Wednesday, March 12, 2014
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI. Please read the article-- What if WWI did not happen and consider this question for yourself. You may focus on any aspect of history (including technology) that was changed as a result of WWI. Discuss your counter-history theory with your classmates
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I believe someone would have stepped up and did something to start a war it was obvious a lot of people were pro war at this time. Everyone thought there would be boards rewritten and were very nativist. This made them listen to people who just sounded crazy and do crazy things. The arch duke dying was just one example of something that could have happened. It didn't even need to be violent some one could have just been talking mad sauce about another country which could have led to a war.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is always asking the question "What if?" and it usually sparks great curiosity in many people. This question, especially, makes us all think about how different the world would be if WWI didn't happen. Some people would go the direct route and say that even if this war didn’t happen, then another war would have or even if Archduke Franz Ferdinand didn’t get assassinated, then something else would have started the war. While I can see how these are possibles, I’d like to look at the question as if WWI never happened, nor did any other world war. First, America would not have had to get too involved with the European countries and thus the flu that killed millions would not have been brought to the US nor any other places. Also, the Austrian Hungarian Empire would not have broken up at that point, but maybe there could have been a war in just that area. And of course, as soon as you think of WWI, WWII comes to mind, and that wouldn’t have occurred either. What would Adolf Hitler have been doing if he hadn’t been killing off six million innocent people? I once did a report on him and found out that he loved painting, so he could have become a famous artist. Then, when we read about him in our history textbooks, we would have learned about a man who was monumental in art movements and known for his great painting skills. But these are all just possibilities and we can never really know for sure what would have happened if WWI didn’t occur. As they say if the tootsie pop commercials, “The world may never know.”
ReplyDeleteI believe if the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not assassinated, the war would have still happened. I feel like if this event didn’t happen, something else would have triggered World War I. I believe this war could have been delayed but I don’t think that there was anything that could have been done to avoid this war. There was a lot of tension between some of the countries, so it kind of had to happen. There was also a couple of small thing that could have fueled the war if the assassination didn’t happen. So the only way to deal with it, was to have a war.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Kyrollos. I mean because of all the tension between the countries there definitely would have been a war no matter what. It just would have been delayed, then everything after that would be too. Everything would just be pushed back a bit. I feel the the assassination was kind of just an excuse for the war to start. These countries were so pro war and nationalistic that they would use anything as an excuse to go to war. WW1 was inevitable.
DeleteAt this point in time in history, there had been so much tension between the various countries in Europe. The assassination of the archduke was the straw that broke the camel's back. Needless to say, if the murder never happened, something else would have. Timing is everything, this assassination just seemed to be between the wrong people at the wrong time. When you think about it, the only places that were really apart of this dilemma were Austria-Hungary and Serbia. Russia, Germany, etc. only came in as allies because of it. Therefore, it is obvious to conclude that something was boiling between many places; the assassination was just an excuse to knock down the first domino that would eventually cause a rippling effect. There is a big difference between embedded anger verses a spark. We learned in class that the underlying causes of the war had to do with imperialism, nationalism, and so one. The death of the archduke was the spark that lit the world on fire. However, from another perspective, it's hard not to imagine what life would be like now if WWI never actually happened. Say that spark never happened and no other spark would, I think the world would be a completely different place. Would there be communism, dictatorships, or corruption? That I do not know, but it's enough to keep me thinking.
ReplyDeleteThe war was going to happen. Whether it started with the death of the Archduke or some other event, everything leading up to that point in history was just preparing for the inevitable. Had the Archduke survived, then some other assassination attempt would have happened within the next few months. The war was only ever going to be delayed, not avoided. There was so much tension in Europe between many of the larger power. The largest tension was between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. All the other countries that joined in teamed up with one of the two and used this as an excuse to put out the anger about another country. The assassination was just the spark that ignited the entire country. Russia ended up having their revolution because of rising problems caused from the war. Everything happens for a reason and whether it happens now or in twenty years every fuse will eventually light. All that matters is how we come back from it and learn from it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what other people seem to be saying. Although the assassination of the Archduke to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was the small spark which set off the huge ordeal of the first World War, war had been brewing for a long while already. If Princip had simply walked out of the store a few seconds or minutes later, after the Archduke's car had left the road, the war may have been delayed, but not necessarily prevented altogether. Eventually, it would have been started by some other spark. But if World War I itself had never happened- if somehow all the nations and Alliances had made peace somehow or never gotten angry at each other over colonies or armies- then the world would probably have been very different. The War, although horrible, drew new boundaries for countries and nations, as well as added NEW nations into the mix. Without the war, those countries may never have been created. Similarly, the War had a huge effect on individual nations. Americans had a newfound sense of national pride, what with all of the propaganda going around. Similarly, Germany would not have been shamed so badly with the Treaty of Versailles, which may have prevented such future events like World War 2, where the main cause was Germany feeling embarrassed and angry at the nations which had blamed it after WWI.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what most people are saying. If the Archduke was not killed then something else would have eventually started the war. The assassination was just a trigger point, there were already tensions building and to say the least war was inevitable. Germany was building its armaments, alliances were forming, and countries wanted to expand. But if the war had not happened we might not have a lot of the technology that we have today. The war rushed the development of many technologies such as planes, tanks, and communications. Just think without planes being developed we might still be using the planes they used back then. It all boils down to the fact that it was just a coincidence that Princip was just walking out of the store. Even if he was delayed the war would still have started eventually.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and what everyone else is saying, "Even if the Archduke wasn't killed, the war would have eventually happened anyway..." This is true because a lot of people back then were pro war and actually wanted war. Also there was a lot tension between the other countries.
DeleteThe war was going to happen even if Archduke died or not. The assassination trigger a spark that started the war. But if World War I itself had never happened and all the nations and Alliances had made peace with each other they would have gotten angry and war might of never happen I think if the war was stared differently, like if Archduke was never assassinated the war would of have been different. There were so many thing that could of start the war, the assassination of Archduke was one reason.
ReplyDeleteWorld War 1 was the first war that involved many countries. Even though there was a huge death toll there was no significant reason or point to the making of the world wide war. If World War 1 had not happen many men would have been able to live out their lives. There still would have been tension but over time it would have probably gotten resolved. Germany would have not been blamed for the war and would not have had to pay off all the debt and go into bankruptcy. Since Germany would have gone into bankruptcy, they still would have had a good economy. With a good economy, Hilter might have not risen to power or get away with the stuff that he did. With that World War 2 would not have happened and more lives would have been saved. The aftermath of World War 1 paved the way for World War 2
ReplyDeleteIf World War I had never occurred, the world may still not be the same as it is today. World War I helped to advanced the worlds technology in many ways. During the war, specifically in Trench Warfare, the Tank was developed. The tank, altered in someways, is still used in the Military today, as it is essential for safe advancing of troops. Without World War I the tank may still not exist. Another huge invention during the war that is depended on today, is the Airplane. The Airplane was developed in the war for military purposes and is still used for that purpose today but it also jump started transportation in America. The Airplane is not only used for Air to Air combat but it is also used for distributing goods and transporting people from place to place. We have World War I to thank for much of our countries current technology.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bethaney. If World War 1 had not happened the world would not be the same. If the war did not happen many men would not have been killed. Also many strategic warfare’s would not have been brought into the world. For example trench warfare was a key aspect in World War 1. They made it almost impossible for their enemies to attack them. Also lots of chemical warfare and air to air combat was used in World War 1. These tactics have helped the war advance over the years. Believe it or not World War 1 has helped shape the technology of modern warfare.
DeleteWW1 was an extremely beneficial war for a lot of countries, mostly because of all the technological advancements like the tank, and planes for aerial warfare. If WW1 never happened then maybe Hitler would have came to power, the second world war may not of happened and more 6 million Jews may not have dies. This also means that the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the bombing of Hiroshima may not have happened. This would most definitely changed the world as we know it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kyle. WW1 was mostly beneficial because of the advancements in technology. If WW1 didn’t happen we wouldn’t have things like tanks and planes. There would also not be the tactics we have today. Also most importantly if we didn’t have WW1 many people that had dies wouldn’t have. Also all the tension that everyone had would have eventually gotten resolved without a war. The world would be much different if WW1 never happened.
DeleteI agree with what everyone else i saying. The war was bound to happen. The question was what country was going to start it which would bring in many other countries like what happened in WW1. Countries wanted to expanded and be a world power. With alliances forming, and tensions forming between countries, the smallest thing could have set any country off. If the Arch Duke wasn't assassinated, something else would have happened setting off a chain of events leading to a huge war. On the off chance that this war didn't occur, we would probably be very behind in technology today. Tanks and planes got big because of this war. Who knows when this modern technology would have been invented if it wasn't for the war.
ReplyDeleteI agree that world war one would have happened whether or not the assassination of the Archduke occured. The war was bound to happen due to all the tension between the countries because of the alliances and the growing militaries.The assassination was just an event that speed up the start of the war. If the war did not happen, the types of warefare like chemical warefare, trenches, tanks and air to air combat would not have been invented until much later in history. They might have not even been invented. World war one wasvery benefical and the world would not be the same without it.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that nothing was stopping this war from happening. If the Archduke was never assassinated something else would've set the spark off. There was so much tension between these countries that they would have used any excuse to start the war. I believe that even though the war was tragic it gave us a nudge into the technological world and provided us with many things that we wouldn't have today. We also wouldn't be so advanced in the new types of warfare that were created during this time. If it weren't for these new ideas we still may not have things like tanks to fight in wars today. All in all, if WW1 never happened we would be very behind in the technological and warfare world.
ReplyDeleteI feel that regardless of whether the arch duke was assassinated or not something contreversal would have happened. That would be like saying what if Hitler wasn't born. Someone just as bad or maybe even worse would have come along and could have did some serious damage. I don't think it should be what if it never happened. But what if it happened a different way. During this time there were many possiibilities because of all the tension and this just so happened to be the 'major' spark of the war that set off the chain reaction.
ReplyDeleteI feel that if WW1 did not occur it would of prevented the holocaust. As a result of the war Germany was targeted by the other countries and blamed for the negative effects and aftermath. This lead to Hitler raising to power because he made people in Germany gain confidence and blamed everything on the Jewish population. In addition if WW1 did not occur it is possible that there would not be as many technological advancements like the tank, and planes for aerial warfare. However losing these technological advancements is a small price to pay for saving the lives of over 6 million jews; not to mention all of the causalities that wouldn't have happened.
ReplyDeleteReally even if Franz Ferdinand wasn't assassinated World War 1 was inevitable. The documents in the DBQ we wrote were all about how each country was eager to go to war, therefore eventually something else besides the assassination of Ferdinand would have ignited the conflict. However if World War 1 never did happen then it is very possible the World War 2 may have not occurred as well, given that fact that Hitler's main reason for starting World War 2 were the results of World War 1. I do not think however that the technology used in World War 1 would not have been created if there was no war, because everybody was looking for ways that they could improve their armies and inventing new technology to give them the edge in battle.
ReplyDeleteAs many people have already pointed out, the war was pretty much inevitable with the tension between Serbia and Austria-Hungary. Even if the archduke hadn’t been assassinated, something else would’ve caused the war or the archduke would have been assassinated later on. Either way, the war would have happened, but it just would have been delayed as well as the boom and bust of the economy. However, if the war was somehow prevented, warfare as we know it would probably be different and trench and chemical warfare may not have been invented yet. Technology may not been as advance as we have it today and WWII may not have ever happened. With the deletion of the two largest wars in the history of this world, we wouldn’t have had all the advances in technology and warfare that we have today and the relationships between the countries may be different. It is a big domino effect if WWI didn’t happen. But honestly, WWI seemed quite inevitable and most likely would have happened no matter what.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what most people are saying that the war was inevitable. The countries were just begging for an excuse to start fighting. As for technological advancements, I feel like if WWI never happened, we would still be as advanced as today. If the Wright brothers were never born, would we be flying today? I believe so, and the same applies to the technology in WWI.
ReplyDeleteIf Franz Ferdinand did not get assassinated, there would be a lot less death. Since there would be no tipping point to start world war one, no one would have to die. Europe’s problems would have settle itself out. This would also prevent world war two since Germany would never go into trouble such as hyperinflation and the Nazis would have never have taken over. This would also save the lives of the lives of jews and all of the world war two soldiers. There is still the problem of the mutual alliances. If the mutual alliances would have lead to any conflict, the world may never know.
ReplyDeleteWorld War 1 was inevitable to begin with. The assassination itself was just the straw that broke the camels back. Although the war was a bloody mess, it was considered an advancement in the technological world. We would be behind with airplanes and tanks. However, if world war one never happened, then world war two might not of happened as well. Germany was furious with the demands made by the rest of the world. All in all, world war one happened and made the world what it is today.
ReplyDeleteEven if this war had not occurred I still feel strongly that another one would have shortly after. Even if the Archduke hadn't got assassinated there was still a large amount of tension thorough Europe. Although I think it would have happened I do not think that the war would have been as long or as hard as WW1.
ReplyDeleteWorld War I was inevitable. The tension between Serbia and Austria-Hungary was so great that sooner or later something would of sparked the ignition and they would have then gone to war eventually. If the Archduke Franz Ferdinand wasn't assassinated when he was, sooner or later one of the assassins would of killed him and the war would of started. The killing of the Archduke was just an excuse for them to go to war, but I believe that they would of found a different excuse to go start into WWI sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteIn all situations when a big event occurs it is caused by many different smaller situations that lead to a bigger problem. It was inevitable that World War 1 was going to happen. Whether the archduke was assassinated or not. There were too many variables that went into the build up into the war. The archdukes death was not the only thing that caused it but only a smaller event that put people over the edge. If that did not happen, something else would, and world war 1 would've happened no matter what.
ReplyDeleteI think that WW1 was bound to happen, there was no avoiding it. There was already tension throughout Europe and it just so happened that the assassination of the archduke is what set people off. If the assassination were to not happen a war would have started regardless, maybe a little later in time but it would happen one way or another. There was no way to stop this war from happening, it was inevitable.
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