Welcome I am professor Dante Salazar and I am here to answer all the questions your incompetent teachers can't. Today I received a letter from little William... the Second Interesting "Dear professor Dante Salazar: my name is Little William Little William the Second and I'm an average kid, from an average public school who doesn't understanding anything and who evidently, is not the Kaiser of the Glorious German Empire who send this letter through space and time using a temporary discordance that I won't explain to discover how the Great War was lost and thus, change history in a questionable scientific way..." These kids are more imaginative these days. "...so, I would like you to explain to me the causes of World War One because, for me, it is important to understand and dominate! Love, Little William a sweet and normal kid." World War One is one of the most important and complicated events of the 20th century and, the truth is, we don't pay a lot of attention to it First, because it is overshadowed by the spectacularity of World War Two with all its battles, nazis, holocausts and all that. Nobody overshadows the Führer in popularity. and second, because it has been called the pointless war. because it's causes were very strange and the results were so irrelevant that it only served as a ground for World War Two. World War Two forever! There is some truth in this but let's analize it carefully It was the beginning of the 20th century, and everything seemed to be going well, there was a relative peace in the world, the countries were prosperous and the inventions of the Industrial Revolution made everyone feel they were walking into the furure But the future can be a dark place The growing nations were also a reflection of the changes in the world's powers young nations like Germany were developing so rapidly that they became a threat to powers like England and Russia. It could be said that they were living in a tense calm and everybody was sure it will last forever. It's not like someone just makes the mistake of killing an important man, so, all countries will be threatened and in open hostility, making the world order shake. Damn! That's right! Archduke Franz Ferdinand's death, The perfect excuse to begin the Great War and the main reason, according to free textbooks. Bully Magnets presents: Archduke Franz Ferdinand's Death I am Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro Hungarian Empire, and I came to visit the beautiful city of Sarajevo I am Gavrilo Princip a serbian terrorist who hates Austria-Hungary, so I am going to kill you. Oh no! He has killed the archduke now all european countries have to massacre each other! What? Why? It's not a big deal! I said, you will have to massacre each other! Well, okay... In fact, the archduke's death was caused by a conflict that only concerned Austria-Hungary and Serbia but it was the excuse to break that delicate equilibrium and thus begin the weirdest war pattern in history. A game that we like to call: It's time to play STOP! World War One version. I am Austria-Hungary and I declare war against my worst enemy who is... Serbia Because they killed my only heir. I am Russia and I declare war against my worst enemy who is... Austria-Hungary Because they want to hit Serbia, who is my little friend, and I won't allow that also, because I have to encourage my people after the fiasco in Japan. I am Germany and I declare war against my worst enemy who is... Russia because it's not fair to attack my friend Austria-Hungary and because everyone will have to see that we are the best. I am France, and I declare war against my worst enemy who is... Germany. because we don't like their behavior and if we have the need to go through Belgium, that is right in the middle, and sweep it we will do it! What! What did we do? Oh right! Well then I declare war against my wost enemy who is... France and to show you, I will invade you, and to do it faster, I will go through Belgium. No! No one goes through Belgium Look! Beer and waffles for everybody! I am England, and I declare war against my worst enemy who is... Germany. Because they can't start a Great War without me! This is not a joke really, this happened. The world was divided into two factions Germany and the central countries on one side and the Allied Powers around them The first big movement Germany made was to invade France through Belgium. They had more resources and a better army but, they were not considering the French strategy What if we dig a big hole in the ground to stop them? then, they will not be able to reach Paris Not if we get into a big hole in the ground and shoot from there! Great idea, General! No one digs holes like the French! We Germans can do anything better than you! Not when it's holes! So there you have it we will overpower your hole by digging another one right in front of yours, and we will shoot you! Our's will be so deep that we could spend there years, not caring if you shoot us. Well, there is only one way to see who has the best hole, and that is, to see who can be in it for longer! Deal! That was the beginning of the Trench Warfare Both sides were protected inside big networks of tunnels, where they shot each other continuously. However, movility was practically nothing so, it became the most boring war in history. Armies were advancing very slowly and with many casualties it could be years, literally, before either side occupied other territories, That took them to... It looks like Little Wilhelm has written again. "Professor, everything seems very pretty, but it is not useful to win the war!... I mean, to understand why the Glorious Germany lost. get into it!" Easy, Little William! This is complicated The war of tenches was extended to all Europe and it's curious to know that deaths occur from insalubrity and extreme conditions in the trenches rather than war wounds I knew that getting into a hole was not a good idea But this is the best hole, soldier, the best hole to die, don't forget that. This stage in the war gave some time to the development of new armament which main objective, was to go over the holes without killing whoever was inside. World War I was the beginning of modern warfare, and all its deathly gadgets For the first time, the battlefield saw artifacts like tanks, machine guns, flamethrowers and the most dangerous invention created for this war: Barbed wires It's true, barbed wires protected the trenches, and it caused more deaths than all the other inventions put together To attack the trenches, poisonous gases were also created The beginning of the Chemical Warfare. and basically that. World War I was developed in a stunning immobility it was like a long wait to see who was left without men or resources first. Another one? "But what about Germany? What went wrong?" Whithout any doubt, Germany was a specially powerful nation so powerful that it was able to keep two fronts going through most of the war. And things got better when Russia stoped fighting due to the Russian Revolution. We already talked about that. Oh no! There we go again! But, that wasnt enough more allies were fighting with England and France, including the United States. During the war several USA ships that carried provisions to Europe sank, but the United States government choose not to act. Although it seems like a lie, back then, the Unites States didn't want to interfere in other affairs than their own. However, when in 1917, Germany offered Mexico an alliance to invade the USA together the northern country was not able to remain neutral and decided to join the war. That's right! Germans and Mexicans taking California back! the dream of all leftists in Mexico Freedom! Little by little, Germany was left without resourcces, to the extent that, by 1918, it had to surrender and accept the punishments imposed by the International Community and the Treaty of Versailles restrictions that would cause the rise of fascism and the triggering of World War II So the Great War, also called the war that would end all wars, was not, and it just set ground to have a second war that was much more violent and spectacular. Now what! "Your explanation of the conflict is not acceptable, professor Salazar, I will not accept your argument about Germany not having any chance. I, Little William the Second, Kaiser of the glorious German Empire, demand you to say that we won, so history can be changed forever." Do you know that doesn't make any sense, right? I said, change it! Perhaps you should reconsider professor, if you value your life. Germany must win Nobody does things better than Germany Except holes. What are you saying? Yeees... Holes. You could be there for only four years, I bet you are not capable of building trenches so good so that all the german army can live there for, lets say, 20 years. Of course we can I don't think so I will prove it! Boys, Digg a deep hole, we will get in there for 20 years. No elementary school teacher will ever beat the German Empire Well, that will keep them occupied for a long period of time And remember, the war of threnches is never the best of wars.