COMMENTARY: One century on: Remembering lives lost in World War I

  • Published
  • By Mark Howell
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Historian
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The centenary commemoration of the first hostilities associated with World War I took place July 28, 2014. Though America didn't enter the war until April 1917, it's very important we pay respect to those who fought before us and alongside us and those we eventually made peace with thanks to the signing of the Armistice and Treaty of Versailles on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

This terrible conflict cost the lives of approximately 10 million soldiers and 20 million civilians. The war also resulted in the formation of historic alliances, some of which continue on into present day.

The beginning of the "War to End All Wars" was a direct result of the assassination of the Arch Duke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie, on June 28, 1914. The murderous attack was coordinated by a radicalized Serbian-nationalist group. Though Ferdinand was not a popular monarch, the assassination provided the Austria-Hungarian leaders an opportunity to attack what they considered a difficult neighbor. The emperor negotiated an alliance with Germany, and then set a number of almost impossible requirements before the Serbian government to avoid war.

When Serbia was unable to comply with every requirement, something Austria-Hungary knew would happen, it gave the excuse to pursue a war footing. However, Serbia had a mutual defense treaty with Russia, while Russia had treaties with France and the British Empire. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914. Because so many entangling alliances and treaties were in place, it effectively drew Germany, the British Empire and France into a terrible war. The Allied Powers consisted of France, the British Empire and Russia. The Central Powers consisted of Germany and Austria-Hungary.

From the beginning, Germany fought a two-front war, but because Russia took a long time to mobilize their forces, Germany decided to immediately attack France through Belgium. That attack brought the British Empire into the war in a more official capacity because Britain had a defense treaty with Belgium. The German offensive moved forward until the Allies achieved a stalemate at the first Battle of the Marne, which began Sept. 6, 1914.

The Germans retreated and dug defensive trenches. Both the armies had similar technology and well equipped forces, so the troops continued the war from those trenches for the next four years. Due to the strategy and tactics characterized by trench warfare being pitted against the advent of modern weapons, the losses were horrific. Chemical warfare, machine guns and very accurate heavy artillery eventually claimed millions of lives.

Two incidents took place over a period of two years that led the United States to intervene in the conflict. When the Germans sunk the RMS Lusitania in 1915, 159 passengers were American citizens. The incident inflamed public opinion against the Germans because the U.S. classified the ship as neutral, even though the Germans warned against traveling on the ship in newspaper articles prior to its departure because they considered it a military asset carrying war material. The second event, however, brought Congressional rebuke and a declaration of war. The Germans transmitted a telegram in 1917 that promised Mexico land in return for a Mexican-Central Powers war against the U.S. The message was intercepted by the British, who turned it over to Congress. Congress immediately debated the issue and put a declaration of war to a vote. On April 1, 1917, the U.S. declared war on Germany.

The Bolshevik Revolution in late 1917 left a new ruling caste in Russia. The new government negotiated and signed the Brest-Litovsk peace treaty with Germany March 3, 1918, but this separate treaty would not save the Germans from the Western Front.

The Americans were well-supplied, well-armed and possessed high morale, while the German troops were war-weary and unenthusiastic for another spring offensive. Soon the Germans were in retreat and the end of the war was near. The Versailles Treaty official ended World War I at 11 a.m., Nov. 11, 1918. Unfortunately, the harsh reparations clause included in the treaty helped pave the way for World War II to follow.