Uploaded September 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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The First World War is often seen as futile and pointless. Millions of men fought and died for years, but no one was satisfied with the outcome, which did not bring a lasting peace. But that is not how governments and many people saw the war as it was being fought. So what did the countries fighting actually want to achieve? In other words, what was the purpose of the First World War?
» SUPPORT THE CHANNEL
Patreon: patreon.com/realtimehistory
Nebula: nebula.tv/the-great-war
» THANKS TO OUR CO-PRODUCERS
Erik Ritter, Cardboard, Ken Brownfield, David Garfinkle, Raymond Martin, Konstantin Bredyuk, Lisa Anderson, Brad Durbin, Jeremy K Jones, Murray Godfrey, John Ozment, Stephen Parker, Mavrides, Kristina Colburn, Stefan Jackowski, Cardboard, William Kincade, William Wallace, Daniel L Garza, Chris Daley, Malcolm Swan, Christoph Wolf, Simen Røste, Jim F Barlow, Taylor Allen, Adam Smith, James Giliberto, Albert B. Knapp MD, Tobias Wildenblanck, Richard L Benkin, Marco Kuhnert, Matt Barnes, Ramon Rijkhoek, Jan, Scott Deederly, gsporie, Kekoa, Bruce G. Hearns, Hans Broberg, Fogeltje
» SOURCES
Afflerbach, Holger. ‘What Was the Great War about? War Aims, Military Strategies and Political Justifications during the First World War,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, ed. Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Baravelli, Andrea. ‘War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Italy)’ in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Chickering, Roger. ‘Strategy, Politics, and the Quest for a Negotiated Peace: The German Case, 1914-1918,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, ed. Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Jeffrey, Keith. ‘British Strategy and War Aims in the First World War,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, edited by Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Kolonitskii, Boris. ‘War as Legitimisation of Revolution, Revolution as Justification of War. Political Mobilisations in Russia, 1914-1917,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, edited by Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Le Naour, Jean-Yves. 1914. La grande illusion. Perrin, 2012.
McMeekin, Sean. The Ottoman Endgame. Penguin, 2015.
Macmillan, Margaret. The Peacemakers: Six Months that Changed the World. John Murray, 2001.
Peeling, Siobhan. “Decree on Peace” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Schattenberg, Susanne. “Brest-Litovsk, Treaty of” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, David. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Russian Empire)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Soutou, Georges-Henri. “French War Aims and Strategy,” in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, edited by Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Soutou, Georges-Henri. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Strachan, Hew. The First World War. Vol I: To Arms. Oxford UP, 2001.
Strachan, Hew. “Military Operations and National Policies, 1914-1918” in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, ed. Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Tison, Stéphane. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (France)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Williamson, Jr., Samuel R. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Austria-Hungary)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Yasamee, Feroze. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Ottoman Empire)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Jesse Alexander
Director: Toni Steller
Editing: Toni Steller
Motion Design: Toni Steller
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: above-zero.com
Research by: Jesse Alexander, Sophie Soulière
Fact checking: Jesse Alexander, Florian Wittig
Executive Producer: Florian Wittig
Channel Design: Yves Thimian
Contains licensed material by getty images, AP and Reuters
Maps: MapTiler/OpenStreetMap Contributors & GEOlayers3
All rights reserved - Real Time History GmbH 2024
Support us and get 40% off Nebula: go.nebula.tv/the-great-war
Watch 16 Days in Berlin on Nebula:
nebula.tv/videos/16-days-in-berlin-01-prologue-the-beginning-of-the-end?ref=the-great-war
The First World War is often seen as futile and pointless. Millions of men fought and died for years, but no one was satisfied with the outcome, which did not bring a lasting peace. But that is not how governments and many people saw the war as it was being fought. So what did the countries fighting actually want to achieve? In other words, what was the purpose of the First World War?
» SUPPORT THE CHANNEL
Patreon: patreon.com/realtimehistory
Nebula: nebula.tv/the-great-war
» THANKS TO OUR CO-PRODUCERS
Erik Ritter, Cardboard, Ken Brownfield, David Garfinkle, Raymond Martin, Konstantin Bredyuk, Lisa Anderson, Brad Durbin, Jeremy K Jones, Murray Godfrey, John Ozment, Stephen Parker, Mavrides, Kristina Colburn, Stefan Jackowski, Cardboard, William Kincade, William Wallace, Daniel L Garza, Chris Daley, Malcolm Swan, Christoph Wolf, Simen Røste, Jim F Barlow, Taylor Allen, Adam Smith, James Giliberto, Albert B. Knapp MD, Tobias Wildenblanck, Richard L Benkin, Marco Kuhnert, Matt Barnes, Ramon Rijkhoek, Jan, Scott Deederly, gsporie, Kekoa, Bruce G. Hearns, Hans Broberg, Fogeltje
» SOURCES
Afflerbach, Holger. ‘What Was the Great War about? War Aims, Military Strategies and Political Justifications during the First World War,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, ed. Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Baravelli, Andrea. ‘War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Italy)’ in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Chickering, Roger. ‘Strategy, Politics, and the Quest for a Negotiated Peace: The German Case, 1914-1918,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, ed. Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Jeffrey, Keith. ‘British Strategy and War Aims in the First World War,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, edited by Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Kolonitskii, Boris. ‘War as Legitimisation of Revolution, Revolution as Justification of War. Political Mobilisations in Russia, 1914-1917,’ in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, edited by Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Le Naour, Jean-Yves. 1914. La grande illusion. Perrin, 2012.
McMeekin, Sean. The Ottoman Endgame. Penguin, 2015.
Macmillan, Margaret. The Peacemakers: Six Months that Changed the World. John Murray, 2001.
Peeling, Siobhan. “Decree on Peace” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Schattenberg, Susanne. “Brest-Litovsk, Treaty of” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, David. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Russian Empire)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Soutou, Georges-Henri. “French War Aims and Strategy,” in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, edited by Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Soutou, Georges-Henri. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Strachan, Hew. The First World War. Vol I: To Arms. Oxford UP, 2001.
Strachan, Hew. “Military Operations and National Policies, 1914-1918” in The Purpose of the First World War: War Aims and Military Strategies, ed. Holger Afflerbach. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2015.
Tison, Stéphane. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (France)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Williamson, Jr., Samuel R. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Austria-Hungary)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
Yasamee, Feroze. “War Aims and War Aims Discussions (Ottoman Empire)” in: 1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel et al.
»CREDITS
Presented by: Jesse Alexander
Written by: Jesse Alexander
Director: Toni Steller
Editing: Toni Steller
Motion Design: Toni Steller
Mixing, Mastering & Sound Design: above-zero.com
Research by: Jesse Alexander, Sophie Soulière
Fact checking: Jesse Alexander, Florian Wittig
Executive Producer: Florian Wittig
Channel Design: Yves Thimian
Contains licensed material by getty images, AP and Reuters
Maps: MapTiler/OpenStreetMap Contributors & GEOlayers3
All rights reserved - Real Time History GmbH 2024
