Context: World War One
The era in which World War I took place was between 1914 and 1918. At the time, the English-speaking world knew it as the “Great War”—the term “World War I” was applied decades later. Although the conflict initially began in Europe, it eventually involved countries as far away as the United States and Japan. The period leading up to the war was a complex tangle of diplomacy and politics: many countries debated over strategies and alliances until nearly the last minute, and the first few weeks of the conflict were similarly chaotic and confusing. However, many historians agree about the war’s consequences: World War I led almost immediately to World War II.