To have never really understood why WW1 started?

[Blackcloudsbrightsky]

My son asked me tonight and I could only vaguely talk about an assassination. I went on google and am none the wiser. Have A level History at grade B as well so I can't be that stupid well maybe

Is there anything you Just Don't Get? And AIBU to think this WW1 business is confusing?

I am confused just reading this thread! Can someone please link the HH relevant video?

Just to add a bit of additional background to the learned pp's:
The crowned heads of UK, Germany and Russia were cousins ( all grandchildren of Queen Victoria, who had favourites within her grandchildren, which didn't help with future adult relationships. Emperor Wilhelm (Kaiser Bill) had a 'withered arm' following a birth injury, which allegedly gave him an inferiority complex, and he was not liked by his cousins King Edward and Tzar Nicolas, so had a long time resentment of both Russia and UK, and was spoiling for a fight chance to prove his superiority over both. Nicolas was a complete twat, who thought he was just about a Deity and no understanding that there was a desire for greater fairness by the vast majority of his peasant subjects. His wife was German so disliked by the population of Russia and she was she made some very dubious decisions, especially in regard to her 'friendship' with Rasputin.
So much of WW1 and the Russian revolution was as a result of a toxic family feud.

Yes! Feeling so pleased with myself because when I read the thread title I thought 'Archduke Ferdinand'. Couldn't tell you another thing about it and I'm not going to read the thread to find out. But you've made me feel good, OP, and I thank you.

Sounds like a stupid stupid war. So many pointless deaths.

vimeo.com/79745051

Horrible Histories has the answer!

Oh HH is bloody marvellous :)

This may give a clue:

If not and it's just too much, then simply enjoy yourself looking at Michael and Simon... :)

Blackadder sums it up: it was too much effort not to have a war

Because every now and tgen the powers that be like to have a good blood letting to make sure we know who is boss. The reasons are just strawmen, they'll set them up if need be. My grandfather fought in WW2, my great-grandfather in WW2. Generations of PTSD.

Just to point out that the poor bloke was murdered in Sarajevo. The town never stood a chance, did it?

And wasn't it that two cousins had a fall out? over world dominance

Sorry, that should be grandfather in WW1

Pantryfuck - excellent video - never seen that one before. I love the HH one too - seen that many times Love the HH.

Funnily enough DD7 asked me how WWI started, when we were in the car on Monday. I mumbled something about an Archduke being killed, and different countries taking sides, and there's a a great band called Franz Ferdinand... realised I didn't have the expertise to explain it to a 7yr old, even having seen the HH vid. So distracted with chocolate. Job done. It's all too terrifying for children. and grown ups.

In June 1914, an Archduke of Austria was shot by a Serbian, and this then led, through nations having treaties with nations, like a line of dominoes falling, to some boys from England walking together in France on a terrible day.

But that's just Dr Who's explanation.

A serbian once spent several hours explaining to me why it happened. Unfortunately for him, and possibly you, I'd been awake 24 hours and was drunk so I'm none the wiser.

HH definitely does the simplest explanation.....sadly it still makes no sense because it never made any sense :(

marking place! Such an intersting thread

I also heard that it was pushed by the industries, big money making occasion is it true that they were involved?

What SlightlyAshamed said, with the addition of the weakened Ottoman Empire, that encouraged the Serbs and Bulgarians to seek independence from A-H. The Balkan Crisis of 1912-13 revealed Ottoman weakness and Balkan strength. Balkan nationalism within the A-H Empire was ignited partly by realisation that the Balkan Slavs did not need the protection of A-H against the Ottomans.

And also -- all the major combatants thought they could win. Without this belief deep down in their hearts none of them would have embarked on war.

*They believed they could win because they did not understand the implications for combat of the technological advances of their weapons, or the implications of massive and widespread militarisation of societies or the availability of almost unlimited manpower. Nor did anyone see the Russian Revolution coming.

"And also -- all the major combatants thought they could win. Without this belief deep down in their hearts none of them would have embarked on war."

Poppycock. That's a very naive view of war. It's all about the arms sales and control over your own population when they get too uppity/comfortable. The elites on all sides of any conflict are hand in hand.

So goes the hippie view.

OPI think HH is a bit dumbed down and has a lot of historical inaccuracies in general. But there are some good children's history books aroundanything by Usborne is good, and Galore Park (the junior series and the So You Really Want to Learn series) has some nice readable textbooks with a narrative feel. They could be a good investment if you want to brush up your knowledge of various areas and help your kid later on.

Having had a long family history of military service, I can assure you it is not a hippy view.