What kind of precautions would large ships have against sea-mines in World War One? How did sea-mines even work back then?

How did conscription work for the Royal Navy in World War One? Soldiers could be drafted into the army, but what about the Navy? If you could be drafted into the Navy, what happens if you're someone who gets severely sea-sick?

From what I've read, the WW1 British soldier's ration contained an astonishing amount of meat (especially bacon). Where did all this meat come from? Was British agriculture capable of producing that much surplus pork?

Austria-Hungary was a multi-ethnic empire, and their army was too. Were their units mixed or were units divided by ethnicities? What about groupings in larger units, like regiments, divisions, armies? Was there a key? What about deciding which unit would go to which theater of operations? Was their a preference e.g. to send or not send Slavs to Russian or Serbian fronts?

What was life of refugees of conquered areas? I'm thinking of Belgians and French from northern France but I am curious about other countries and fronts too. I have the example of Hercules Poirot coming to Britain but what about whole familles?

How exactly did the war end? Last gunshot and then someone saying: "thanks guys, you can go home now". I know some people has to stay but most could go home.how did this go?

What was the equid cost of the Great War? The film Warhorse (2011) portrayed cavalry charges against fortified positions that didn't turn out any better than the charge of the light brigade as well as horses being used to tow heavy artillery pieces until they dropped. How widespread were remount systems of the various participants, and how much effort, if any, did they put into managing and preserving large quantities of equines?

1. I found a claim that the Allies used some 5,000,000 tons of artillery shells. Making a large number of simplifications, that's an average of some 210 kg, or maybe around 20 artillery shells per hour on every kilometre of the front. It's also obviously shifted upwards by preparations for the Somme and so on. But were there actually parts of the front that were so quiet you could go for hours, days, or weeks without hearing cannon fire? If so, was anything beyond divisional artillery kept there just in case? Related: from how far away could you hear a single shot from a 77, a 75, or an 18-pounder, especially along no man's land?

2. Just how anarchic was Western Russia in 1916-1917? Were countless groups of deserters really going around raping and pillaging?

3. What did the very ends of the Eastern Front look like, say, in early 1916?

4. I understand that a continuous line of the Western Front was only established in 1915. What did the parts without continuous trenches and the transition from trenches to no trenches look like before that?

5. Were there still 'millions of men' under arms in France in the summer of 1920? Relevant because of its connection to the westernmost episode of the Russian Civil War, which in itself was an extension of WW1.

I'm a professional soldier in July 1914 in either a British, French, or German unit.

What are my odds for each that I'll actually be alive and not seriously injured in November 1918?

Are there clear points in time where it's unlikely that enough of my unit is alive and I likely would have been reassigned to another unit with fresher troops? Would I have been offered the chance to leave the military or at least go into a non-combat role after completing a certain number of tours of duty? Would I have been rotated to the Eastern front/used in Gallipoli? Would the leaders recognize my experience and either assign me to a unit of new conscripts to help train them, or keep me in an elite reserve unit for important duties, or would I just be another guy in another generic unit?

It's easy to find casualty figures for individual battles or units, but it's much harder to get an idea of what life must have been like for the people fighting at the very beginning of the war. If I was a German who marched into Belgium, how much of the next 4 years do I spend in the trenches? If I was an Old Contemptible, do I have a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the war?

Austra-Hungary had a navy in the Adriatic sea. Did it see much action?

How is there so much footage of the world wars? Who was just sitting their filming while they could have been helping in the fight?

Edit: I'm not trying to sound inconsiderate or condescending. I'm watching hours of documentaries today as I always do on this day, and it just dawned on me.

Following the war, there was plenty of new countries created on basis of national self-determination, as well as few Free Cities ( like Gdansk, Fiume / Rijeka and there was talk about making Constantinople one). Where did those ideas come from? They seem new to the era?

Why are the Germans blamed for the war? The Austrians started it after all!

In the first world war, was Germany (and her allies) even in the wrong? Or, any more to blame than the Triple Entente? It seems like they, along with the rest of Europe, were dragged into the conflict as a result of allegiances and defensive pacts. I know this is a pretty amateur question but I hope it can start a discussion.

My (British) great-grandfather fought in the Mesopotamian theatre. According to my grandmother, it was particularly brutal. Why? And what can people tell me about that part of the War? Who was he fighting, the Turks?

Who decided to end the war on 11/11 and how did they communicate it to everyone?

I've just seen a post regarding the gunfire falling silent at 11am at the end of the war and another thing saying when the agreement was signed at 5am that day 11,000 people died leading up to 11am

Who got together to say ok, ok let's stop this at um, 11am

How did they communicate this out to the battlefield, obviously technology wasn't as good as it is now

At 11am did the people just stop shooting, get out of the trenches and walk off? How did it end?

Is there any evidence of Bismarcks "some damned foolish thing in the Balkans" quote? I'm german speaking and never came across anything that comes close to that in my language. It seems the quote is just known in the english speaking world.

What is your opinion of Peter M. Judson's book 'The Habsburg Empire :A new history'? Does his thesis, that Austria-Hungary could have survived and wasn't doomed to fail because of ethnic tensions hold up?

The Italian delegation was extremely disappointed with their territorial gains, after the Paris Peace Conference. The fascists used this to build support.

The Italians got a lot - Trieste, Trento, and some Aegean islands . . . a lot of the population was non-Italian speaking.

Were they really just crushed they couldn’t get Rijeka (Fiume)?

Why was this seen as such a big betrayal?

OK, I'm going to ask for opinions! Hopefully this falls within the relaxed standards.

The Armistice is sometimes seen as a foundation for the Second World War, or a poorly constructed peace which was unlikely to hold. Generally, does this understanding have merit?

If it does have merit, should the way we look at the Armistice and November 11 have a bittersweet taste? That the truce which ended the horror also contained the seeds of a second, greater horror? Or that the Armistice was not the promised peace but a continuation of the violence by other means?

Should we view the Armistice as both an end to war but also how the blindness and arrogance of the victors can preserve the hate rather than destroy it?

How did Submarine warfare work during the war? Did the Allies use Submarines in addition to the surface blockade and what were they used for?

How did the wide spread armistice day parades impact the spread of Spanish influenza? Did this significantly accelerate the spread of the disease and or lead to a more immense epidemic?

What was the shortest distance between each army's front line and how were the army's able to dig trenches within firing range of their enemy?

How close were Germany to winning the war? If they had achieved their objectives in the battle of amiens would this have led to an allied defeat?

What one book on WWI would you recommend to amateurs, preferably one that is both informative and entertaining?

How unique was the Christmas Truce of 1914? Did opposing armies and forces often make peace on the battlefield for Christmas Day, and if so, why is the 1914 Truce the one that is most remembered?

Was the Lusitania carrying weapons and was it used by the British to draw/lure Americans into the war?

What new technology was introduced during WWI that found it’s way into civilian life?

How influenced were the French Commanders in WW1 by Napoleon? I often hear their admiration of his quick, decisive battles often lead to carnage as they aimed to achieve a decisive victory, but failed due to new technology.

What sort of rations did German soldiers receive? How affected were they by the food shortages that resulted from the British blockade of Germany?

On the Soča front (Isonzo). How often would the supplies and wounded soldiers be carried up and down the mountains? Obviously there were storages and improv. medical care in between the mountains and the valleys but how quickly did the materials and soldiers travel.
Also how dangerous was it behind the front? I would imagine the civilian population was safer than on the eastern and western front where planes were a danger and there was only flat land without protection.

How far north-south did individual trenches extend? On maps of the Western Front it always shows single, continuous lines, does this mean you could walk from the Atlantic to Switzerland without getting out of the trenches? That seems unlikely.

How fair is it to say that WW1 ended the idea of monarchy in Europe?

WW1 is often seen as only a prelude to WW2 with not many lasting effects, but after it almost no european government justified itself through divine right monarchy. How true is this train of thought?

What was the role of the middle east, specifically Palestine, in WWI?

Does the phrase:

on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month

have any particular origin? It is often treated as a quote in full or partially, but it is never mentioned anywhere in actual armistice document. Does it come from a speech? Or is just a "fun" phrase with no known origin?

What happened after the truce was called? Could you just get out of your trench and walk around once the fighting was supposed to have stopped or was it still dangerous?

Did the central powers (especially Germany) have a chance of ending the war with Britain, France and the US without territorial losses and political changes after the armistice with Russia December 1917?

And after the actual treaty with Russia March 1918?

Hundreds of thousands of African soldiers and war laborers came to Europe during the war through voluntary and forced migration - especially from French but also from British colonial holdings. How did their presence influence European perceptions of Africans? How did they influence their home regions when they returned after WWI? Big questions, so I'd be glad for input on any aspect or African colony/region.

How much impact did America entering the war have on the outcome of the war? Was Germany going to lose anyway or is it impossible to tell what would happen if America had remained neutral?

Not sure if it fits here, but here goes:

November 11th is usally celebrated as the end of the war, but there were a whole lot of civil wars and revolutions that continued until at least the early twenties. I would love some book recommendations on this subject (preferably the German Revolution).

Asked this in a post yesterday and couldn't get any answers, hope I'm luckier here.

Since the armistice was signed at 5:00, losers and winners (sort of) were already defined, future borders too and there seems to be no reason to fight at all.

Why did fighting continue in some parts of the front until 11:00? Was what the point? What could the attackers win for doing an offensive once the war was already won/lost?

Are there any accounts of civil interactions between opposing forces once the cease fire took effect?

What was the true impact of the Romanians in WW1 and what come afterwards. I know that they were severely under prepared and suffered greatly for it, thus making their impact look like little more than a footnote in history.

Thanks in advance.

For the generation who fought, who exactly mirrors my own by 100 years (people in their 20’s born in the 1990’s and people in their 20’s born in the 1890’s) did the war fully erase all other generational reference points for the rest of their lives or did other things survive?

Reading all quiet on the western front, the scene where Paul goes home on leave and his life seems dead was one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the whole book.

Would that generation have been able to have a laugh about things from their childhood in the early to mid 1900’s?

What things of these men survived the war?

I've never understood what leverage could be used when negotiating the Treaty of Versailles. Yes Germany surrendered but what happens if they don't agree to the harsh terms of the treaty? Was it all just a matter of honor and living up to their surrender?

Did Canada actually contribute much to the war in any meaningful way? Other then soldiers for the front, did we provide any particularly important imports or services?

What was happening with communism in the middle east during and shortly after the war? Was there any socialist/communist sentiment against the British and French? How did the arabs feel about the Russian Civil War?

So, I have close to none knowledge about WWI. I know about the killing of the Archduke Ferdinanz, about the multiple war declarations, about the trench warfare (And that there was many more battlefields all around the world, but mostly on Europe), the ending of the war for the russians, the sinking of the Lusitania, the entry of the US on the war and the end.

Leaving aside small stories, Hitler on the same battlefield than Tolkien and all that TIL material, I have no "real" knowledge of how the war proceeded (As I could have with WWII). So my question is: Any good reads on the subject?

I've heard good stuff about the mentioned "Blueprint for Armageddon" (as in "is good entry level material"), but I'm not really a fan of podcasts (specially because english is not my first language), and well, I can always just read the Wikipedia articles, but I was looking for something a bit more in depth.

I’ve heard that Serbia lost 28% of its population. Is this true?

I’ve always wondered how the different helmet types from WWI stacked up against one another. Which would you say was the best?

Is the Fischer thesis still a valid thesis today? Or is it discarded in the favor of the view that all nations pushed for war?

Why did Norway and Spain not want to host the interned German Surface Fleet after the armistice was signed?

What was the cleanup operation like in these European Countries. On this day 100 years ago the war ended. Well we must have had support networks/trains/stockpiles/weapons etc. What was the process for countries cleaning these up? Did the British just leave their front and leave the host country.

Same with tanks and larger weapons etc etc.

Secondary question, after the war how long did people remain behind and see small pockets of combat? (Surely there was rage and anger between opposing forces even after truce?)

A lot is made of the Schlieffen plan. Is there any scenario in which it could have been successful? Does all of the blame fall on Helmut von moltke the younger? Could Schlieffen himself have made it successful or, was it just doomed to fail as a flawed plan?

Wondering if Britain had plans to get out of WW1 if France was defeated, capitulated, or surrendered. To make the question more direct let's consider three very specific situations;

1. 1914 if France had been defeated early in the war say at the battle of the Marne.
2. 1916 if Falkenhayn's plans at Verdun had succeeded to bleed France out of the war.
3. 1918 if operation Michael had broken the French who then backed out of the war or sued for peace.

I guess I am just wondering if Britain would have continued WW1 without France and if their position would have differed during these key points on the western front.

What kind of concessions would Britain have had to make?

Thanks in advance.

Was it true that the Lusitania was either flying an American flag despite being a British ship, or that she wasn’t flying a flag? Or was she flying the British flag?

Was she armed? Was she carrying munitions? If so, who knew about this? Were they justified in allowing passengers aboard a ship that could be a military target?

Why did the ship even sail? Was no one worried about going on a ship through a war zone?

Did the lives of citizens in the Dutch colonies change due to the war or were they hardly affected.

How much of an effect did the attempted revolution in Germany have on the end of the war?

Belgians were deported to Germany to work. Any documentation on what happened to them/how their living conditions were?

What happened to the German soldiers in New Guinea at the outbreak/duration of the war?

Do you think Gallipoli would have been a success if the Allies planned better?

Major intelligence operations from the Second World War are relatively well known, such as Operation Mincemeat, or ULTRA intercepts. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on intelligence operations/agency's in the First World War and their impact on the war?

I heard that Japan took part in WW1 but what were they doing? Did they gain anything from it?

I read bird song a few years back and was deeply affected by the war scenes described. I would love to read another book that is as captivating as this was. Do you recommend anything that follows a protagonist, and brings to life the experiences that so many people endured? Thanks.

After the war, several new countries were created, amoung them Poland. Before armstice and the official creation of the new Polish state, who controlled the land after Brest-Litovsk? Was the territory annexed by the German empire?

Also, how were the boarders of the nascent Polish Republic and other new states determined? How much "say" did the new countries and Germany have in who got what?

With the revealing of the new recording of the end of the war, why did the soldiers kept shooting in the last hour of the war? Seems contradicting to the mutual understanding of the 1914 new years eve truce

My great-grandfather fought in WW1. He died when my grandfather was in his teens, and never spoke about the war. He was Italian from a small farm just outside of Milan (Piacenza), does anyone know where he could’ve fought or any details in general? I’ve always been fascinated with the first World War and would love to know any information I could about him.

Hello !

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My Great-Grandfather fought in Verdun and was from the Lot-et-Garonne département. I know almost nothing since he never talked to anyone about the two wars in which he fought, and neither did my Grandfather.

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I have a lot of difficulties trying to find when he was recruited and when he fought. In fact, from my country, I had no luck yet in finding information about anything from this département fighting men.

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If somebody could give me any information or guide me, I'd really appreciate.

Was the cause of World War 1 down to the rise of Nationalism in European countries?

What are the most popular myths about WW1 today and can you debunk them?

Why did wiemar Germany accept the completely one sided armistice that was offered to them?

In 1914 christmas, there was an “truce” between english soldiers and german soldiers, did this happen in later years? How the commanders tried to stop this from happening?

What is the geopolitical context of WWI in its relation, if any, to the Armenian Genocide? How was WWI and that tragedy, which occurred right at the same time, related with both the Ottomans and the Russian/Soviets? How was modern-day Armenia influenced by WWI directly or indirectly?

Was there any posibility of Victory in the Kaiserschlacht?

What were the participation of citizens with Jewish background in countries other then the German Reich? Were they just as eager as the Jewish Germans to fight for their country or were they less enthusiastic?

Is there a way to find out about my great grandfathers service that doesn’t involve paying?

How did the events of WWI affect the development of Soviet government and social policies?

Were field medical practices better/more humane in ww1 then say the U.S. civil war or were they still equally bad and horrifying by then?

I have a few questions.

• Can anyone recommend a good book on pilots/air combat stories etc of WW1?
• did soldiers on the ground ever use machine guns that were made for air combat? Such as the LMG 08 or Parabellum?
• Do we know for certain who killed the Red Baron?
• Which country lost the most people, percentage wise? Are there impacts to this day of those losses?
• was the 1911 actually a common handgun in the war or was there a different more popular handgun?

Thank you in advance!!

How deadly was "mustard gas", as in, what was the mortality precentage of those exposed to it? Also, what was the symptoms?

During the war how many school days did Canadian and American kids end up missing? Did life for kids in America just stay relatively normal except for a parent fighting overseas?

This may be a strange question. I've always wondered whether the average soldier felt as if he had a personal impact on the outcome of the war? This was such a massive and overwhelming war fueled by new technologies and we very often hear of soldiers feeling lost, overwhelmed or like lambs going to the slaugther.

I'm curious if we know of any soldiers who felt like they had a noticeable personal impact on the outcome of the war through personal actions or because of their wit and abilities as a soldier. Also, was this perception justified or not? I'm mostly thinking of those outside of positions of power and responsability.

At times I forget who even participated in the war. I know It is sad how little I know about The world wars and i was wondering if there is a good book that explains what happened, why it happened and when it happened while the book not being 1000 pages long?

To what extent were Indian and Caribbean/African soldiers involved in the fighting on various fronts?

Recently there has been an effort to recognise the contributions they made but the coverage sometimes seems a bit confusing in places. With, for example, figures placing the number of Indians in WW1 as very high (1 million+) but they don't seem to feature heavily in media from the time and the information about their involvement is a touch vague in places.

And to compound this, there has been some media (in particular one production of War Horse I recently saw) where a large percentage of men on the Western front are shown to be non-white.

Is this at all accurate? Would the average Brit or Frenchman on the Western Front have come into contact with these soldiers? Were mixed combat units a thing? Did they often take non-combat roles or were deployed in areas with less action?

At 10 AM on November 11, 1918, were officers still trying to capture the next hill? What did their troops do in response?

We always hear about the extreme numbers of deaths in WW1. Infantry getting mowed over like blades of grass. Are there any accounts of an infantry solider beginning the war and surviving till the end?

I just imagine whole regiments being filled with replacements by the end.

Within the context of European history - and especially in Italy - the Great War came around the time of the transition between the XIX century national ideas, that had developed during the process of national unification, and the "nationalism proper" of XX century. The war certainly played a role in the ways the old national ideas mixed with certain new themes of the so called "national radicalism".

Was there a similar impact of the war for non European nations, affecting the evolution or affirmation of national values and nationalist movements?

I saw a thing on the very reputable website (/s) Cracked.com that claimed the British dropped opium laced cigarettes by plane over the Ottoman troops who then smoked them and were soon after attacked.

They claimed the ottoman empire regularly air dropped cigarettes so this wouldn't have been weird. Any truth to this incident?

Does anyone know much about the US graves registration service? I'm trying to locate the burial sketches they did of battlefield graves. (The recently digitized collection at the national archives doesn't have what im after)

Hi! I'm going to ask something that's really bugging me for a long time. What happened in Southeast Asia during World War I and how does it affect the geopolitical landscape of the area? I used to live in Europe and just moved in the region for a month. Been reading up on the topic and couldn't find a more detailed account other than that the Great War give rise to nationalism in countries under colonial rule at the time. Thanks and have a nice day guys!

How did ten million civilians die? Civilians weren't explicitly targeted like the Nazis did during WW2, and bombing campaigns on cities weren't much of a thing. So 10 million men..how?

Was the intentional "meat grinder" model of the Battle of Verdun productive for the Germans? Should it have been replicated by them?

First of all, I'd like to express gratitude for this opportunity to ask.

My question concerns much more the initiation of the war, rather than its end. I have just watched a movie by the name of Sarajevo (it can be found on Netflix), concerning the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, and it seems to suggest the possibility of further conspiracies than the consensus tends to accept. I'm trying to find information about this right now but doesn't seem to be able to find much. Is attention given by historical researchers to the possibility that the assassination was instigated by the Central Powers, in order to have a practical excuse in starting the war? I'm aware that movies may have entertaining and artistic intentions rather than educational ones, but I'd like to hear some opinions, agreements, doubts and ideally facts.

I'd like to thank you for your time.

What was life like for British colonies? And what did Gandhi do to handle the war?

Looking up my family history recently I discovered a relative who died on a British trawler off the Kola Peninsula in August 1916 - the ship hit a mine laid by a German submarine and went down with all hands.

I gather that these trawlers were used as minesweepers and were clearing the approaches to Arkhangelsk, but can anyone either tell me or point me to where I can find out more about this aspect of the war?

Walk me through a typical day in the trenches for, say, the British Army on the Western Front...

How much Brazil participated in WW1?

What did the ends of the trenches look like? What stopped enemy forces just flanking your trenches and supply line?

The French Army famously had a series of near and outright mutinies following the Nivelle Offensive. As Russia descended into revolution its field armies also became increasingly difficult to control or responsive to orders.

As losses mounted, and domestic economies collapsed, and war weariness set in were there any similar events in the forces of the Central Powers, outside the German naval mutinies, specifically im wondering about land forces.

Found out my Great-Grandfather was a 'machine gunner' in the British Army.

I know that's very vague, but what would a daily routine have looked like for the average 'machine gunner' on the British line?

Were armored trains as dangerous as they are portrayed in games like Battlefield 1, and were they used extensively or rarely?

Why did only representatives from England, France and Germany attend peace talks in the railway carriage? Surely a deal between these 3 did not necessarily mean Russia, Austria-Hungary and Serbia had to stop fighting?

German submarine question: how often did German submarines operate off of the North American coast? My understanding is that there wasn't anything as coordinated as World War II's Operation Drumbeat, but was there any notable action in US/Canadian waters?

Why were attacks usually planned to occur at dawn? My gut and my fuzzy memory tell me it's to catch the other side off guard or something but at some point that doesn't work any more right... another answer here talks about how Standing To was about being prepared for dawn attacks so clearly that's when attacks were most expected (that answer inspired this question)

People teach that the great powers saw a large-scale conflict looming years before the outbreak of war, and saw it as inevitable, or even desirable. Is this true? Was it a significant factor in the onset of the war?

I have seen photographs of menus from Naval vessels from various time periods, and found them interesting.

Did the Royal Australian Navy or the British Royal Navy have regular meal times? What were those meals called?

Do you have a good source for photographs of menus or recipies from WWI Naval Vessels?

Did the guns literally fall silent on 11/11/11? As in, guns were firing across the Western front up to 10:59?

I know that returning America's dead from the war took several years and the original plan was to leave all dead in Europe. Can someone give the history of returning America's fallen soldiers?

Some posts mentioned 15 million casualties while other articles talk about 40 million. There really is a great difference between these numbers. Is there a reliable source to find out just about hoe many people died in the war? Well, roughly, not exactly ofc.

How did the Allies react to Russia’s withdrawal from the war? Surely they had seen it coming but were they concerned with the collapse of the Eastern Front?

how essential was air superiority if at all compared to later wars

How much of an impact did the Americans have on the war?

How did the end of WWI impact the formation of individual countries in the Middle East? Why are some oil rich nations tiny and poorer countries huge in that region? Was oil already surveyed before the nation boarders were drawn?

How often was smoke deployed, with the intent of advancing? I have seen footage of it, but, wondering if it was common.

Are lasting effects of WWI allowed here?

If so:

We know that Germany and Italy had a lot of Fascist support from how they were affected during WWI and because of WWI veterans. Were there any fascist/nationalist movements in other nations like France after WWI?

If not:

What would the average soldier eat? I know that some troops would go pillage any abandon farm they found (from reading All Quiet on the Western Front), but what would they eat on a daily basis?

Is it true that the last casaulty was an American at 10:59 changing a German machine gun nest in order to try to recover honor?

I ran across an intriguing lecture in England that was put online a few years back in which the scholar proposed that it was the engineers who won the war for the Allies. That , until it was possible to get an attacking Allied unit more reinforcements and matériel they would always be dislodged by a counter-attack, because the Germans would have the advantage of internal lines. As is the way of such things, I have never found the video again. Anyone know who it might be who has advanced this proposition? In some ways it seems like a common sense for-want-of-a-nail argument, but it would be nice to have a reference.

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How bad was Gallipoli for the British and the Commonwealth? I keep seeing people that say things that range from it was just one of many losses to it was terrible and crippling for the British and the Russians who were meant to benefit from the new trade route to supply the White Army.

I have a great great uncle who fought in WW1 one the French front. He was from the US and was with the combat engineers, so, my question is, what exactly is a combat engineer? And what did that entail. Thanks :)

By the early 1920s, the British Empire reached its peak in terms of the amount of geographical territory it covered, and the number of people living within that territory. Some of the increase that led to this point was a result of the settlements that came out of the Great War.

To what extent did expansion and consolidation of imperial holdings play a motivating factor in the decisions of British leaders to wage this war, and the manner in which they went about it?

Was resistance against expansionist Triple Alliance nationalism an official justification for war in Britain at the time and, if so, how was this squared (publicly and privately) with Britain's own imperialist ambitions?

During the Christmas truce of 1914 when the soldiers from both ends met, how were they able to communicate? Were English, French, or German a prevalent enough language to use one or two of them?

How significant was the South East Asian presence and contribution to the war effort?

By record, who is said to be the first casualty of the war?

I'm sure this has been asked but I was wondering that giving how the war started due to dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia and how it was so well reported in the news why then was Germany made to take the blame and responsibility for starting the war when for all intense and puropeses they were just aiding an allied empire.

How did the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand go down? My world and US history teachers both had a different story on it, same as the textbooks. So what is the true story? How many people were involved? How was he killed? How did the killer, kill or attempt to kill himself? Was there a line up of assassins ready to kill him if the guy in front of him chickened out?

So, here's my question -- where is WWI research these days? A few years back I was doing a Directed Readings course on the origins of World War I and the amount of material was absolutely staggering. It felt as though every topic you could think of had a library or so devoted to it. Thus I'm curious, what are the hot and interesting topics in World War I research today? What are the most interesting questions or debates yet to be resolved?

Why did the Ottomans join the war?

Was fair/unfair was the treaty of St.Germain towards Austria -especially the loss of territory? They seems to have gotten the worst deal

Was there a baby boom after WW1 like there was after WW2? Why/why not?

What were the biggest advancements in armament and defence during the period of the war?

How did payment work during the war? What were pay rates like and how comluld the money be spent.

If you have any information what would it have been like in Burma and India during the second World War? Both of my grandfathers were there in ww2. My maternal grandfather was in Burma in the Royal horse artillery as a sergeant major and my paternal grandfather was in India in the military police.

I have a question about music.

As an American I’ve heard the classic tune of “Over There” and I have recently come across the tune “Hanging on the old barbed wire.”

I’m curious to know what kind of songs other countries would have been listening to at that time?

Thanks!

Did trench warfare begin and end with WWI?

While watching Dunkirk I was struck by how similar, aesthetically, it looked to WWI -- the planes especially. It hammered home for me how close in time they were.

Why were the warfare techniques so different? In WWII I think of everything taking place in cities, with more bombardments. Is that accurate, and distinct from WWI? Why?

How were horses treated in the army during the war? How many died?

If at all, how did countries that became independent from the Russian empire after the war contribute to the Russian war effort? were there Estonian/Latvian/Lithuanian batallions, or was everyone spread out and mixed in the Russian forces?

Two Questions:

https://imgur.com/a/vwSCeMQ

Does anybody know where this is? (Its in France or Belgium because of the french sign and it is in a church or something similar)

What color were these German (Prussian) Uniforms back then? Could somebody provide me an example.

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I have two relatives that served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force - the first was drafted in the 27th Railway Construction Draft, and then assigned to the 13th Battalion of the Canadian Railway Troops. The second was a gunner in the 1st Heavy Battery until he contracted trench foot in December of 1916, and spent the rest of the war as an invalid.

Where can I find out more about the battalions they served in, and what those battalions did during the war? I've read both their personnel files on Archive Canada, but I haven't really delved into the war diaries for their battalions (and I have a hard time parsing cursive).

I'm interested in what the 1st Heavy Battery did while my relative was with them - his file only says he spent "23 months in France", but would he have participated in any of the major battles of the war?

I often hear that one of the reasons for the Second reich to sign the peace was that the population was starving.

How can that be possible? I mean, after the Brest-Litovsk peace agreement they had access to the Ukrainian wheat, was that not enough?

If Austria-Hungary would have agreed to let the Italy have Albania and therefore Italy enter war with Central empires, would that situation have been different?

Thanks in advance!

I saw an ad for a documentary where they colorized some WWI footage (google says its "they shall not grow old"). is it worth checking out content wise? or is there other better documentaries to look into?

I am looking to better understand China's and Japan's relationship towards WW1, their modern view of their involvement, and how their view has changed over time. China sent a large non-combat force to the Entente alliance during the war and that Japan was in the war from the start and was one of the five major powers at the table during the Paris Peace Conference.

There are stories of men who, after the armistice entered into effect at 11:00, entered no mans land and celebrated with their former enemies. Is this true? How common was it ?

Just a question, did they sign the treaty at 11:11? Cuz the date is 11/11 and idk if they did it becayse of that

Aside from the war itself, what was the most significant consequence of WWI?

How the dynamic nature of eastern front affected fate of the wounded?

How did the war between Italy and the Austria-Hungary affect the people living in modern-day Slovenia/near the front?

I know there were a series of events and factors that all contributed to the start of WWI.

What would need to have happened (or not happen) for there to be no war? I know it would most likely be a series of things as well.

In WWII there was Wojtek the polish bear who has a remarkable story, in WWI was there any animals that had a remarkable story ?

As many then British colonies joined the war. Recruitment from those countries were voluntary?

Did any south American county joined the war? If not, what was their perception of the war?

How extensively were flamethrowers used on all fronts throughout the war?

Which allied nation lost the most soldiers per capita? Further, which allied town lost the most soldiers per capita?

How much impact did the Chinese labour corp have on the Entent war effort?

What motivated the common American, Canadian, Australian WW1 soldiers to fight? Of course every individual has his own reasons but was there a common theme / thread?

People nowadays love to tour the ol' "they died for our freedom BS" but I find it hard to believe that that's the reason the majority fought.

Like . It's not like they thought the Kaiser would take over the world a la WW 2... Right ?

If the Germans had won the war, what would their plans most likely have been for the defeated countries?

It strikes me that so much loss of life occurred because the higher ranks of officers in Britain were chosen not by merits but because one was a gentleman. Reading Decline and fall of the British Empire and the number of capable military men throughout the Empire's history who were never able to rise to the top because of their class, makes me wonder how long it took for Britain and its military to stop putting the proverbial upper class twit at the head of things.

If you grant me that this is the case on the British side how prevalent was it on the German side?

I have seen references to the extremely high rate of horse deaths in WWI.

Were enough horses killed during the war to have any significant impact on the recovery of agriculture, transportation, or industry after the war? Was the gene stock of European horses significantly changed after the way? Were any breeds or horses lost because of war-related deaths?

Demographics:

To what extent were entire populations of young men wiped out? How truthful are the figures that I've read citing that 50% of Frances male population (ages 18-30) were casualties?

What effects did the loss of so many men have on future birthrates and the societies?

Which weapon was responsible for the most fatalities in WWI? And to what extent did spies have a role in the war?

My great grandfather was a Romanian Jew conscripted to fight by the Austrians. Did Austria Hungary conscript minorities from Romania because they were more likely to fight against Christian Romanians? Was this common?

As described in Hemingway's "A farewell to arms" did the Italians really execute retreating officers? And what proof is there of decimation in WW1?

Did foreigners experience discrimination? E.g. germans in the uk

How quickly did news of the armistice spread? Were there any battles that continued / were halted because the news did or didn't reach them in time?

How long would a soldier spend on the front? As well as what was the most common form of casualties

There is a popular idea that Germany’s “Rape of Belgium” was mostly propaganda. How much were the atrocities really exaggerated?

We mark the Armistice day as the Eleventh hour of the Eleventh day of the Eleventh month. My question is twofold.. First, how did this moment become chosen? Second, was the fighting simply continued out of habit and the guns kept firing until the "official" moment, or was it a surprise to the men on the front lines?

Why did Britain and Russia just decide to stop hating each other over Afghanistan and become allies? Was it just because they had to so they could stand up against Germany and its allies?

Was Lenin right in stating that World War I was a purely Imperialist War?

What was Mexico doing during WWI?

Is there a good sense of what happened to German and Austro-Hungarian units in Belorussia and Ukraine after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk? German forces notably stuck around the Baltic area well into the Russian Civil War, but south of there they just...disappear?

Can someone explain like I’m 5 the story of the goeben and the breslau.

Was "family drama" over the Archdukes assassination really the primary cause for this War?

How quickly did news make it to households across the Atlantic about the war? In WWII, obviously the radio had made its way into every household and there were frequent updates daily on how things were going in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The radio, to my understanding, wasn’t in every single household during WWI. People still mainly relied on newspapers for their daily news. And even those who did have radios, I’m admittedly ignorant on how the transmissions worked and if they could reach across the Atlantic quickly at that time. So I guess, simply put, my question is how long would it take someone living in the US to get updates on what was going on in Europe? Did they only get major updates and not frequent ones? This question can go for European households as well, but I’m assuming they still found out quickly due to the closer proximity.

What is the most interesting fact or story do you know about your specific areas of expertise that you want to share but no one has asked the right question?

Two questions

1. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 which officially ended the war between the allies and Germany. I have a piece of trench art that has the date 1914-1919 on it. I've also seen 1919 referred to as the end of the war a couple times in really old (c. 1920s) magazines. When did the American public change their view when the war ended? Or were these earlier references to 1919 being the end more of a uncommon opinion (for lack of a better word)?

2. A lot of soldiers died between 5am and 11am on November 11, 1918. Did any commanding officer receive any questioning about this? It seems like a pointless loss of lives. What was the general population's view when they discovered lives were lost in those hours?

How did germany last all those years, almost take paris twice and have to carry austria hungary as one one country with only a few big allies

Any book recommendations for what happened in Africa during ww1? With all the colonialism and such I can't help but feel like there is an entire chain of effects I don't know about.

Please respond to this comment if you have any questions, comments or feedback regarding this thread itself. Please post questions about World War One as top-level responses.

How justified is the Italian claim of mutilated victory?

Who had the better rations the Germans or the brits?

Why didn't the Germans just bomb, or shell with artillery, the 'Sacred Road' that supplied Verdun?

The armistice took effect at 11am Paris time. What was going on between midnight and 10:59am on this final day?

What happened to many of the migrants throughout the war who cane to Britain or France? How were they treated and what were the respective governments policies towards them? Did it vary according to where they were coming from/ going to?

This might be a bit to specific but how did american's choose who was given shotguns? Was it simply just asking who had been dove hunting before or was there a qualification test and the best shots where given them. Additionally how did the shotgun play into american tactics?

Did Allied forces send men through No Man's Land in the interval between the signing of the Armistice and the actual commencement of the same? Today's Sunday ARLO AND JANIS comic strip references this. If so, what countries' command required this? Did the perpetrators ever face any consequences for it?

Most people know that the scale of the war was due to a web of alliances and treaties. Were there any conflicting defensive agreements where a country had cause to join either side, and if so, how were they resolved?

I heard Russia annoyed they weren’t invited to the peace talks. Why were they annoyed, they were out by this point right?

In The Pity of War by Niall Ferguson, it is argued that we ended up with what the Germans end goal in modern times with their dominance in the European Union. Would the World be a better place, and could we have avoided World War 2 if Germany had been successful?

What would soldiers do if an attack was stalled or halted how would they get back to the their side?

What would happen in war if you were too afraid to fight. Would you get in trouble? Would you just hide or act injured ?

What was life like in German-occupied France during WWI? We are all familiar with the popular image of Occupied France during WWII, but it seems the situation in WWI is overlooked. Was there a Resistance to the German occupation of Northeast France?

How important was John Monash in how the war turned out and how we progressed from it?

How many soldiers came back with shell shock? Actually, how many soldiers came back at all? How does one survive in an environment of constant artillery fire and bullet hell?

Why is Germany blamed for WWI when it seems like there are many complex pieces in play?

how was christmas celebrated in the trenches?

Towards the end of WWI how many people were issued non bolt action firearms in the different nation's militaries? Which types were the most common? And which nation's had the most diversity in their issuing of firearms?

Why was the Ottoman Empire split?

Family folklore has it that my great-grandfather was a commander on a German U-Boat during WW1. Is there any way to verify this?

I looked a few years ago, and most of the German WW1 records were burned/lost during WW2. Found some German based companies willing to do the research, but wanted an upfront fee with no guarantees that they will provide a result

EDIT: wording

Does anyone know of any books detailing the Central Powers' use of pigeons to deliver messages during the war?

As I understand it, part of the reason the Russians suffered such a higher casualty rate is due to a physical lack of guns. If it was obvious that the other powers in Europe where building up their respective militaries before the war started, why did the Russians not do the same?

On November 11, 1918, did the soldiers in the trenches go into no mans land and shake hands or play soccer with the enemy soldiers like they did on the Christmas truce?

What are some key battles fought outside Europe and the Americas?

I am interested in the life of Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (I've read several bios including Ray Monk's). I am particularly interested in his wartime experiences and am looking for recommendations for books that might give more detail about the battles he was in and the conditions underwhich he fought. Here is the wikipedia excepet summarizing his activity in WW1. Any suggestions for further reading would be greatly appreciated:

On the outbreak of World War I, Wittgenstein immediately volunteered for the Austro-Hungarian Army, despite being eligible for a medical exemption.[132][133] He served first on a ship and then in an artillery workshop 'several miles from the action'.[134] He was wounded in an accidental explosion, and hospitalised to Kraków.[135] In March 1916, he was posted to a fighting unit on the front line of the Russian front, as part of the Austrian 7th Army, where his unit was involved in some of the heaviest fighting, defending against the Brusilov Offensive.[136] Wittgenstein directed the fire of his own artillery from an observation post in no-man's land against Allied troops – one of the most dangerous jobs there was, since he was targeted by enemy fire.[137] In action against British troops, he was decorated with the Military Merit with Swords on the Ribbon, and was commended by the army for "His exceptionally courageous behaviour, calmness, sang-froid, and heroism," that "won the total admiration of the troops."[138] In January 1917, he was sent as a member of a howitzer regiment to the Russian front, where he won several more medals for bravery including the Silver Medal for Valour, First Class.[139] In 1918, he was promoted to lieutenant and sent to the Italian front as part of an artillery regiment. For his part in the final Austrian offensive of June 1918, he was recommended for the Gold Medal for Valour, one of the highest honours in the Austrian army, but was instead awarded the Band of the Military Service Medal with Swords — it being decided that this particular action, although extraordinarily brave, had been insufficiently consequential to merit the highest honour.[140]

What was it that made the first world war unique? Take that question as you will.

What impacts did the first world war have on The second?

World War I is sometimes referred to as the war to end all wars.

Did people, either general population or political leaders, believe that there would not be any further war? was this a common belief?

How truthful was the claim of mutilated victory by the Italian people?

Why are WW2 anniversary somber while WW2 is more celebrated?

Was there another fighting force that compared to the Canadians, or were they indisputably the best in the world?

I am a young fine 20 year old man from the Appalachia in Germany once war ended. What are the chances of me bringing a German gal back home?

How often did this happen?

Did Americans do this through out Europe?

Did the French also do this or the british?