires, it resulted in increased tensions among European countries. The tensions were a result of many colonies often being acquired through coercion. Then, once a nation had been conquered, it was governed by the imperial nation: many of these colonial nations were exploited by their mother countries, and dissatisfaction and resentment was commonplace. As British and French expansionism continued, tensions rose between opposing empires, including Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, leading to the creation of the Allied Powers (Britain and France) and Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire) during World War I.

Serbian Nationalism

Nationalism was one of many political forces at play in the time leading up to World War I, with Serbian nationalism in particular, playing a key role. Serbian nationalism can be dated to the mid- and late-1800s, though two precipitating nationalism events are directly linked to the start of WWI. In the Balkans, Slavic Serbs sought independence from Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, and in 1878, they tried to gain control of Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a unified Serbian state. With the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Serbian nationalism continued to rise, culminating in the assassination of the Archduke of Austria in 1914 by a Bosnian Serb and officially triggering the start of the Great War.

The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

On June 28, 1914, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip. Ferdinand was chosen as a target because he was to be the heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On the day of his assassination, the Archduke traveled to Sarajevo to inspect imperial armed forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, former Ottoman territories acquired by Austria-Hungary in 1908. While Ferdinand was traveling in an open car in Sarajevo, Princip fired into the car, shooting Ferdinand and his wife Sophie. Following the assassination, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, which was rejected and led Austria-Hungary to declare war against Serbia, with German support. Russia then came to Serbia's defense, therefore initiating the First World War.

Conflicts over Alliances

In the age of imperialism prior to World War I, countries throughout Europe had created alliances. The alliances promised that each country would support the other if war ever broke out between an ally and another Great Power. Prior to WWI, the alliances of Russia and Serbia; France and Russia; Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary; Britain, France and Belgium; France, Britain and Russia; and Japan and Britain were firmly in place. The alliance, between France, Britain and Russia, formed in 1907 and called the Triple Entente, caused the most friction among nations. Germany felt that this alliance surrounding them was a threat to their power and existence. As tensions continued to rise over alliances, the preexisting alliances fed into other countries declaring war against one another in the face of conflict. These conflicts over alliances - which forced nations to come to the defense of one another - led to the formation of the two sides of World War I, the Allied and Central Powers. By the start of the war, Italy and the United States entered on the side of the Allied Powers, which consisted of Russia, France and Great Britain. The Central Powers, alternately, consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.

The Blank Check Assurance: Conspired Plans of Germany and Austria-Hungary

The alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary at the start of World War I is also commonly known as the "blank check assurance." In July 1914, during a meeting between members of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, the Ambassador to Berlin, the German Emperor and the German Chancellor, Germany offered Austria-Hungary unconditional support in the wake of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. This "blank check," via unconditional support, sought military and political triumph in securing the Balkans. It also gave Austro-Hungarian leaders the confidence needed to embark on war against Serbia. Today, historians regard it as one of the most controversial decisions in the history of modern warfare, particularly because Germany failed to withdraw the unconditional support when given the opportunity. It is also widely recognized as one of the main reasons Germany is seen as responsible for the escalation and continuation of World War I.

Germany Millenarianism - Spirit of 1914

Millenarianism is a belief held by a religious, political or social group or movement that a coming major transformation will occur, after which all things will be changed. For Germany, leading into World War I, historians report that the Spirit of 1914 was high, with support from the German population for participation in the war. The German government believed that the onset of war and its support of Austria-Hungary was a way to secure its place as a leading power, which was supported by public nationalism and further united it behind the monarchy. The success Germans saw in the opening battles of WWI provided a platform for the German government to position itself as able to accomplish more when unified and nationalistic. However, this millenarianism was short-lived, as Germany was unprepared to fight the long war, which took a dramatic and demoralizing toll on its people and later set the stage for the rise of the Third Reich, less than two decades later.

Following the events above, World War I moved into full force from 1914 through 1918, ending when peace was brokered between the German and Central Forces and the Allied Powers with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. However, this treaty forced punitive measures on Germany that further destabilized Europe and laid the groundwork for the start of World War II. By understanding the causes of World War I, historians can develop a keen comprehension of how and why this devastating conflict began.

Norwich University is an important part of American history. Established in 1819, Norwich is a nationally recognized institution of higher education, the birthplace of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and the first private military college in the United States.

With Norwich University's online Master of Arts in History program, you can enhance your awareness of differing historical viewpoints while developing the skills needed to refine your research, writing, analysis, and presentation skills. The program offers concentration in Public History, American History, World History and Legal and Constitutional History, allowing you to tailor your studies to your interests and goals.

Our Master of Arts in History program is led by expert doctorate faculty and dedicated staff members. Through their leadership, the program introduces you to the major historical themes and debates in the field of study. Our staff members provide additional support, guiding you from day one to graduation.

We have an in-house instructional design team that work hand-in-hand with program faculty and staff to ensure an efficient and interactive online learning experience in each course.

Recommended Readings:
History of American Propaganda Posters
5 Key Cold War Events
Career Outlook: History Professor
Sources:
Outbreak of World War I, History

Imperialism as a Cause of World War I, Alpha History

World War I: A History, Google Books

The Spirit of 1914: Militarism, Myth, and Mobilization in Germany, Google Books

Germany's Blank Cheque to Austria-Hungary, International Encyclopedia

The European Powers in the First World War: An Encyclopedia, Google Books

Archduke Ferdinand Assassinated, History

Nationalism, International Encyclopedia

Imperialism, International Encyclopedia

German trenches on the Aisne, Library of Congress

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The First World War began in the summer of 1914, shortly after the assassination of Austria's Archduke, Franz Ferdinand, and lasted more than four years, ending in 1918. The Great War left more than 20 million soldiers dead and 21 million more wounded, which can be attributed to trench warfare and the number of countries involved in the war.

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The war in Europe quickly expanded to other parts of the world. European colonies and dominions in the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific provided men and resources to their mother countries. In some cases, these colonial territories themselves became battlegrounds. The entrance of the Ottoman Empire set off fighting in the Middle East and North Africa. Fighting spread to the seas, as both sides tried to prevent shipments of vital supplies to their opponents. When colonies and other possessions are included, most of today's modern nations participated in some way.

The following nations formally declared war; not all participated in hostilities.

The Allies and Associated Powers

1914

Serbia

Russia

Montenegro

France

Belgium

Great Britain Includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa & other British dominions and colonies

Japan

1915

1916

1917

1918

The Central Powers

1914

Austria-Hungary

Germany

Ottoman Empire(Turkey)

1915

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Site of the United States WWI Centennial Commission, and the Doughboy Foundation, building the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

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1914

June 28

Archduke Francis Ferdinand is assassinated.

July 28

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, beginning World War I.

August 2-7

Germany invades Luxembourg and Belgium. France invades Alsace. British forces arrive in France. Nations allied against Germany were eventually to include Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia, Romania, Greece, France, Belgium, United States, Canada, Serbia, India, Portugal, Montenegro, and Poland.

August 10

Austria-Hungary invades Russia.

September 9

Allied forces halt German advance into France during First Battle of the Marne.

1915

February 18

Germany begins naval blockade of Great Britain.

April 25

Allied forces land on the Gallipoli Peninsula of the Ottoman Empire.

May 7

German submarine sinks the passenger liner Lusitania during crossing from New York to Liverpool, England, killing 128 Americans.

May 23

Italy declares war on Austria-Hungary.

1916

February 21

Germany begins the attack on Verdun.

May 31

Naval Battle of Jutland takes place between British and German fleets.

July 1

Allied offensive begins the Battle of the Somme.

December 18

Battle of Verdun ends with 550,000 French and 450,000 German casualties.

1917

February 1

Germany returns to unrestricted submarine warfare halted after the sinking of the Lusitania.

February 3

United States severs diplomatic relations with Germany.

April 6

The United States declares war on Germany.

June 7

General John J. Pershing, newly selected commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), arrives in England with his staff.

June 24

American combat forces arrive in France.

December 15

Russia signs armistice with Germany.

1918

January 8

President Woodrow Wilson presents to Congress his outline of Fourteen Points required for peace.

March 3

Russia signs the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany.

March 21

Germany begins its final offensive of the war.

March

American women recruited to serve as bilingual telephone operators for the AEF arrive in Europe.

May 28

United States forces are victorious in the Battle of Cantigny, the first independent American operation.

June 2

American forces stop German attempt to cross the Marne River at Chateau-Thierry.

September 12

American First Army attacks St. Mihiel salient.

September 26

Allied forces begin the attack at Meusse-Argonne, the final offensive of the war.

November 11

Germany signs the Armistice at Compiègne, ending World War I.

December

Harold Ross assumes editorship of The Stars and Stripes.

December 1

British and American forces enter Germany.

1919

Jan. 18

Peace conference begins at Paris.

February 14

Draft of the covenant of the League of Nations is completed.

June 28

Allied and German representatives sign treaty of Versailles. The United States signs treaty of guaranty, pledging to defend France in case of an unprovoked attack by Germany.

November 19

United States Senate fails to ratify Treaty of Versailles.

January 10

Treaty of Versailles takes effect.

1920

March 19

United States Senate fails to ratify Treaty of Versailles for the second time.

1921

August 24-29

United States signs separate peace treaties with Germany, Austria, and Hungary.

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A recent list of the hundred most important news stories of the twentieth century ranked the onset of World War I eighth. This is a great error. Just about everything that happened in the remainder of the century was in one way or another a result of World War I, including the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, World War II, the Holocaust, and the development of the atomic bomb. The Great Depression, the Cold War, and the collapse of European colonialism can also be traced, at least indirectly, to the First World War.

World War I killed more people--more than 9 million soldiers, sailors, and flyers and another 5 million civilians--involved more countries--28--and cost more money--$186 billion in direct costs and another $151 billion in indirect costs--than any previous war in history. It was the first war to use airplanes, tanks, long range artillery, submarines, and poison gas. It left at least 7 million men permanently disabled.

World War I probably had more far-reaching consequences than any other proceeding war. Politically, it resulted in the downfall of four monarchies--in Russia in 1917, in Austria-Hungary and Germany in 1918, and in Turkey in 1922. It contributed to the Bolshevik rise to power in Russia in 1917 and the triumph of fascism in Italy in 1922. It ignited colonial revolts in the Middle East and in Southeast Asia.

Economically, the war severely disrupted the European economies and allowed the United States to become the world's leading creditor and industrial power. The war also brought vast social consequences, including the mass murder of Armenians in Turkey and an influenza epidemic that killed over 25 million people worldwide.

Few events better reveal the utter unpredictability of the future. At the dawn of the 20th century, most Europeans looked forward to a future of peace and prosperity. Europe had not fought a major war for 100 years. But a belief in human progress was shattered by World War I, a war few wanted or expected. At any point during the five weeks leading up to the outbreak of fighting the conflict might have been averted. World War I was a product of miscalculation, misunderstanding, and miscommunication.

No one expected a war of the magnitude or duration of World War I. At first the armies relied on outdated methods of communication, such as carrier pigeons. The great powers mobilized more than a million horses. But by the time the conflict was over, tanks, submarines, airplane-dropped bombs, machine guns, and poison gas had transformed the nature of modern warfare. In 1918, the Germans fired shells containing both tear gas and lethal chlorine. The tear gas forced the British to remove their gas masks; the chlorine then scarred their faces and killed them.

In a single day at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, 100,000 British troops plodded across no man's land into steady machine-gun fire from German trenches a few yards away. Some 60,000 were killed or wounded. At the end of the battle, 419,654 British men were killed, missing, or wounded.Four years of war killed a million troops from the British Empire, 1.5 million troops from the Hapsburg Empire, 1.7 million French troops, 1.7 million Russians, and 2 million German troops. The war left a legacy of bitterness that contributed to World War II twenty-one years later.

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historical context: the global effect of world war i | a recent list of the hundred most important news stories of the twentieth century ranked the onset of world war i eighth. this is a great error. just about everything that happened in the remainder of the century was in one way or another a result of world war i

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including the bolshevik revolution in russia

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and the development of the atomic bomb. the great depression

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and the collapse of european colonialism can also be traced

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to the first world war. | a recent list of the hundred most important news stories of the twentieth century ranked the onset of world war i eighth. this is a great error. just about everything that happened in the remainder of the century was in one way or another a result of world war i

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including the bolshevik revolution in russia

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and the development of the atomic bomb. the great depression

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and the collapse of european colonialism can also be traced

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to the first world war. world war i killed more people--more than 9 million soldiers

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and flyers and another 5 million civilians--involved more countries--28--and cost more money--$186 billion in direct costs and another $151 billion in indirect costs--than any previous war in history. it was the first war to use airplanes

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and poison gas. it left at least 7 million men permanently disabled. world war i probably had more far-reaching consequences than any other proceeding war. politically

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it resulted in the downfall of four monarchies--in russia in 1917

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and in turkey in 1922. it contributed to the bolshevik rise to power in russia in 1917 and the triumph of fascism in italy in 1922. it ignited colonial revolts in the middle east and in southeast asia. economically

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the war severely disrupted the european economies and allowed the united states to become the world's leading creditor and industrial power. the war also brought vast social consequences

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including the mass murder of armenians in turkey and an influenza epidemic that killed over 25 million people worldwide. few events better reveal the utter unpredictability of the future. at the dawn of the 20th century

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most europeans looked forward to a future of peace and prosperity. europe had not fought a major war for 100 years. but a belief in human progress was shattered by world war i

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a war few wanted or expected. at any point during the five weeks leading up to the outbreak of fighting the conflict might have been averted. world war i was a product of miscalculation

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and miscommunication. no one expected a war of the magnitude or duration of world war i. at first the armies relied on outdated methods of communication

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such as carrier pigeons. the great powers mobilized more than a million horses. but by the time the conflict was over

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and poison gas had transformed the nature of modern warfare. in 1918

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the germans fired shells containing both tear gas and lethal chlorine. the tear gas forced the british to remove their gas masks; the chlorine then scarred their faces and killed them. in a single day at the battle of the somme in 1916

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000 british troops plodded across no man's land into steady machine-gun fire from german trenches a few yards away. some 60

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000 were killed or wounded. at the end of the battle

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or wounded.four years of war killed a million troops from the british empire

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1.5 million troops from the hapsburg empire

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and 2 million german troops. the war left a legacy of bitterness that contributed to world war ii twenty-one years later.

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Historical Context: The Global Effect of World War I

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Historical Context: The Global Effect of World War I | A recent list of the hundred most important news stories of the twentieth century ranked the onset of World War I eighth. This is a great error.

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Aftermath of World War I and the Rise of Nazism, 1918-1933 - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

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NARRATOR: Paris, 1900. More than fifty million people from around the world visited the Universal Exposition-a world's fair intended to promote greater understanding and tolerance among nations, and to celebrate the new century, new inventions, exciting progress. The 20th century began much like our own-with hope that education, science and technology could create a better, more peaceful world.