General Summary of the World War One

The assassination of Austrian archduke Ferdinand in the Balkans in June 1914 led to much international comment throughout July and war became virtually inevitable by August, arriving at the height of a summer in which, for the British, there had been greater fears of a conflict in Ireland than in Europe.

Mobilisation evoked a sense of patriotism in most of the confrontational nations (Germany and Austria-Hungary being the key powers on one side; France, Russia and Britain the principals on the other), which made them all believe they had a good cause for going to war with one another. In the east Russia lumbered towards Germany but was stopped decisively at Tannenberg. In the west France launched her armies with much elan and dash at her former territories of Alsace-Lorraine, only to be thrown back with huge losses.

Britain called for volunteers to reinforce Expeditionary Force which was swiftly despatched to the nearest appropriate scene of action: Belgium (whose neutrality had ...