The First World War has been described as catastrophic and transformational.  Millions of people across Europe were caught up with ‘war fever’ and even some pre-war pacifists joined the nationalist rally for recruits.  It was seen at the time as a just war and there was a common belief that the war would be short and the troops would be ‘home for Christmas’.  However, the war was to last 4 years and cost the lives of at least 10 million people. 

The First World War was a global war, not only in terms of those who fought with the British Empire, French Empire and Ottoman Empire but also geographically.  In this depth study unit we will look at why the war lasted so long, why a stalemate developed on the western front, the significance of other fronts and why Germany ultimately sought an armistice in 1918.