World War I

If whenever you ask most people, 'Tell me about World War 2' or 'Who was the leader of the Axis in World War 2' you will nearly always get a reply along the lines of: Hitler, Germany vs. England, Nazis, Anti - Jew etc. However if you ask the same for World War 1 you usually get the answer '?!' (this was tested) I had been starting to think, 'Was there really a World War 1?' But then I got my books, my notepad and my pen and I got the real facts. So here they are...

No-one wanted a war, especially not against Germany. At the time Germany was among the most highly populated countries, industry was booming and the money was rolling in. It was also one of the best equipped countries for weaponary, army and overall military strength. A deadly rival.

Many countries were joined by treaties of freindship. In Europe, Germany refused to reknew its treaty with Russia. But continued its Alliance with Austria and Italy. Russia started a treaty with France. Britain, which had been neutral for a while, did likewise, thus leaving Europe in two political and military groups.

The patiance had been tested several times between the groups but when an Austrian Archduke Ferdenand was assasinated, by a Serbian, the patience broke, and was sliced into tiny little peices, never to be seen until over 5 years.

Austria declared war on Serbia. Germany did also, to keep the treaty. Russia moved in to defend Serbia, declaring war on Germany and Austria. Germany and Austria declared war on Russia, and knowing France would help Russia, declared war on France. France and, soon after, Britain declared war on Germany and Austria. Germany and Austria then declared war on Britain.

The Germans made the first move. Sending troops through neutral Belgium, around the French front, the Germans hoped to get the French front, the Germans hoped to get into the French weak spot. However, Belgium resisted and the Germans had to go just round the Front. The two sides, the French/British and the Germans met and started the first 'Trench Wars', wars that would last four more years. Russia then attacked Germany leaving Germany with two fronts. Russia, however, were not well equipped, and were beaten many times but the Western Front (England/France) held their ground, but yet made no progress. The Germans started to use their submarines to sink supply ships from America to Britain. This was their biggest mistake. The U.S. then declared war on Germany and, of course, vice - versa.

The war ended in 1918. 1919 proved the end of the war by the Treaty of Versailles. The war had been the worst of its time, with the highest death rate. Since then was another greater war, World War 2....

By the way, to answer the question, who did lead the Germans through the First World War, it was a man and ruler named Wilhiem (the 2^nd), the leader of the Social Democratic Party.

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