World War I trench warfare
It was called "The Great War" and "The War to End All Wars." World War I had many nicknames. It wasn't
officially known as World War I until World War II happened. It really doesn't matter what we call the war.
The impact it had on Europe and the world was immense. The war changed the way people thought about
fighting, and about life, forever.
There were two major sides that fought against each other in World War I. One side was called the Allies.
An ally is someone who promises to come to your aid if something threatens you. The main Allies were
France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan and the United States. The Central Powers fought against the
Allies. The Central Powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. They
were first called the Central Powers because Germany and Austria-Hungary are located in Central
Europe.
Most of World War I was fought in Europe. The opposing armies lined up face to face and fought each
other all along the Western Front and the Eastern Front.
Fighting began in 1914 when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The fighting quickly spread. For
three years, Europe was entrenched in deadly warfare. It wasn't until 1917 that the United States entered
the war on the side of Britain, France, and Russia. In 1918 the Great War finally ended. The years of
warfare had taken a major toll, leaving tens of millions dead and wounded. Before World War I, no one
would have believed that such destruction and devastation were possible. After World War I, the world
was forever changed. Does this Article have elements of a holistic social studies lesson