The War to End War

With military pressure mounting, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand set off the powder keg of Europe and began the worst military slaughter in history, the Great War.

The commanders of the German and French armies believed that the opening encounters of World War I would decide its fate.

The Battle of the Frontiers had been a catastrophe for France, and by the end of August the situation for the Allies was critical.

The most extensively used, most devastating, and by far the most important weapon in the Great War was artillery.

The Great War saw the world’s first use of military aviation. Initially, planes were used for reconnaissance over the trenches during the stalemate on the Western front.

With the Allies suffering from their inexperience and low morale, German General Erich von Falkanhayn believed that if dealt enough damage the French would be forced to surrender.