Describe the main features of World War I.
The main features of World War I were as follows : War between two power blocs : The war was fought between two power blocs i.e., the Allies – Britain, France and Russia and later joined by the US and the Central Powers – Germany, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Turkey. First modern industrial war : Machine guns, tanks, aircraft, chemical weapons produced on large scale by the industries were used in the war. ecruitment of soldiers throughout the world : The soldiers were not only recruited in the main participating countries but throughout the world from the colonies such as India. They were sent to fight in the war on ships and trains. Death and destruction of property : It is estimated that nine million people died and about twenty million were injured in the war. Most of the killed and maimed were men of working age. The loss of wealth and property was beyond imagination. Restructuring of industries : Industries were restructured to produce war-related goods. Entire societies were reorganised for war as men went to fight war, women started working in factories. Snapping of economic links between world’s largest economic powers : The war led to snapping of economic links between world’s largest economic powers which were now fighting each other. Britain borrowed large sums from US banks as well as US public. US became an international creditor instead of an international debtor.
