World War I is notable for the early excitement that existed among the soldiers who were heading off to war. When World War I broke out in 1914, many European cities and towns celebrated the newly declared war and many young men clamored for their opportunity to fight in the battles of the Great War. For example, Austrian writerStefan Zweigfamously described the scene in Vienna, Austria at theannouncementof World War I. He wrote: "In every station placards had been put up announcing general mobilization. The trains were filled with fresh recruits, banners were flying, music sounded, and in Vienna I found the entire city in a tumult... There were parades in the street, flags, ribbons, and music burst forth everywhere, young recruits were marching triumphantly, their faces lighting up at the cheering..." | |
For many, this excitement for war was similar to a celebration or a festival. The towns were decorated with colorful flags and the soldiers mobilized in the central streets as they made their way to the trains that would take them to thefront linesof the war.
One of the first main reasons for the excitement of the war was that many in Europe had a romantic feeling towards war. In the years before war was declared in 1914, Europe had enjoyed a prolonged period of piece in its otherwise violent past. The Napoleonic wars had ended in the early 19th century and the only other wars that had occurred in the century that followed were smaller, regional conflicts. Therefore, for the young European men of the time they only knew of war what they had learned in school, read in books or heard from others. To many of them war seemed to be glorious and romantic. They read stories about soldiers bravely marching into battle and dying heroically on the battlefields for their countries. For many of these young soldiers, they viewed the Great War as their opportunity to play a role in the “glory of war” and follow in the path of earlier soldiers in earlier European conflicts. To them, war seemed adventurous and a show of bravery that many claimed they “did not want to miss”.Also, a strong sense of nationalism was an important reason that many of the young men in 1914 were excited for war. They had been taught in school to be ready to answer the call of war for their country at any time and to be ready to serve and die for their country if necessary. As such, patriotism and a sense of nationalistic pride drove many to join the armed forces. Recruitment posters pressured young men to join the war effort and to join their fellow citizens into the trenches of World War I. All of this put a great deal of pressure on young men and many joined out of a sense of national duty and responsibility.
As well, it was widely believed at the time that the war would be over relatively quickly. Since the fighting began in the summer of 1914, many pronounced that the war would surely be over by December of that year. So for many of the young men, they believed that they were heading off to a short adventure and to represent their country.
As the war progressed and a stalemate in the trenches of Northern France caused the conflict to extend into 1915, the excitement that many had for the war began to change. The realities of trench warfarewere brutal and life in the trenches was miserable and the image of war no longer had a romantic or exciting feeling.
FAQs
Many people were glad to see the start of the First World War. On 2 August 1914, young Germans took to the streets and sang nationalist songs to celebrate their army preparing for war. People in England and France responded with enthusiasm as well. Many came forward to volunteer in the army.
Why was Germany excited for ww1? ›
German politicians saw the Balkan crisis in 1914 as an opportunity to inflict a diplomatic setback on Russia and France, but its Generals feared Russia's growing military power and were ready to strike before it was too late.
Why did many Europeans enter WWI eager and enthusiastic? ›
European nations were eager for war to prove their superiority over other nations. They had growing militaries. And they had joined together to form opposing military alliances, pledging to support their partner nations in case of war.
How did soldiers feel about ww1? ›
They evolved during the course of the conflict, from a broad acceptance of a defensive war in the summer of 1914, to war-weariness as early as winter 1914, to various and sometimes spectacular forms of refusal from 1917 onwards, although obedience and compliance remained the norm.
What was the motivation of World War 1? ›
Among the immediate causes were the decisions made by statesmen and generals during the July Crisis, which was triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by the Bosnian Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip, who had been supported by a nationalist organization in Serbia.
Were Germans excited for ww1? ›
In Germany, the recent wars of unification created a particular atmosphere. Those who had fought in the wars looked back on their glorious deeds with pride. Their successors felt somehow that they were not quite real soldiers until they had fought a war, and were therefore eager, in this sense, for action.
Why were soldiers excited to war in ww1? ›
Many soldiers were young men who were looking for adventure and excitement. They saw the war as an opportunity to prove themselves and to experience something new.
Why was there such enthusiasm for the war when it began? ›
Motivation to Fight
Others had been influenced by school texts and poems depicting war as a romantic adventure. Questions of honour and glory also contributed to the war enthusiasm, and many saw the prospect of action as a temporary escape from the monotony of work and civilian routine.
Why were people eager to fight in ww1? ›
Their motivations were often the same as those who joined up in England, Scotland and Wales: a sense of duty, the belief that the war was a just cause, a desire for adventure, the bonds of friendship and economic reasons.
What motivated those who favored entering ww1? ›
socialists thought war was over imperialist lands. What motivated those in favor of the war was that many felt strong ties to British ancestry, language, democracy, legal system and more importantly, the U.S. had stronger economic ties with Allies than with Central Powers.
The last combat veteran was Claude Choules, who served in the British Royal Navy (and later the Royal Australian Navy) and died 5 May 2011, aged 110. The last veteran who served in the trenches was Harry Patch (British Army), who died on 25 July 2009, aged 111.
How long did soldiers think ww1 would last? ›
In previous wars, victory was achieved through territorial supremacy; in World War I it was accomplished by simply outlasting the opponent—a "war of attrition." When fighting first broke out in August 1914, many hoped the war would be short-lived; few predicted a conflict that would last for more than four years and ...
Who dug the trenches in ww1? ›
The trenches were dug by soldiers and there were three ways to dig them. Sometimes the soldiers would simply dig the trenches straight into the ground – a method known as entrenching. Entrenching was fast, but the soldiers were open to enemy fire while they dug.
Could there be a World War 3? ›
The various global military conflicts that have occurred since the start of the 21st century, most recently the Syrian civil war since 2011, the Russian invasion of Ukraine since 2022, alongside recent rising tensions between the United States and China, have been perceived as potential flashpoints or triggers for a ...
What are the 3 main reasons the US entered ww1? ›
Three factors contributed to the United States entering World War I in 1917:
- Unrestricted Submarine Warfare.
- Propaganda Campaigns.
- The Zimmerman Telegram.
The immediate cause of World War I that made the aforementioned items come into play (alliances, imperialism, militarism, nationalism) was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary. In June 1914, a Serbian-nationalist terrorist group called the Black Hand sent groups to assassinate the Archduke.
Why was Germany so militaristic in ww1? ›
German militarism was a broad cultural and social phenomenon between 1815 and 1945, which developed out of the creation of standing armies in the 18th century. The numerical increase of militaristic structures in the Holy Roman Empire led to an increasing influence of military culture deep into civilian life.
What did Germany agree to in ww1? ›
The Treaty of Versailles is one of the most controversial armistice treaties in history. The treaty's so-called “war guilt” clause forced Germany and other Central Powers to take all the blame for World War I. This meant a loss of territories, reduction in military forces, and reparation payments to Allied powers.
How did Germany feel about being blamed for ww1? ›
Finally, Germany lost its colonies in Africa and Asia. The Germans felt that they should not have been blamed for the war. The loss of territory was considered extremely humiliating. Moreover, the sky-high reparations caused great poverty throughout the country.
Why did Germany want to start the war? ›
Hitler had an overriding ambition for territorial expansion, which was largely driven by his desire to reunify the German peoples and his pursuit of Lebensraum, “living space” that would enable Germans to become economically self-sufficient and militarily secure.
