research questions about wwi

165 World War 1 Topics for Essays with Examples

Looking for good World War 1 topics to write about? This area of study is exciting, controversial, and worth analysing!

• 🔝 Top 10 WW1 Topics to Write about
• 📝 WW1 Essay: How to Write
• 🏆 Best WW1 Essay Topics & Examples

💡 Good Essay Topics on WW1

• 🔎 Interesting Topics to Write about WW1
• ⭐ WW1 Research Topics
• 📃 Simple & Easy WW1 Essay Titles
• ❓ WW1 Essay Questions

In your WW1 essay, you might want to focus on the causes of the conflict, its participants, or answer the question of who started the First World War. In this article, we’ve gathered 139 WW1 ideas that you can use in any project, presentation, or even debate. There are also great World War 1 essay examples to inspire you even more.

🔝 Top 10 World War 1 Topics to Write about

• Causes of World War I
• Political and military alliances before the WWI
• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the starting point of WW1
• Naval warfare of World War I
• Ottoman Empire in World War 1
• The role of technology in World War 1
• The use of chemical weapons in WWI
• The most cruel war crimes of WW1
• Armenian genocide as a part of World War 1
• The effects and consequences of WW1

📝 World War 1 Essay: How to Write

With over 60 million people mobilized and involving countries all around the world, any World War 1 Essay is bound to touch upon a wide variety of topics.

The mechanics behind the start of the war, its process, and results all interconnect, which may make the subject seem hard to understand and harder to outline.

However, navigating your way around World War 1 essay questions is only a matter of taking note of a few cornerstone historical processes.

Before You Start Your Outline

Do some research on your assigned issue. The more books and journals you peruse, the more aware of your subject you will be. You will not use all of them, but you will form an understanding of which titles your essay needs.

As you continue your research, start compiling your bibliography, which will be the backbone of your essay’s credibility. World War 1 is a highly historiographical event, and you will be sure to find a wide variety of literature on it on the internet.

Write down some essential terms and think about how they relate to your essay. Imperialism, nationalism, the Versailles treaty are good starter examples of omnipresent processes and results of World War 1. Doing so may help you give your essay a new, previously explored perspective.

Structuring your Thoughts into an Essay Outline

After you have finished with your sources and key terms, think about how you can split your main theme into subtopics.

Even if your essay is a single page, doing so will allow you to divide your ideas evenly between paragraphs. If it is on the longer side, think about including subheadings in your work.

This action gives your essay a more rigid structure that is easy to read. Additionally, now is the time to think about your essay’s title. World War 1 essay titles should reflect your stance as the writer and hint at the conclusion that you will draw.

You may feel like your outlined subheadings are overlapping, making your essay seem messy. In this case, find and read a World War 1 essay sample. Plagiarism is a severe academic offense, but getting inspired by someone else’s work, while giving credit, is not.

Beginning to Write

You should try to start your essay with something that attracts the attention of your readers. This World War 1 essay hook can be a fact or an intriguing explanation of a process central to your topic. Then, in this paragraph:

• Give your readers a brief overview of the events that are relevant to your essay;
• Hint at your intent, explain your methods and make your point of view clear;
• Make sure your readers are aware of what problems you will touch upon;
• Create a working thesis statement that will be your guideline throughout your work.

Each paragraph you include should link back to your thesis statement. Always be sure to ask yourself when writing:

• Does this further my argument?
• Can my facts be used against me? How can I fix that?
• Is there a different perspective on this issue?
• Could I remove this without hurting the quality of my essay?
• Is my structure reflective of the problem it is covering? What can I do better?

Remember that a good structure reflects the amount of effort you put into your work. Need a sample to get inspired? Head over to IvyPanda!

🏆 Best World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples

• First World War: Causes and Effects This later led to the entry of countries allied to Serbia into the war so as to protect their partners. In conclusion, the First World War led to the loss of many lives.
• Positive and Negative Effects of WW1 on Canada Nonetheless, the war led to great negative impacts such as loss of lives, economic downtrend, and the generation of tensions involving the Francophones and Anglophones who disagreed after the emergence of the notion of conscription.
• Effects of the Industrial Revolution in Relation to World War I During the last period of the 19th century all the way to the early 20th century, Europe and America experienced revolutions in communication, transportation and weapons which were very crucial particularly in the manner in […]
• World War I Technology Although the question of the origins of the Great War is highly debated, and although this war is considered by many as the beginning of a new stage in history and the real starting point […]
• World War 1 Origins (How and Why the War Started) William Anthony Hay claims that according to McMeekin, a tutor of international relations, “The war’s real catalyst lay in Russia’s ambition to supplant the waning Ottoman Empire in the Near East and to control the […]
• The Aftermath of World War I for Germany In spite of the fact that Germany was one of the most powerful European states before the war’s start in 1914, World War I led to the political, economic, and social decline in the country […]
• American Dream After World War I People lost vision of what this dream was supposed to mean and it became a dream, not of the vestal and industrious, but of the corrupt coterie, hence corrupting the dream itself.
• Total War of World War I The paper will demonstrate that the First World War was a total war since it bore most the hallmark characteristics of the total war including unlimited warfare, prioritization of armament efforts, involvement of the civilian […]
• The Causes and Effects of World War I To this end, the Commission on the Responsibility of the Authors of the War and the Enforcement of Penalties met in Paris in 1919. It is impossible to name a single reason for the initiation […]
• Ernest Hemingway’s Personality and His Reflections on WWI The events of World War I and Hemmingway’s personal experiences seemed to have an impact on his writings as he sought to establish himself alongside great writers in the Lost Generation, thus portraying his sensitivity.
• Economic Causes of World War I As of 1860, the American South was generating 75% of the world’s cotton due to the institution of slavery on the part of its wealthy farmers.
• Aboriginal Soldiers in the World War I and II Additionally, the paper will argue that the role and experiences of Aboriginal soldiers and the manner in which they have been overshadowed by other significant events in Australian history.
• The First World War and the Russian Revolution Scholars argue that Russia’s involvement in the First World War and the economic consequences are the primary causes of the revolution.
• The Causes of the First World War In his description of the war, it is clear that Europe played a key role towards the formation of the war alliances.
• Causes of WWI and WWII: Comparing and Contrasting In the following paper, Kenneth Waltz’s levels of analysis will be used for the comparison and contrast of causes of WWI and WWII. The second similarity refers to the distribution of power and the division […]
• The Progressive Movement and the American Entry Into World War I The motivations of the progressive movement were complex and varied, but they all sought to improve the lives of the people of the United States.
• World War I as the Catastrophe of the 20th Century There were increased cataclysms in Europe over time; for instance, the war laid a foundation for the rise of Hitler and increased the influence of the Nazism ideology.
• World War I: American Policy of Neutrality Even though the people of America were shocked and firmly against involvement in the war, the US president thought of the crisis as a turning point that could significantly change America’s place in the world.
• The Role of Canada in World War I The beginning of the war was marked by great losses in the field and in the economy of the state. By the war’s end, Canada had shown itself as a great power, which allowed the […]
• America’s Progressive Era and World War I This paper will outline the events leading to America’s entrance into the war, the obstacles faced by the U.S.military, and the role of American women and minorities.
• The Entry of the United States Into World War I The United States is believed to have entered the war after sinking the American liner Lusitania by a German submarine in 1915. Due to the competent actions of President W.
• Role the United States of America in the World War I The main result of the battle was the victory of the Entente and the collapse of the four largest empires: the Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and German.
• Impact of World War I on the American Army Some of the major strategies include the use of airplanes in the field of battle, employing armored vehicles, and electronic communication.
• America’s Involvement in World War I The issues that led to America’s involvement in this were the German’s resumption of unexpected submarine attacks and the Zimmerman telegram.
• The United States Priorities Following World War I Gentile, Linick, and Shurkin single out four important periods in the evolution of the US army: Constitutional moorings and the 19th century, the Spanish-American War to Total War, and the Korean War to Total Force […]
• Biggest Influence on the US Involvement in World War I Although a combination of factors including trade alliances and the interception of the Zimmerman note encouraged the decision to join the fray, Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare was the biggest reason for the US involvement.
• Nationalism in Europe Before WWI This movement was the result of effective propaganda and an aggressive policy aimed at the redistribution of territories and the seizure of power.
• Factors Leading to the Termination of World War I However, the deliberate humiliation of the German leadership at the hand of the Allied forces perpetrated through the signing of the “war guilt clause” indicates that the reason for the Allied forces was not solely […]
• World War I Causes by Ethnic Problems in Austro-Hungary The presence of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in the said maneuvers was the perfect opportunity. After the capture of Gavrilo Princip it was time for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to react and teach the […]
• America Changes After World War I Among the various changes underwent by America during their recovery period in the 1920s were changes in culture, economy as well as in the workforce.
• America in World War I One of the events that led America into the First World War was when a liner belonging to the British was sunk by the U-boat belonging to Germans.
• Treaty of Versailles History: The Pact of Peace After WWI The differences among the winners of the war, later on, led to the emergence of more conflicts simply because Germany was not fully weakened; it is believed that the conflicts between these nations were the […]
• The Wars Between 1815 and WWI in Europe Tsar Nicholas moved into Moldavia and Wallachia and secret accords with the Austrian and British governments for the disposition of the Ottoman empire were formulated in 1844 in London.
• Great Depression of Canada and Conscription During World War I in Canada Due to the depression in the United States, the people across the border were not able to buy the wheat produced and cultivated in Canada and as a result, the exports declined.
• Anti-War Movement DADA Vs. Propaganda Posters of WWI In relation to the causes of the WWI, these can considered as pertinent specifically on the basis that the reasons can be related to the type of society that is present during the said era.
• Leadership in the World War I Environment Military leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation and the basic responsibilities of a leader are the accomplishments of the mission and the welfare of […]
• Imperialist Global Order After World War I Thus, the general trend of the after-war years was the dismantling of multiethnic empires and the establishment of new nation-states. However, World War I also created new challenges to the existing hierarchies of wealth and […]
• Soccer Influence on Sociopolitical Aspects of WWI During this period, many footballers and athletes were tempted or encouraged to join the militaries of their respective countries and become part of the ongoing war.
• Idealist Philosophy After World War I Although I disagree with the philosophy of idealism, it is a fact that it managed to create a better world following the events of World War I.
• World War I and Battle of Vimy Ridge for Canadians If the authors of the required readings gathered for a discussion of the First World War and Vimy Ridge, they would be likely to agree and disagree with one another on some points.
• Aftermath of the WWI The source concludes that the provisions of the treaty were unfavorable to the government and the people of Germany, something that forced the country’s leaders to respond with militarization of the state.
• Trucial States’ History From World War I to the 1960s During the decline of the pearling industry, the British were highly vigilant to sustain the existing regional trend of alienation amongst leaders and the people.
• World War I and Its Aftermath In 1930, Hitler’s ambitions and the rise of Nazism was boosted by president’s declaration that the state was to be ruled autocratically.
• American Experiences in World War I: Radio Broadcast There was a heated debate in the American society concerning the county’s involvement in the Great War, and President Wilson was heavily criticized not only for the fact of entering the war but also for […]
• World War I and the 1920s In this case, American citizens went from industry workers and soldiers during the World War I to the explorers, who discover different forms of entertainment in the 1920s because of stabilization of the politics in […]
• World War I, Its Origin and Allies Many researchers consider the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in June 1914 in Sarajevo to be the reason for the start of World War I.
• The Progressive Era and World War I To achieve the intended goals, many progressives began by exposing the major evils and challenges that were affecting the United States towards the end of the 19th century.
• France Before World War I and After World War II To overcome the negative consequences of the Franco-Prussian War, France needed to focus on new perspectives for the state’s economic and political development, and such an approach could provide the state with the necessary resources […]
• Pozieres Battle in World War I on Western Front The battle for the village of Pozieres was one of the deadliest and most remarkable for the Australian troops which took part in the First World War.
• Life of Soldiers During the World War I In this paper, we are going to discuss how the World War I affected live of people and what was the life of soldiers and civilians serving and living on the frontlines.
• Native Americans Role in World War I Most of the students who went to schools away from the reserves came to the realization that they were, ‘first Americans and then indians second.’3 The schools also taught patriotic songs as well as observation […]
• American History From Reconstruction to World War I However, despite the popular opinion of the individual initiative of the first settlers, the federal government played a great role in facilitating the settlement of the West.
• From World War One to Globalization Even though the First World War shook Europe to the core, the combination of the first and the Second World War created a three world order, modeled along three rival political affiliations.
• How the Federal Bureaucracy Expanded During WWI? The role of the bureaucracy was expansive during the war since the state was expected to provide many services to the citizens, something that led to the formulation of stronger rules and regulations to guide […]
• The Expansion of Federal Bureaucracy During WWI With these, a number of government agencies were created during the WWI particularly when it emerged that there was a need to regulate or control industrial sector as well as the call for the US […]
• Federal Government Expansion During World War I The period between 1914 and 1918 was marked by the increased role of the federal government in the United States and the dramatic expansion of its bureaucracies.

🔎 Interesting Topics to Write about World War 1

• Role of Civilian Population in World War I Not only did the war encouraged people to join their forces in order to fight the enemy, but also affected their perception of the state’s key political processes raising political engagement rates among population, WWI […]
• Eastman Kodak Company and Fujifilm The Eastman Kodak Company has been focusing on photography and has currently added the use of technology in combining images and information in order to alter the ways through which businesses and people communicate.
• WWI: Germany’s Secret Gambles The “interception of the German arms shipment by the Royal Navy” led to the quick suppression of the Eastern uprising and execution of key leaders of the Irish Republicans.
• The Second Battlefield: Women, Modernism, and the First World War The first theme is the connection of writings of women on the subject of the First World War and the modernism theoretical constructs.
• The Book “The First World War” by John Keegan However, the emergence of the bill of the right to people’s life across the globe is owed to the occurrence of the First and the Second World War.
• Watching the World Fall Apart: A Post-WWI Vision of the World in the Works of Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and George Grosz While it is quite understandable that at the current stage of the development of humankind, some conflicts still have to be resolved with the use of coercive methods, war as a massive homicide still remains […]
• Ernist Junger’s World War I Experiences When the Storm of Steel was published, it became a favorite in Germany since it adored the greatness of war and the huge sacrifices made by the Germany warriors to end the war victoriously.
• World War I Technological Advancements World War I saw the application of several new technologies to the battlefield, the most important being that of the internal combustion engine, which permitted the development of the first successful mechanized armored fighting vehicles1.
• Effects of World War I on the Development of Modern Art For the artists and most of the people in Europe, the time that preceded the World War I, the actual war period and the aftermath of the was presented a period of profound disillusionment 13.
• United States and World War I The paper further gives an in-depth analysis of how the Germans waged war against the European countries and the circumstances that forced the United States to abandon its neutrality to take part in the Great […]
• WWI-War: Revolution, and Reconstruction In as much as soldiers and civilians garnered experience during WWI, it is imperative to acknowledge that the unsuitable environment at the forefront led to deterioration of health standards; furthermore, civilians were forced to live […]
• The Role of Airplanes During World War I (1914-1918) The government further formed a consultative ‘Aircraft Production Board’ that was made up of members of the Army, Navy, as well as the sector to assess the Europeans’ fortunes in aircraft sector in a bid […]
• The World War I The war brought to the fore various issues which had been in the air in the end of the nineteenth century and in the beginning of the twentieth century.
• Importance of Accountability: World War I It is clear from the beginning of this article, that the statistics on the World War I causalities indicates that the Germans suffered fewer casualties compared to their western counterparts, who are the French and […]
• Events Leading Up to WWI This move also contributed to the start of the conflict and eventually to the war. This decision was vehemently opposed by the Slavs, which saw Russia come to the aid of Serbia while on the […]
• America and Democracy, at Home and Abroad, During and Just After the First World War Democracy is a kind of regime in which all eligible citizens are allowed to contribute to the decisions of the state.
• Causes and Consequences of World War 1 In social and economic cycles, the interaction of the whites and Blacks was controlled by the laws that neither of the groups was allowed to cross the other party’s path.
• Changes in the Middle East After the World War I The involvement in the war by the countries from the Middle East not only led to loss of power but also spurred the economic decline and created social problems.

⭐ World War 1 Research Topics

• Industrialization and Competition for Resources Which Led to the First World War
• Factors That Made the First World War Unique
• Identify and Evaluate Two Main Themes That Have Defined Management Thought Since the End of the First World War.
• The Events and Results of the First World War I
• Terrible Beauty: Music and Writing of the First World War
• Liberal Democracy and Capitalism After World War 1
• European Politics and the Impact of French Foreign Policy Before the First World War
• Chemical Warfare During the First World War
• The First World War and Russian Revolution
• European Diplomacy and the First World War
• With What Justification Can World War 1 Be Called a Total War
• The Catalyst for the First World War
• The Reasons for the Economic Prosperity in America After the First World War
• Events Leading for the First World War
• Imperialistic Rivalries and the Road to the First World War
• Shaping the American Dream, Defining Success From the First World War to Present
• Austro-Serbian Relations Provoked the First World War
• America and the First World War
• The Purpose and Intent of the League of Nations After the First World War
• The First World War Impact on Australian Economy
• The Long Term and Short Term Causes of World War 1

📃 Simple & Easy World War 1 Essay Titles

• European Goods Market Integration in the Very Long Run: From the Black Death to the First World War
• The Reasons for the American Support for the Involvement in the First World War
• Military Technology During the First World War
• German Foreign Policy and the Impact of Nationalism on It Before the First World War
• The American Foreign Policy After the First World War
• The Economic, Social, and Political Impact of the First World War on Eur
• Technological Advancements During the First World War
• The World Before the First World War According to Barbara Tuchman
• The Effects That the First World War Had on Many People
• The Effective Weapons Used in the First World War
• Women’s Work During the First World War
• Diplomatic Crises: The First World War and the Cuban Missile Crisis
• The First World War Changed the Way People Thought About War and Patriotism
• Gender Roles During the First World War
• The Reasons for the Outbreak of the First World War
• Australia’s Economic and Military Contribution in the First World War
• The First World War: A New Era of Military Conflict
• German Propaganda During the First World War
• Analyzing Propaganda During World War 1
• Britain During the First World War and the Social and Welfare Reforms

❓ World War 1 Essay Questions

• How Important Was the Entry of the U.S. Into the First World War?
• Was the First World War a Total War?
• What Effect Did the First World War Have on Germany?
• How Significant Was the First World War?
• In What Ways Were People’s Lives at Home Affected by the First World War?
• The Russian Revolution Us a Direct Result of the First World War
• How Did Medical Care Change During the First World War?
• How the First World War Created Modern America?
• Was the First World War the Cause of the February Revolution in Russia?
• Was the First World War Inevitable?
• How Did the First World War Change the Role of Women?
• How Industrialization Powered the First World War?
• Why Did the First World War Last So Long?
• How Far Was the First World War Responsible for the Growth of the Labour Party and the Decline of the Liberal Party?
• Why Did the United States Entry Into World War 1?
• How Did the United States Prepare to Fight for the First World War?
• How Did the First World War Set the Global Stage for the Second World War?
• Why Did World War 1 End So Quickly After the Years of Stalemate?
• Why Did the First World War End When It Did?
• How Did the First World War Affect Britain Society?
• How Did Women Affected World War 1?
• How Did Imperialism Cause World War 1?
• How the First World War Impacted the Homefronts of Participating Nations?
• Was the Alliance System the Main Cause of the First World War?
• How Did the Middle East Change as a Result of World War 1?
• Why Did the Ottomans Enter the First World War?
• Why Did Germany Lose the First World War?
• What Was the Most Important Cause of the First World War?
• How Did the Allies Win World War 1?
• Why Did Some Men Oppose Women’s Employment in the Industry During the First World War?
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• Forces and resources of the combatant nations in 1914
• Technology of war in 1914
• The Schlieffen Plan
• Eastern Front strategy, 1914
• The strategy of the Western Allies, 1914
• The German invasion
• The First Battle of the Marne
• The war in the east, 1914
• The Serbian campaign, 1914
• The Turkish entry
• The war at sea, 1914–15
• The loss of the German colonies
• Rival strategies and the Dardanelles campaign, 1915–16
• The Western Front, 1915
• The Eastern Front, 1915
• The Caucasus, 1914–16
• Mesopotamia, 1914–April 1916
• The Egyptian frontiers, 1915–July 1917
• Italy and the Italian front, 1915–16
• Serbia and the Salonika expedition, 1915–17
• The Western Front, 1916
• The Battle of Jutland
• The Eastern Front, 1916
• German strategy and the submarine war, 1916–January 1917
• Peace moves and U.S. policy to February 1917
• The Western Front, January–May 1917
• The U.S. entry into the war
• The Russian revolutions and the Eastern Front, March 1917–March 1918
• Greek affairs
• Mesopotamia, summer 1916–winter 1917
• Palestine, autumn 1917
• The Western Front, June–December 1917
• The Far East
• Naval operations, 1917–18
• Air warfare
• Peace moves, March 1917–September 1918
• The Western Front, March–September 1918
• Czechs, Yugoslavs, and Poles
• Eastern Europe and the Russian periphery, March–November 1918
• The Balkan front, 1918
• The Turkish fronts, 1918
• Vittorio Veneto
• The collapse of Austria-Hungary
• The end of the German war
• The Armistice
• Killed, wounded, and missing

Who won World War I?

How many people died during world war i, what was the significance of world war i.

• What were Woodrow Wilson’s accomplishments?
• Why was Woodrow Wilson so influential?

World War I

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• Australian War Memorial - First World War 1914–18
• History Learning Site - The Dominions and World War One
• National Army Museum - The Story of Conscription
• The History Learning Site - World War One
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Holocaust Encyclopedia - World War I
• National Geographic Kids - World War 1 facts for kids
• Library of Congress - Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures, 1914 to 1919
• NeoK12 - Educational Videos and Games for School Kids - World War I
• Returned & Services League of Australia - The First World War
• Anzac Centenary - Australia’s Contribution to WWI
• World War I - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• World War I - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

What was the main cause of World War I?

World War I began after the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand by South Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.

What countries fought in World War I?

The war pitted the Central Powers (mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey) against the Allies (mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States).

The Allies won World War I after four years of combat and the deaths of some 8.5 million soldiers as a result of battle wounds or disease.

Some 8,500,000 soldiers died as a result of wounds or disease during World War I. Perhaps as many as 13,000,000 civilians also died. This immensely large number of deaths dwarfed that of any previous war, largely because of the new technologies and styles of warfare used in World War I.

Four imperial dynasties—the Habsburgs of Austria-Hungary, the Hohenzollerns of Germany, the sultanate of the Ottoman Empire , and the Romanovs of Russia—collapsed as a direct result of the war, and the map of Europe was changed forever. The United States emerged as a world power, and new technology made warfare deadlier than ever before.

Recent News

World War I , an international conflict that in 1914–18 embroiled most of the nations of Europe along with Russia , the United States , the Middle East , and other regions. The war pitted the Central Powers —mainly Germany , Austria-Hungary , and Turkey —against the Allies—mainly France , Great Britain , Russia, Italy , Japan , and, from 1917, the United States . It ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war was virtually unprecedented in the slaughter, carnage, and destruction it caused.

World War I was one of the great watersheds of 20th-century geopolitical history. It led to the fall of four great imperial dynasties (in Germany , Russia , Austria-Hungary, and Turkey ), resulted in the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, and, in its destabilization of European society, laid the groundwork for World War II .

The last surviving veterans of World War I were American serviceman Frank Buckles (died in February 2011), British-born Australian serviceman Claude Choules (died in May 2011), and British servicewoman Florence Green (died in February 2012), the last surviving veteran of the war.

The outbreak of war

With Serbia already much aggrandized by the two Balkan Wars (1912–13, 1913), Serbian nationalists turned their attention back to the idea of “liberating” the South Slavs of Austria-Hungary . Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević , head of Serbia’s military intelligence , was also, under the alias “Apis,” head of the secret society Union or Death , pledged to the pursuit of this pan-Serbian ambition. Believing that the Serbs’ cause would be served by the death of the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand , heir presumptive to the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph , and learning that the Archduke was about to visit Bosnia on a tour of military inspection, Apis plotted his assassination . Nikola Pašić , the Serbian prime minister and an enemy of Apis, heard of the plot and warned the Austrian government of it, but his message was too cautiously worded to be understood.

At 11:15 am on June 28, 1914, in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo , Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife, Sophie, duchess of Hohenberg, were shot dead by a Bosnian Serb, Gavrilo Princip . The chief of the Austro-Hungarian general staff , Franz, Graf (count) Conrad von Hötzendorf , and the foreign minister, Leopold, Graf von Berchtold , saw the crime as the occasion for measures to humiliate Serbia and so to enhance Austria-Hungary’s prestige in the Balkans . Conrad had already (October 1913) been assured by William II of Germany ’s support if Austria-Hungary should start a preventive war against Serbia. This assurance was confirmed in the week following the assassination , before William, on July 6, set off upon his annual cruise to the North Cape , off Norway .

The Austrians decided to present an unacceptable ultimatum to Serbia and then to declare war, relying on Germany to deter Russia from intervention. Though the terms of the ultimatum were finally approved on July 19, its delivery was postponed to the evening of July 23, since by that time the French president, Raymond Poincaré , and his premier, René Viviani , who had set off on a state visit to Russia on July 15, would be on their way home and therefore unable to concert an immediate reaction with their Russian allies. When the delivery was announced, on July 24, Russia declared that Austria-Hungary must not be allowed to crush Serbia.

Serbia replied to the ultimatum on July 25, accepting most of its demands but protesting against two of them—namely, that Serbian officials (unnamed) should be dismissed at Austria-Hungary’s behest and that Austro-Hungarian officials should take part, on Serbian soil, in proceedings against organizations hostile to Austria-Hungary. Though Serbia offered to submit the issue to international arbitration, Austria-Hungary promptly severed diplomatic relations and ordered partial mobilization.

Home from his cruise on July 27, William learned on July 28 how Serbia had replied to the ultimatum. At once he instructed the German Foreign Office to tell Austria-Hungary that there was no longer any justification for war and that it should content itself with a temporary occupation of Belgrade . But, meanwhile, the German Foreign Office had been giving such encouragement to Berchtold that already on July 27 he had persuaded Franz Joseph to authorize war against Serbia. War was in fact declared on July 28, and Austro-Hungarian artillery began to bombard Belgrade the next day. Russia then ordered partial mobilization against Austria-Hungary, and on July 30, when Austria-Hungary was riposting conventionally with an order of mobilization on its Russian frontier, Russia ordered general mobilization. Germany, which since July 28 had still been hoping, in disregard of earlier warning hints from Great Britain, that Austria-Hungary’s war against Serbia could be “localized” to the Balkans, was now disillusioned insofar as eastern Europe was concerned. On July 31 Germany sent a 24-hour ultimatum requiring Russia to halt its mobilization and an 18-hour ultimatum requiring France to promise neutrality in the event of war between Russia and Germany.

Both Russia and France predictably ignored these demands. On August 1 Germany ordered general mobilization and declared war against Russia, and France likewise ordered general mobilization. The next day Germany sent troops into Luxembourg and demanded from Belgium free passage for German troops across its neutral territory. On August 3 Germany declared war against France.

In the night of August 3–4 German forces invaded Belgium. Thereupon, Great Britain , which had no concern with Serbia and no express obligation to fight either for Russia or for France but was expressly committed to defend Belgium, on August 4 declared war against Germany.

Austria-Hungary declared war against Russia on August 5; Serbia against Germany on August 6; Montenegro against Austria-Hungary on August 7 and against Germany on August 12; France and Great Britain against Austria-Hungary on August 10 and on August 12, respectively; Japan against Germany on August 23; Austria-Hungary against Japan on August 25 and against Belgium on August 28.

Romania had renewed its secret anti-Russian alliance of 1883 with the Central Powers on February 26, 1914, but now chose to remain neutral. Italy had confirmed the Triple Alliance on December 7, 1912, but could now propound formal arguments for disregarding it: first, Italy was not obliged to support its allies in a war of aggression; second, the original treaty of 1882 had stated expressly that the alliance was not against England .

On September 5, 1914, Russia, France, and Great Britain concluded the Treaty of London , each promising not to make a separate peace with the Central Powers. Thenceforth, they could be called the Allied , or Entente, powers, or simply the Allies .

The outbreak of war in August 1914 was generally greeted with confidence and jubilation by the peoples of Europe, among whom it inspired a wave of patriotic feeling and celebration. Few people imagined how long or how disastrous a war between the great nations of Europe could be, and most believed that their country’s side would be victorious within a matter of months. The war was welcomed either patriotically, as a defensive one imposed by national necessity, or idealistically, as one for upholding right against might, the sanctity of treaties, and international morality .

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The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material related to World War I, including posters, photographs, manuscripts, newspapers, films, sheet music, and sound recordings. This guide compiles links to World War I resources throughout the Library of Congress website. In addition, this guide provides links to external websites focusing on World War I and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers.

Furthermore, as part of our commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the U.S. involvement in World War I, the Library of Congress has created a World War I portal to its extensive holdings on the subject of the war. This page also includes WWI-related content for teachers, blog postings, and details on lectures, programs, concerts and symposia related to the conflict.

James Montgomery Flagg. I want you for U.S. Army : nearest recruiting station . 1917. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Theodore Baker. I didn't raise my boy to be a slacker . 1917. Library of Congress Music Division.

James Montgomery Flagg. Wake up America! Civilization calls every man, woman and child! 1917. Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

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World War I

World War I was a pivotal event in human history. Much of the conflict, turmoil and suffering of the 20th century can be traced back to the great conflict of 1914-18.

As every good student knows, World War I was triggered by the murder of a minor Austrian royal in Sarajevo . The true causes of the war, however, can be found in the geopolitics of 19th and early 20th century Europe. World War I was the child of several political, ideological and cultural parents. Nationalism inflated confidence to the point of arrogance and set European rivals against each other. Militarism created a fascination with military power, fuelled a European arms race and fostered an expectation of war rather than a dread of it. The alliance system divided Europe into two belligerent halves and welded nations together in a commitment to war. Imperialism drew Europe’s ‘Great Powers’ into competition for ever diminishing territory and resources. The Balkan peninsula – with its instability, war and continuing crises – provided a mixing bowl for these European tensions, rivalries and hatreds. When Archduke Franz Ferdinand was gunned down in June 1914, it set Europe on an almost inevitable path to war.

For the next four years, the European continent was divided, ravaged and scarred by the horrors of industrial warfare. Millions of young men were recruited and conscripted, trained and equipped then marched off to war. On the Western Front, men were cut down by machine-gun fire at Ypres, blown apart by artillery at the Somme or drowned in mud at Passchendaele. Fighting raged in a host of other regions including Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East, southern Africa, the Asia-Pacific and on the high seas.

The war robbed a generation of its young men, decimated families and left millions stateless, homeless or permanently disfigured. It caused untold property loss and destruction. It cast nations into debt for generations to come. It destroyed empires, dynasties and governments, triggered revolutions and gave birth to political radicalism. Post-war treaties redrew the map of Europe, punishing the defeated and perpetuating wartime hatreds instead of resolving them. The most catastrophic outcome of this ‘war to end wars’ was the death of German democracy, the rise of Nazism and an even deadlier world war, two decades after the first.

Alpha History’s World War I website is a comprehensive textbook-quality resource for studying the global conflict of 1914 to 1918. It contains hundreds of different primary and secondary sources, including detailed topic summaries , documents and graphic representations . Our website also contains reference material such as maps , timelines , glossaries , a ‘ who’s who ‘ and information on historiography . Students can also test their knowledge and recall with a range of online activities, including quizzes , crosswords and wordsearches . Primary sources aside, all content at Alpha History is written by qualified and experienced teachers, authors and historians

Content on this page is © Alpha History 2018-23. Content created by Alpha History may not be copied, republished or redistributed without our express permission. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use .

Welcome to 1914-1918-Online

A global war – a global project.

1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War is the largest digital English-language reference work on the First World War. The multi-perspective, peer-reviewed, open-access knowledge base is the result of an international collaborative project involving more than 1,200 authors, editors and partners from over 50 countries. The encyclopedia currently comprises in excess of 1,600 articles and offers a global historical overview of the First World War, strengthening the networking of international research.

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World History I - World War I: Creating a Research Question

• Imperialism and Causes of WW1
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"If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper questions to ask. For once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than 5 minutes.

-Albert Einstein

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Qualities of a Good Research Question

1. Interesting to YOU!

2. Focused and manageable within the time/word limit

3. Offers something new (NOT descriptive or overdone)

4. Has context to narrow the topic (includes person, place, or time in history)

Strategies for defining a topic

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to come up with a topic and research question on your own. here are some tips to help:.

1. Develop a tentative focus. List what you know and want to know about a particular topic. Look at the questions that are most interesting to you.

2. Find background information on your topic. Read encyclopedias to get a general sense of your topic. As you read, you will learn more about your topic and you may come across a more specific focus you're interested in knowing more about.

3. Read magazine and newspapers. The articles are short and concise and can provide a general idea of key issues or controversies related to your topic.

4. Check out our Points of View Database. It lists a ton of controversial issues and provides reliable background information which might inspire you to learn more.

5. Read your textbooks. What have you learned in other classes that you'd like to know more about?

6. What's happening in your life? Where do you want to go to school? What job are you interested in? Where would you like to travel? Choose a topic that will apply to your life.

Written with material from the University of Illinois Libguides.

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War as a topic is too huge. So add some context to make it more narrow:

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Bloom's Taxonomy

The bottom of this inverted triangle (Remembering) represents the lowest level of critical thinking and the least interesting or challenging research topics. Aim for the top of the pyramid (Creating, Evaluating, and Analyzing). Try to develop a question which requires you to design, defend, compare/contrast, etc....

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World War I

World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage. By the time the war was over and the Allied Powers claimed victory, more than 16 million people—soldiers and civilians alike—were dead.

World War I Battles: Timeline

For four years, from 1914 to 1918, World War I raged across Europe’s western and eastern fronts after growing tensions and then the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria ignited the war. Trench warfare and the early use of tanks, submarines and airplanes meant the war’s battles were devastatingly bloody, claiming an estimated 40 […]

Outbreak of World War I

Europe by 1914 Almost exactly a century before, a meeting of the European states at the Congress of Vienna had established an international order and balance of power that lasted for almost a century. By 1914, however, a multitude of forces was threatening to tear it apart. The Balkan Peninsula, in southeastern Europe, was a […]

Prelude to Lusitania: Germany Announces Unrestricted Submarine Warfare When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson (1856‑1924) pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America’s closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the […]

Battle of the Somme

Battle Begins – July 1, 1916 Prior to the attack, the Allies launched a week‑long heavy artillery bombardment, using some 1.75 million shells, which aimed to cut the barbed wire guarding German’s trench defenses and destroy the enemy’s positions. On the morning of July 1, 11 divisions of the British 4th Army—many of them volunteer […]

World War I Alliances

In the years leading up to WWI, a series of agreements between the powers of Europe helped determine where and when battlelines were drawn.

The Harlem Hellfighters

The Harlem Hellfighters were an African‑American infantry unit in WWI who spent more time in combat than any other American unit. Despite their courage, sacrifice and dedication to their country, they returned home to face racism and segregation from their fellow countrymen.

Deconstructing History: U‑Boats

These deadly German submarines dominated the waters in both WWI and WWII.

The One Thing You Should Know About WWI

The story of World War I is vast and intricate, but if you had to know just one thing about World War I, what would it be?

How Imperialism Set the Stage for World War I

Many of the powers in World War I were competitive in overtaking territories in Europe and Africa.

How Airplanes Were Used in World War I

Even though airplanes were a relatively new invention, the race for air superiority started during World War I.

How a Regional Conflict Snowballed Into World War I

When Austria‑Hungary declared war on Serbia in 1914, each of their allies quickly joined the fight.

11 Objects Carried by World War I Infantrymen

Here are some of the essential items that typical American infantrymen carried with them on the battlefields of World War I.

This Day in History

Benito Mussolini declares himself dictator of Italy

This Day in History Video: What Happened on January 18

This Day in History Video: What Happened on December 25

This Day in History Video: What Happened on November 11

Battle of the somme begins, john maynard keynes predicts economic chaos from the treaty of versailles.

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179 World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples

If you’re looking for interesting World War I topics, you’re in the right place! StudyCorgi has plenty of WW1 topics to write about. Below is an extensive list of ideas for an essay, thesis, or research paper. Besides WWI research topics and questions, you’ll find free WW1 essay examples. Read them to get inspiration for your work.

🔥 7 Hottest WW1 Topics to Write About

🏆 best ww1 essay topics, 💡 simple topics of ww1, 👍 good world war 1 research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting world war 1 research titles, 📌 easy world war 1 essay topics, ❓ ww1 research questions, 💣 ww1 research topics, ⚔️ more world war 1 topics.

• Consequences of World War I and World War II
• America After World War I: A Melting Pot or a Salad Bowl
• Nationalism as a Cause of World War I
• Aspects of World War I in Harvey Dunn’s “On the Wire”
• World War II Was a Continuation of World War I
• Causes and Consequences of World War I
• World War I: History and Causes
• Renaissance Development and Crisis of the World War I The Renaissance was a cultural movement that profoundly affected European intellectual life in the early modern period.
• Conscription in Canada During World War I In Canada, Conscription during World War I was a total failure as it left the nation more divided than it was before.
• History of Aviation in World War I and World War II Aviation history has various periods that crafted its unique story. It began before the seventeenth century and is known for several momentous events that led to its development, such as World War I and World War II.
• World War I: Nationalism, Imperialism, Militarism This paper analyzes how nationalism, imperialism, and militarism irrevocably led to World War I, and how the alliance system contributed to the ultimate outbreak of war.
• Events That Led to the Outbreak of World War I World War I may be regarded as a pivot point in modern history due to its impact on the world. Some events led to the outbreak of World War I.
• Ottoman Empire’s Role in World War I This paper evaluates the late Ottoman Empire and World War I by analyzing how the Ottoman empire lived before the war, and how people were recruited.
• Nursing During World War I: The Importance of the Discipline In the USA, the World War I provided an avenue for nursing to discover the importance of professional training and discipline. This war posed a threat to the status of nursing.
• The United States’ Role in the World War I The U.S. managed to maintain neutrality for an impressive amount of time, yet even the American government had to define its position toward WWI at some point.
• World War I and the Treaty of Versailles World War I ended with the complete defeat and capitulation of Germany and its allies; the Versailles Peace Treaty was signed.
• The United States’ Decision to Enter World War I Any bad consequences of the decision to take part in the war are justified and compensated by some reasonable geopolitical evidence.
• The Economic, Socio-Cultural, and Political Causes of World War I The paper analysis World War I which was an international conflict that ensued between the central powers one hand against the allies.
• The Battle of the Somme: A Bloody Symbol of World War I The Battle of the Somme, a pivotal conflict in World War I, stands as a stark reminder of the brutality and senseless loss of life that characterized the war.
• Europe After World War I vs. World War II When reviewing the post-war periods of both wars, it is first necessary to analyze the results of the First World War.
• The Great Migration and World War I’s Impact on African Americans The Great Migration and World War I have been a time of significant change for African Americans, not just tricky times.
• How Woodrow Wilson Led the US to Involvement in World War I President Woodrow Wilson combined legalism, moralism, and idealism to argue for the United States’ entry into World War I.
• Impacts on Women’s Role After World War I The demographic, economic, social, and political impacts on women included voting rights, access to education, and better jobs, and changing of women’s positions in society.
• Events in the Balkans in Bringing About World War I The Balkan Wars began as a result of the unrest in Macedonia, which caused upheaval in Greece, Serbia, and Bulgaria.
• The Major Alliances of World War I World War I became an arena of the bloody confrontation between two major “armed camps” of the era — the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente.
• How WWI Changed Women’s Role in America The Great War initiated changes in the societal roles of American women. This was contributed by the contributions that they made during the war.
• Keiser’s Abdication During World War I After realizing that Germany would lose World War 1 on November 9, 1918, Keiser Wilhelm 11 was abdicated as the British Emperor and King of Prussia.
• How Germany Was Reborn After the Defeat in World War I There is an ongoing debate in historical scholarship about how quickly Germany managed to become great again after its defeat in World War I.
• World War I vs. World War II Differences The paper states that there is often a discourse among military historians that the First and Second World Wars are one event or two different ones.
• Trench Warfare During World War I Trench warfare during World War I was characterized by the broad use of occupied lines consisting of trenches guaranteeing better protection to troops.
• What Was the Most Significant Reason to the Outbreak of World War 1
• Factors That Made the United States Join the Alliances in World War 1
• How Did the Development of Technology Affect World War 1
• What Expectation Did British Soldiers and Civilians Have of Their Government Following WWI
• The American Home Front During World War 1
• Traditions and Encounters: World War 1
• Fertility Shocks and Equilibrium Marriage-Rate Dynamics: Lessons From World War 1 in France
• Analyzing Propaganda During World War 1
• Good Cynicism and Bitterness From World War 1
• What Was Trench Warfare and What Was Its Impact in World War 1
• How Did the Interdependency of the Alliance Systems Help Lead To the Outbreak of WW1
• The Long Term and Short Term Causes of WW1 and How Each Player Became Involved in the Great War
• How Womens Lives Were Affected by World War 1
• How Did Imperialism Cause World War 1
• How the European Alliance Helped Cause World War 1
• The Impact World War 1 Had on Russia
• How Did the Middle East Change as a Result of World War 1
• What Was Life Like in the Trenches During World War 1
• How Did the Outbreak of WWI Contribute to the Genocide of the Armenians
• Why Australians Joined World War 1
• World War I and Its Psychological Consequences Different psychological consequences that significantly influenced the nations in World War I included post-traumatic stress disorder, hunger, and grief.
• Participation of Different Nationalities in World War I World War I affected many states, and as the conflict progressed, more countries outside of Europe participated in it, which is why this conflict is a “world war.”
• Stance Against Communist Russia After World War I After World War I, US President Woodrow Wilson took significant steps toward establishing a strict regime of non-acceptance of Soviet ideology and political isolation.
• The Role of Western Power in the Middle East After World War I This paper examines the role of Western influence in the Middle East after World War I and how their presence shaped the region.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder During and After World War I The paper examines the causes and manifestations of PTSD during and after World War I, despite the absence of this term at that time, and how diagnosis and treatment are made.
• Essentials of Chemical Warfare During World War I Below, the primary aspects of the application of chemical weapons will be presented, making an emphasis on the strategic changes it caused.
• How War Trauma Evolved During World War I This paper is an annotated bibliography that aims to find out how war trauma evolved from clinical and scientific perspectives during World War I.
• World War I Reflected in Literature and Art The romantic spirit during the early days of World War I eventually transformed into the personal tragedies of numerous people, which has been reflected in the works of poets.
• The Late Ottoman Empire and World War I: Annotated Bibliography The study explains how military knowledge was exchanged between the Ottoman Army, Turkish soldiers, and the Germans during World War I.
• World War I: The Brief Analysis The history of the World War I actually is that of an arms race among the most powerful empires of the early 20th century.
• African-American Experience of World War I and the Harlem Renaissance This article aims to look at the African-American experience throughout World War I and the Harlem Renaissance.
• Globalization After World War I The emergence of the global economy corresponds to the aftermath of World War I, and the battle of governments and markets for control over the field brought unexpected results.
• World War I: Battle of Hill 70 Four months after Vimy Ridge, the Battle of Hill 70 was the first major Canadian battle of the summer and Lieutenant-General Arthur Currie first war in his whole career.
• The Development of Modern America After WWI The development of the automobile industry, the popularity of culture, and the first attempts to maintain international peace boosted the U.S. in a significant way.
• World War I and the Treaty of Versailles At the end of World War I, in the aftermath of the Soviet Union revolution and other developments in Russia, the Treaty of Versailles was adopted in 1918.
• World War I and Its Impact on the Life of Europe The Great War affected every aspect of life in Europe. It led to a substantial geopolitical reshuffle, the dissolution of several empires, and the emergence of new nation-states.
• The First World War as a Catalyst of Geopolitical Change The First World War is the prologue to the most significant geopolitical change. As a result of it, the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, and the German Empire collapsed.
• WWI and Territorial Changes in Europe This paper reviews how the Russian, Ottoman, German, and Austria-Hungary empires collapsed during and after WWI and which regions were created from the downfall.
• Results of World War I for Germany Having studied Germany’s after-war commitments, one should conclude that they could have been one of the principal causes of World War II.
• The Progressive Era and World War I The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether the decision to enter the war was a failure or success from the point of view of the Progressive Era values and ideas.
• Post-WWI America in “Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway The purpose of this paper is to analyze the short story in terms of its plot, characters, setting, and conflict in relation to its overall message and symbolism.
• “Experiences of World War I Soldiers” Lecture by Isherwood This essay discusses the lecture “Experiences of World War I Soldiers” by Ian Isherwood, from his course “Aftermath: The Experience of War and ‘Modern’ Memory.”
• World War I as a Total War World War I was a conflict the nations had never seen before. Over thirty countries lost millions of lives between 1914 and 1918, fighting for their ideals and principles.
• Fallouts of World War I World War I brought dramatic changes in all aspects of life. Globally, the political and governmental structure of world countries were changed.
• Causes of World War I Overview The increase of the armaments and military forces by the European countries in the years preceding 1914 was another predecessor of World War I.
• Workers and Immigrants During the World War I and II The consequences of World War I, the restriction of immigration, and the fear of immigrants led to the isolation of the United States during the 1930s.
• Was World War One the Main Cause of the Russian Revolution? This paper will explore the contribution of the First World War to the subsequent revolution that took place in Russia, analyzing whether the war was the main contributing factor.
• American World War I Propaganda The U.S.A. produced the greatest number of propaganda materials in relation to any other single nation participating in the war.
• The World War I and the October Revolution Russia’s participation in the First World War added to the misery of the people who not only had to suffer the poverty at home but also had to fight and support an unpopular war.
• World War I (WWI) Effects On American Society WWI brought into America new cultural practices, it became a stimulant for trade, and it also brought into the country a unifying spirit which contributed to the economic success.
• World War 1 Influences Analysis No one state can be charged with causing the world war. It was as a result of economic and political rivalry among nations. There was also the issue of nationalism.
• The Chinese in Canada Before World War I Canada before World War One was characterised by the immigration of foreign communities, especially the Chinese, which resulted in suspicion and fear by locals.
• Employment Opportunities for British Women After World War I Due to the need for Great Britain to unite all of its resources to survive the devastating effect of WWI, the social role and the opportunities for employment changed for women.
• World War I: Wilson Woodrow and League of Nations This is an essay that generally talks about some of the events of World War I, there is a discussion about Wilson Woodrow and his fight for the League of Nations.
• World War I and American Neutrality The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles due to provisions established by Woodrow Wilson regarding collective security and the League of Nations.
• World War I and the United States’ Participation American people will always remember the effects of World War I. It claimed millions of lives and caused the destruction of cultural and architectural masterpieces.
• The History of Reasons for WWI Outbreak and the United States in WWI On April 6th, 1917, the United States of America decided to enter the First World War after maintaining its neutrality for three years since the conflict’s beginning.
• The World Remade: World War I The World War I became one of the most meaningful events that shaped the history of the humanity and preconditioned the development of the global intercourse in a particular way.
• World War I: Causes and the Entry of the US The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the immediate cause of World War I. But the events that led to the Great War go further back into the nineteenth century.
• World War I: Prerequisites and Consequences World War I is an example of how political ideologies and movements can influence the course of history and people’s perception of current events.
• World War I: Causes and the United States’ Role This paper aims to investigate the underlying causes of World War I along with the exploration of the role of the United States in the war.
• World War I: Pan-Slavism in German-Speaking States This paper analyzes the role of nationalism, imperialism, and militarism and especially the rise of Pan-Slavism in Eastern Europe in German-speaking states.
• World War I and the US’ Role During and After It This paper is dedicated to revealing the causes of World War I as well as defining the role of the United States during the war and after its end.
• World War I and American Participation This paper analyzes the events that drew the United States into World War I. It clearly discusses why America first remained neutral between 1914-1917.
• Events and Causes of World War I World War 1 took place between 1914 and 1918. A number of authors and scholars have come up with possible causes of the First World War. It took place between rich countries.
• Modernization in Post World War I Turkey and Iran After World War I, the important and contradictory process of modernization of Middle Eastern countries could be observed. The prominent examples are Iran and Turkey.
• World War One: Fundamental Reasons The paper examines the fundamental reasons that have led to World War One and make an accent on the reasons that drew the United States of America into the world conflict.
• World War I, Its Chronology and Impacts This paper focuses on World War I that was identified as an important mark in the world’s history. It provides a detailed description of the war and explain its impacts.
• WWI and Interwar Military Innovations WWI triggered the development of an array of interwar military innovations. Today specialization is common in contemporary military forces.
• The League of Nations’ Activity After World War I It should be noted that President Roosevelt, although concerned about Germany’s actions, only gave one speech in Chicago, but no action had followed.
• Pan-Slavism in Fueling World War I The role of Pan-Slavism in fueling WWI has often been put in the center of discussions about this historic event.
• The United States’ Involvement into World War I Historians agree that numerous forces played a role towards initiating this war. This essay gives a detailed analysis of the major causes of the war and its aftermath.
• World War I: Franz Ferdinand’s Death and Alliances The Great War caused the death of at least 8.5 million soldiers and 7 million civilians. The Great War maimed and injured 20 million people.
• World War I: Nationalism and the US Impact In the case of WWI, nationalism led to the development of a competitive worldwide environment where each country felt the urge to overpower its closest rivals.
• Pan-Slavism and Nationalism as Causes of World War I Both nationalism and imperialism were major forces that drove the alliances toward World War I. The Pan-Slavic movement was not created by Russia to achieve its political goals.
• Outbreak of World War I The World War I was inevitable as it resulted from the existing differences, leaders` personal ambitions, and the unstable international situation.
• World War I Aftermath for the United States World War I is one of the darkest moments in modern times. It erupted in 1914 with the world’s powerful nations forming opposing alliances.
• World War I and Political World Domination The complexity of the origins of World War I is undeniable, but it is possible to observe that one of the crucial factors was the struggle for domination on the political map.
• World War I Provocative Phenomenas The World War I demonstrated the role of the alliance system, the use of poison gas, and the effect of the genocide on the nations’ development.
• The Reaction of the American Citizens to the US Entry into World War I World War I left a lasting impact on America, influencing the next ten years of American foreign policy and domestic policy.
• Recruitment, Censorship and Propoganda in WW1 in Both Britain and Germany
• Discovering the American Past in World War 1
• Which Was the More Important Cause of World War 1
• The Most Influential Underlying Causes of World War 1
• Canadian History Since World War 1
• Comparison Between World War 1 And World War 2
• Military Leaders World War 1 as Well as After the War
• The Differences Between WWI and WWII
• The Bauhaus Movement During the World War 1
• What Expectation Did British Soldiers and Civilians Have of Their Government Following WWI?
• Causes Effects and Aftermath of World War 1 History
• How America Suffered From World War 1
• Aircraft During World War 1 and World War 2
• Liberal Democracy and Capitalism After World War 1
• Germany Between World War One to World War Two: Culture and Politics
• The Four Main Long-Term Causes of World War 1
• Industrial Revolution and the World War 1
• How Did the Location of Industry Respond to Falling Transport Costs in Britain Before World War 1
• The Fallout After World War 1 and the Great Depression
• The United States’ Entry Into World War 1
• How Did WW1 Lead to the Development of the Medical Field of Plastic Surgery?
• What Did the Intelligence Tradecraft Develop During World War 1?
• Did Britain Want Germany Weak After World War 1?
• Why Did Italy Enter Into World War 1?
• How Did Technological Developments During WW1 Affect the Soldiers Who Fought?
• Was WW1 the Result of Tensions Caused by German Nationalism?
• Should the United States Have Entered World War 1?
• Why Was World War 1 a Total War for Britain?
• What Was the Political Impact of World War 1?
• How Did Modern Weapons Change Combat in the First World War?
• Did WW1 Change the Status of Women?
• Was Germany Responsible for the Outbreak of World War 1?
• What Was the Underlying Cause of World War 1?
• How Did the World War 1 Change British Society?
• Why Did Australia Become Involved in World War 1?
• Should Any One Nation Be Seen as Responsible for the Outbreak of the First World War?
• How Did the First World War Affect Britain?
• What Was the Contribution of Britain to the Defeat of Germany in WW1?
• Did the First World War Liberate British Women?
• Why Did Central Power Lose the World War 1?
• How Did World War 1 Exacerbate Europe’s Economic Problems?
• Was the United States Genuinely Neutral During the First Years of World War 1?
• Did the First World War Represent an Irrevocable Crisis of Gender in the UK?
• How Did World War 1 Influence Modern-Day Art?
• Why Did Aircraft Make Significant Differences in World War 1?
• The role of nationalism in fueling WWI.
• Conditions, strategies, and impact of trench warfare during WWI.
• The significance of new weapons and military technology in WWI.
• The role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during WWI.
• The effects of WW1 on the lives of civilians.
• Immediate and long-term consequences of the Treaty of Versailles.
• The significance of colonial troops in WWI.
• Artistic responses to WWI and its aftermath.
• The impact of WWI on the global balance of powers.
• The progress in medical practices and treatments during WWI.
• Diplomatic failures and tensions that led to WWI.
• The experiences of soldiers in the trenches.
• Women’s non-combat roles during WW1.
• The role of espionage and intelligence in WW1.
• Religious institutions’ responses to WWI.
• The involvement of non-European countries in WW1.
• Aerial warfare strategies in WWI.
• The role of war correspondents in reporting on WW1.
• The impact of WW1 on subsequent conflicts and international relations.
• Ways in which WWI is remembered and commemorated in different countries.

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StudyCorgi. (2021, September 9). 179 World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/world-war-1-essay-topics/

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1. StudyCorgi . "179 World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/world-war-1-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "179 World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/world-war-1-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "179 World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/world-war-1-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on World War 1 were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 25, 2024 .

World War I Centennial

Gun crew from regimental headquarters company, 23rd infantry, firing 37 mm gun during an advance on german entrenched positions.  view in catalog ..

As the largest repository of American World War I records, the National Archives invites you to browse the wealth of records and information documenting the U.S. experience in this conflict, including photographs, documents, audiovisual recordings, educational resources, articles, blog posts, lectures, and events. April 6, 2017, marks the 100th anniversary of America’s entrance into the Great War. After remaining neutral for three years, the United States reluctantly entered what was supposed to be "The War to End All Wars." By declaring war, President Woodrow Wilson committed the nation to join the other Allied countries in their efforts to defeat the German-led Central Powers.

What's Happening?

Learn about our current programs and exhibits related to World War I.

Educator Resources

Teach with World War I documents using our DocsTeach tool.

Genealogy Resources

Learn about our records relating to individuals.

Prologue Magazine

Read articles about World War I drawn from our holdings.

Tag and Transcribe

Become a Citizen Archivist for our World War I records.

World War I Topics

Explore more records, information, articles and resources at the National Archives organized by subject area.

Diversity in World War I

Training the Soldier

On the Homefront

On the Battlefield

Personalities

Technology and Innovation

Medicine in the War

After the Armistice

World War I Timeline

More resources.

Begin your research with these World War I overview guides and resources from the National Archives. The records highlighted here represent a small portion of the National Archives holdings, many of which have not yet been digitized. Contact the National Archives to plan a research visit . 

American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917 - 1918

Accessing World War I Photos in the Digital Age , The Unwritten Record blog

Military Records: World War I Records at the National Archives at St. Louis

Explore more resources, ask questions and get research help on History Hub

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Papers as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1913-1920 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

World War I Foreign Policy Records series , The Text Message blog

World War I: A Soldier's Story exhibit on Google Cultural Institute

The U.S. Food Administration, Women, and the Great War: The Pennsylvania Food Conservation Train exhibit on Google Cultural Institute

World War I images on Flickr

World war i films on youtube, what are people asking on history hub about world war i records.

• RE: Looking for the records of a army soldier WW1 serial #USNA 2027606
• RE: Find family of Darrell l willard
• RE: i would like my grandfathers military history. max willard voight army first world war
• RE: WW1 serial number
• Trying to verify if my Italian great-grandfather was naturalized in New Jersey

Find answers to your research questions at History Hub

Articles on World War I

Displaying 1 - 20 of 330 articles.

Forensic science cracks the ‘unsolvable’ case of a World War I soldier’s identity, enabling his  re-burial

Jay Silverstein , Nottingham Trent University

Dada: how 1916 art movement reacting to world war is inspiring improvisation artists today

Deborah Lewer , University of Glasgow

A century ago, the women of Wales made an audacious appeal for world peace – this is their story

Jennifer Mathers , Aberystwyth University and Mererid Hopwood , Aberystwyth University

How a British military march became the distinctive sound of American graduations

Joshua Fagan , University of Washington

How Anzac deaths changed the way we mourn to this day

Jen Roberts , University of Wollongong

‘It bucked our lads up wonderfully’: the lightning-quick battle that marked the birth of the US-Australia military alliance

Meighen McCrae , Australian National University

How we discovered the wreck of a torpedoed British ship after a 109-year  mystery

Michael Roberts , Bangor University

Trump wouldn’t be the first presidential candidate to campaign from a prison cell

Thomas Doherty , Brandeis University

How lessons from the First World War could help Ukraine in the war

John Long Burnham , University of Alberta

Hedd Wyn: how the life of one of Wales’ most promising poets was cut short by the first world war

Alan Llwyd , Swansea University

Battle of the Somme: new research shows detonating a massive mine under German lines too early led to a British slaughter

Jamie Pringle , Keele University ; John Paul Cassella , Atlantic Technological University ; Kristopher Wisniewski , Keele University , and Peter Doyle , Goldsmiths, University of London

How do we commemorate the New Zealand Wars? The history of Anzac Day can be a guide

Rowan Light , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Palestine march: some opponents are politicising the Cenotaph to sow divisions – and it could work

Sam Edwards , Loughborough University

The importance of shining a light on hidden toxic histories

Elizabeth Kryder-Reid , Indiana University

Less than illustrious: remembering the Anzacs means also not forgetting some committed war crimes

Jeffrey McNeill , Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

Africans in World War 1: artist William Kentridge’s epic theatre production restores forgotten histories

Fiona Ramsay , University of the Witwatersrand

Pip Williams shows how World War I transformed women’s lives, in a new novel that captures the ‘poetic materiality’ of books

Jen Webb , University of Canberra

Ukraine war: ‘false flag’ operations – long used as weapons of mass distraction under the rules of conflict

David Turns , Cranfield University

Quilts from the Second World War tell the stories of the Canadian women who sewed them

Irene Gammel , Toronto Metropolitan University and Joanna Dermenjian , Toronto Metropolitan University

Time is arrested in Gail Jones’ beautiful new novel of war and art, Salonika Burning

Tanya Dalziell , The University of Western Australia

Related Topics

• Anzac Centenary
• Australian history
• Military history
• Remembrance Day
• World War II

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Lesson Plan World War I: What Are We Fighting For Over There?

The Great War of 1914-1918 significantly shaped the course of the twentieth century, both at home and abroad. How can this pivotal event be personalized and brought to life for students in the new millennium? Unfortunately, increasingly fewer survivors of the World War I era are alive today to directly share their recollections of this historical time. Yet, by delving into the unique resources of  Library of Congress  and by creating World War I period newspapers of differing perspectives, students can gain an enduring understanding of The Great War.

Students will be able to:

• utilize varied primary sources to develop a cohesive, comprehensive and historically accurate picture of the World War I era;
• analyze the historical impact of World War I on the U.S. homefront and;
• What can be learned about the American character from the manner by which the United States mobilized, prepared, and participated in a world war?
• Were the political and military goals of the Great War worth the staggering loss of human life and social disruption?
• How does the World War of 1914-1918 validate or contradict our feelings of patriotism and reinforce or tear down our pride and gratitude as Americans?
• How does the unfolding of World War I foreshadow the role of the United States as a prominent world power of the twentieth century?

Time Required

Lesson preparation.

• Department Assignments

Newspaper Guidelines

• Primary Source Analysis Tool
• African-American Odyssey
• American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I
• American Variety Stage
• Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier: The Henry Reed Collection
• Inventing Entertainment: The Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings of the Edison Companies
• American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940
• Stars and Stripes
• Panoramic Photographs
• Theodore Roosevelt: His Life and Times on Film
• Detroit Publishing Company .
• National American Woman Suffrage Association Collection/a>
• Teacher's Guide to Analyzing Primary Sources

Lesson Procedure

This unit consists of three lessons which can be taught sequentially. It is also possible to use a single lesson if time constraints do not permit devoting four weeks to the study of World War I. Before beginning the unit, we provide students with background knowledge of World War I.

Lesson One – Introduction to Library of Congress Digital Collections and Primary Sources

Students are introduced to the resources of Library of Congress Digital Collections by viewing several  "Today in History"  pages which focus on World War I events. The teacher and librarian model the retrieval, display, and analysis of sample primary sources on these pages. We examine a photograph, newspaper article, song, and speech. Students analyze the primary sources, recording their thoughts on the  Primary Source Analysis Tool . Before the students begin, select questions from the teacher's guide  Analyzing Primary Sources  to focus and prompt analysis and discussion. Primary sources are viewed online but backup hard copies can be made available.

Find complete directions for this lesson in the student Lesson One:  Introduction to Library of Congress Digital Collections and Primary Sources .

Lesson Two – American Leaders Speak

Students explore the World War I-era recordings of  American Leaders Speak . The background of the "The Nation's Forum Collection" is explained by means of the accompanying special  presentation . Students listen to the recording of a speech chosen from a gallery of leaders. Students analyze the speech, recording their thoughts on the  Primary Source Analysis Tool . Before the students begin, select questions from the teacher's guide  Analyzing Recorded Sound  to focus and prompt analysis and discussion. The teacher follows up with the question: "Select a theme, event or issue mentioned or alluded to in the speech that you with to further investigate". The teacher employs this feedback to assign each student to a relevant department or topic for the newspaper assignment in lesson three.

Find complete directions for this lesson in the student Lesson Two:  American Leaders Speak .

Lesson Three – Newspaper Project

Students use their developing familiarity with  Library of Congress Digital Collections  and prior knowledge of WWI to create two WWI-era newspapers – each with an opposing viewpoint regarding American involvement in the war effort. The newspaper staff includes a publisher and seven departments: Editorial Board, Mobilization Unit, Women and Minorities, Arts and Culture, Society, Leaders, and Photographic and Print Division. Each department receives a relevant newswire of issues and events. Students explore  Library of Congress Digital Collections  (drawing upon search skills developed during lessons one and two) and write articles reporting the news of the day. When the two final products are published, students read, review, and analyze the opposing newspaper.

Find complete directions for this lesson in the student Lesson Three:  Newspaper Project .

The newspaper project can be extended to other controversial world events (WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, etc.)

The final product (WWI-period newspaper) may be published on the school Web site and used by other classes as a supplemental historical resource.

Students may continue to investigate pivotal 20th century conflicts and to use primary source material.

Lesson Evaluation

Students are assessed by their use of the  Primary Source Analysis Tool .

The final product (WWI-period newspaper) is assessed by the teacher and by peer review, at the teacher's discretion

A class discussion dealing with the essential questions also helps evaluate students' enduring understanding of the WWI period.

Scott Durham & Margaret Lincoln

Student Materials and Resources

Newspaper department assignments.

Mobilization

• Soldiers farewell parade  photo
• The Third Liberty Loan  speech
• Physical exercise drill & Penna. Reserve Militia  photo
• Local Board #17, last quota, 815 men  photo
• Military review, Camp Custer  photo
• Shall we prepare?   film
• One hundred million soldiers  speech
• W.S.S. Thriftettes  film
• 6th Cavalry Camp, mobilized at Texas City, Texas  photo

Women and Minorities

• From Pinafores to Politics  autobiography of Daisy Hurst Harriman. See ch. "Washington at War", p. 212+.
• Mobilizing woman-power  book by Elizabeth Cady Stanton's daughter. See ch. "Women over the top in America, p. 86+.
• Emmett Scott's Official History of the American Negro in the World War  See images 39-42, 352-63.
• San Francisco's future  film
• Loyalty  speech

Arts and Culture

• It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary  sheet music
• Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight  audio
• Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight  sheet music
• Madelon  recording
• Madelon  sheet music
• I Did My Bit for Democracy  manuscript
• Our Negro Doughboys Make Good-As Usual  newspaper
• Reminiscences of a Rebel  manuscript
• [No Bombs Dropping]  manuscript
• Grady Weldon  manuscript
• Newton Diehl Baker
• Josephus Daniels
• Warren G. Harding
• Calvin Coolidge
• Samuel Gompers
• William Gibbs McAdoo

Photographic and Print Division

• True sons of freedom  poster
• Home from the War  (poster)
• I Want You for the U.S. Army  (poster)
• Inaugural regimental services of the "Black Devils", 814th Pioneer Infantry  photograph
• American cemetery - Belleau Woods, France ... over 2000 regulars and Marines gave their lives in the victory  photograph

You have been assigned to the staff of a World War I-era newspaper. The publisher has directed you to particular links on the  Newswire . You will write an article drawing upon knowledge gained from your exploration of the Library of Congress digital collections and from additional print and electronic resources.

A 1917 newspaper would have a different style and organization compared to a paper of the present day. You may consult  Chronicling America  for examples of newspapers from 1917.

As you prepare the preliminary draft of your article, you should pay attention to these guidelines:

• Gather together all your research notes and completed  Primary Source Analysis Tools .
• Prepare a rough outline of the material you want to include in your article.
• Create a  headline  in block letters and a  byline  sentence of explanation.
• Your  first paragraph  should begin with an engaging statement or question to capture the reader's interest. Try to incorporate the who, what, when, where, and why components.
• Provide details, quotes, and background information in your  middle paragraphs .
• The  last paragraph  allows you to finish and summarize your story. It is not necessary to say "in conclusion".
• Write clearly and with conviction. You are representing a newspaper with a decided stance on the issue of World War I.
• Turn in your article with bibliography of sources consulted and  Primary Source Analysis Tools .

American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election This collection contains eighteen speeches focusing on WWI issues. Access these particular speeches through the  Gallery of World War I Speakers .

African-American Odyssey View the special exhibit  World War I and Postwar Society .  Scott's Official History of the American Negro in the World War, 1919  found in this collection.

The Stars and Stripes: The American Soldiers' Newspaper of World War I, 1918 - 1919 This US Army publication provided American soldiers with news from home, sports news, poetry, and cartoons. View the collection’s  Special Presentation  with additional material about women and the war effort, advertisements, military censorship and the American Expeditionary Force.

Panoramic Photographs Search for WWI-era photos in this collection.

Detroit Publishing Company . Search using the phrase World War, 1914-1918 to locate WWI-era photos.

Today in History WWI links can be found under  June 28, 1914 ,  May 7, 1915 ,  April 6, 1917 ,  September 12, 1918 ,  November 11, 1918 , and  July 15, 1948 .

Student Procedure

Lesson one – introduction to primary sources.

You will view several "Today in History" pages that focus on World War I events. How do you search for relevant primary source material? How can a photograph, newspaper article, song, or speech enrich your understanding of the Great War?

• June 28, 1914 . Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated.
• May 7, 1915 . German submarine sinks  Lusitania . American lives lost.
• April 6, 1917 . The United States enters World War I.
• September 12, 1918 . 1st American Expeditionary Forces offensive.
• November 11, 1918 . Allied powers sign armistice.
• July 15, 1948 . John J. Pershing, brilliant WWI-military commander dies.
• Look closely at the photograph of  Ypres Belgium .
• Study this photograph using the  Primary Source Analysis tool .
• Click on the link to  Panoramic Photographs and search for other World War I era photographs.
• Study Pershing's speech  From the battle fields of France . Review this speech using the  Primary Source Analysis Tool . You will be able to examine additional speeches from  American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election  in the next lesson.
• April 6, 1917  concludes our survey of World War I related pages in Today in History.
• Listen to the audio recording of  Over There  performed by Billy Murray in 1917, located in a special presentation of  American Variety Stage .
• For homework, you may choose to analyze either the audio recording of  Over There  or one of the sheet music versions using the  Primary Source Analysis Tool .

Actual sound recordings from the World War I era are available to us through  American Leaders Speak . The Library of Congress holds fifty-nine recordings of speeches by U.S. leaders at the turn of the century. The speeches focus on issues and events surrounding the war and the subsequent presidential election of 1920.

• The  American Leaders Speak  collection is made up of recordings from  The Nation's Forum . The collection represents an effort to preserve the voices of prominent Americans. In most cases, these audio files are the only surviving recordings of a speaker. The Department of State's Committee on Public Information (a governmental  propaganda ministry ) endorsed the Nation's Forum.
• The  Gallery of World War I Speakers  allows you to link to a particular speech and display the audio file and text. Listen to Franklin K. Lane's  The Nation in Arms . This speech will be further studied in class using the  Primary Source Analysis Tool .
• You will be assigned a speech to analyze for homework using the  Primary Source Analysis Tool . There are eighteen speeches in the gallery. The speeches of Pershing and Lane (already analyzed by the class) will not be assigned to individual students.

In this lesson, you will use your familiarity with the Library of Congress digital collections and prior knowledge of WWI to create two WWI-era newspapers – each with an opposing viewpoint regarding American involvement in the war effort.

Each member of the class is serving on the staff of a World War I-era newspaper. One newspaper supports the war, the other paper opposes the war. If you are a reporter, it is your job to complete the sequence of tasks listed below. Additional instructions for just the publisher and editorial board are given in  italics .

• Check with the Publisher of your particular newspaper and receive your assignment.
• View the newspaper  Department Assignments  page and note your duties and responsibilities.
• Go to the  Newswire  page of suggested links. Begin your research and be ready to report back on two potential sources to use for the basis of your newspaper article. Analyze these two sources by means of the  Primary Source Analysis Tool .
• Share your initial findings when the Publisher reconvenes your newspaper staff. Discuss the links which you explored via the  Newswire  and analyzed via the  Primary Source Analysis Tool .
• Publisher and Editorial Board meet to determine specific topic assignments for reporters. The assignments for the Photographic and Print Division are coordinated with the stories being covered by the reporting staff .
• Study the  Newspaper Guidelines . Develop one particular article in depth as directed by your Publisher. Conduct additional research using  Student Resources .
• Submit a rough draft of your article to the Publisher and Editorial Board for review.
• Publisher and Editorial Board prepare comments, suggestions for revision .
• Rewrite, polish and fine tune your article or photograph or print, following the feedback supplied to you by the Publisher and editorial staff.
• The Editorial Board is directed by the Publisher to produce a final version of each newspaper and to distribute copies to the entire class .
• Read the opposing viewpoint newspaper. Evaluate the other paper. The evaluation process is done at the departmental level. In other words, if you are a Mobilization Unit reporter on one paper, you review the work of a mobilization reporter on the other paper.

Desmond Ang: Learning from the history of Black veterans and civil rights activism

How military service may have catalyzed civic engagement

TO UNDERSTAND EQUITY and racial justice today, we have to look to the past. I study the causes and consequences of discrimination. My current research looks at the historical origins of the Civil Rights Movement, which was one of the most consequential, transformative social movements in U.S. history. It paved the way for landmark legislation like the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act that shaped democracy in the United States. We know very little about what caused people to stand up and fight for their rights and demand equal representation under the law.

My current work looks at the potential role of Black veterans in pushing for equality in the United States.

If you look at the history of surges of civil rights activism in this country, often they coincide with major wars. The “New Negro” era of the 1920s and 1930s took place after Black veterans had returned from World War I. School desegregation under Brown vs. Board of Education in the 1950s came after World War II. Lots was happening in the 1960s and 1970s, during the Vietnam War.

“To understand equity and racial justice today, we have to look to the past.”

Desmond ang.

World War I was a fascinating time in U.S. history. It was the first war in which we had a draft, which ultimately led to close to 400,000 Black men serving in the national Army. We have close to a million draft registration cards for every Black man who registered for the first World War I draft. And we’re able to link those individuals and trace their lives by matching those draft cards to other historical details and records.

In World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War, men who registered were essentially randomly picked to serve in the military. That gives us a way of looking at the causal impact of military service on postwar outcomes.

In many cases, the Black men who were drafted were about three times more likely to then take part in the NAACP in the 1920s and 1930s. They’re also about three times more likely to end up being known as prominent civic leaders during this vibrant era of Black collectivism and Black identity. Military service catalyzes civic activism among these men.

During World War I, the military was racially segregated. Black men, even highly educated Black men, were often relegated to roles as menial laborers. They’re often denied many of the training and promotion opportunities that their white counterparts would have been afforded. We find experiences of discrimination—whether Black men were denied officerships or denied training and promotion opportunities. We find that it’s Black men who experienced the most discrimination while serving their country, who were then—after the war—much more likely to take part in the NAACP. ­

— Desmond Ang is an associate professor of public policy.

Photograph by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe; Portraits by Martha Stewart; Photo illustration by Andrei Cojocaru

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