THE FIRST WORLD WAR AND POEMS

First World War

A global conflict that began in 1914, caused by economic rivalries, nationalism, and rigid alliances.

Great Britain

The leading world power before WWI, particularly in trade and finance, challenged by Germany.

Germany's unification

Occurred in 1871, leading to rapid industrial growth and challenging British supremacy.

Arms race

A competition between nations to build up stronger armed forces, seen between Germany and Great Britain before WWI.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

His assassination in 1914 triggered the chain reaction that led to the First World War.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 agreement that ended WWI and imposed heavy reparations on Germany.

Wilfred Owen

A war poet known for his realistic depictions of the horrors of WWI, author of Dulce et Decorum Est.

Rupert Brooke

A war poet who presented an idealized view of war in his poem The Soldier.

Siegfried Sassoon

A poet who condemned the heroic narrative of war, known for his poem 'Attack'.

Dulce et Decorum Est

A poem by Wilfred Owen that critiques the idea of heroism in war and presents its brutal realities.

Disabled

A poem by Wilfred Owen highlighting the tragic consequences of war on veterans and the disjunction between expectations and reality.

The Soldier

A poem by Rupert Brooke that expresses a patriotic and idealized vision of dying for one's country.

Chemical industry

One of the sectors in which Germany surpassed British production during its industrial growth.

Militarism

The belief in building up strong armed forces to prepare for war, exemplified by Germany's naval expansions before WWI.

Assassination

The murder of a prominent figure; in 1914, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand escalated tensions into WWI.

Poison gas

A new weapon used in WWI that contributed to the violent and destructive nature of modern warfare.

Nationalism

A strong patriotic sentiment that contributed to tensions leading up to WWI, often elevating national interests above others.