War Starts… Started on July 28, 1914 Map of Europe would greatly changed.

Reasons for start of war… Extreme nationalism – pride in country Imperialism Militarism – building up military Alliance system - KEY REASON European powers formed rival alliances to protect themselves PROBLEM? One event could drag all countries involved into a conflict.

The spark that lit the fuse…. The one event that started the Great War happened in the Balkans. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria) was assassinated while visiting Serbia. The Black Hand was responsible….

Battle of Verdun the longest and one of the bloodiest engagements of World War I. February 1916 – December 1916 Two million men were engaged. The intention of the Germans had been a battle of attrition in which they hoped to bleed the French army white. In the end, they sustained almost as many casualties as the French; an estimated 328,000 to the French 348,000.

Major U.S. Operations in France, 1918

Figure 31.1: Approximate Comparative Losses in World War I

*** Russia the most = 1.7 million Almost 22,000,000 wounded….. War Ends Ended on November 11, 1918 Almost 8,000,000 dead. *** Russia the most = 1.7 million Almost 22,000,000 wounded…..