World War 1

Rupert Brooke Born in England in 1887 Became well-known for his patriotic poetry during World War 1. His poem “The Soldier” was read from the pulpit of St Paul's Cathedral on Easter Sunday 1915. Died of sepsis which developed from an infected mosquito bite on April 23, 1915. He was aboard a French hospital ship in the Mediterranean and was buried in Greece.

The British Empire At the height of its power, the British Empire was the largest empire the world has ever seen. “The sun never sets on the British Empire.” – double meaning of never ending but also because it spanned the globe. The British Empire allowed the people in England to live more comfortably than they would have otherwise. Some advantages were: It provided them with goods and produce that they did not have. It gave them an economic advantage over the other European countries. It gave them a technological advantage (introduced to non-European technology). It gave them the strongest navy in the world. Therefore, there was great pride in England and in being English.

The two sides Allies – Great Britain and her colonies (Canada, Australia etc.), France, and Russia The Central Powers – The German Empire and The Austro-Hungarian Empire

In the first months of the war The world found itself in a conflict the size of which it had never seen. More men died from July – December 1914 than died in the remaining years of the war. Everyone thought it would be over in a matter of months, but it lasted for 4 years.

World War I Numbers The largest conflict the world has ever seen, to date. More than 15 million people died. Soldiers accounted for 9 million of these deaths. More than 21 million other soldiers were injured. Over one-third of all men born in Britain between 1892 and 1895 were killed during the war. 11% of the total French population and 9% of the total German population died.

Why Was it So Deadly? 1. Due to trench warfare, soldiers were in constant danger. 2. It was the first was fought with 20th century technology (planes, bombs, tanks, poisonous gas etc.) Problem – the leaders continued fighting in the same was as in the 19th century despite the enormous advances in technology. Result – many men would die in short time period during battles. For example, on July 1, 1916, 58,000 British soldiers died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. There were not even 58,000 soldiers in the American Army at that time! The Battle of the Somme went on for 141 days. In the end, the Allies pushed the Germans back 7 miles. However, more than a million soldiers died in the battle.

Shell Shock By December 1914, 10% of the British troops had been treated for shell shock (PTSD). More than 40% of the soldiers wounded at the Battle of the Somme suffered from shell shock. By 1928, 65,000 British veterans had been treated for shell shock. Veterans in France were treated for it up until the 1960s. Soldiers suffering from shell shock were often charged with mutiny and cowardice. Some were executed.

Wilfred Owen Born in England in 1893. Enlisted in October 1915. Wrote “Anthem for Doomed Youth” 1917, while being treated for shell shock in a Scottish hospital. Died in action on November 4, 1918, seven days before the war ended. News of his death reached his parents the day that peace was declared.