Chapter I: Preface

This brief history of the world's greatest war was prepared upon the suggestion of the National Board for Historical Service. Its purpose is to expand into an historical narrative the outline of the study of the war which the authors prepared for the Board and which was published by the United States Bureau of Education as Teachers' Leaflet No. 4, in August, 1918. The arrangement of chapters and the choice of topics have been largely determined by the various headings in the outline for the course in grades seven and eight.

The authors trust that the simple presentation here given may aid in developing a national comprehension of the issues involved in the war; and they hope it may play some part in preparing the American people for the solution of the great problems which lie immediately before us.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. EUROPE BEFORE THE GREAT WAR 5

II. WHY GERMANY WANTED WAR 27

III. GERMAN MILITARISM 34

IV. INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE HAGUE CONFERENCES 38

V. INTERNATIONAL JEALOUSIES AND ALLIANCES 48

VI. THE BALKAN STATES 59

VII. THE BEGINNINGS OF THE GREAT WAR 67

VIII. THE WAR IN 1914 77

IX. THE WAR IN 1915 95

X. THE WAR IN 1916 107

XI. THE WAR IN 1917 118

XII. THE WAR IN 1918 135

XIII. THE UNITED STATES IN THE WAR 152

XIV. QUESTIONS OF THE COMING PEACE 168

CHRONOLOGY--Principal Events of the War 181

INDEX 190

A School History of the Great War