World War I Reference Library том 2

World War I was truly one of the most tragic events of the twentieth century. The war began over a terrorist act in the provinces of the fading Austro-Hungarian Empire and could have been avoided if Germany, Russia, and France hadn't felt compelled to obey secret treaties they had signed years before. Those secret treaties turned a small conflict into one that involved every major country in Europe and eventually many other nations from around the world. In the course of just over four years of war, nearly ten million soldiers and civilians lost their lives; billions of dollars were spent on killing machines-guns, tanks, submarines-and the economies of most of the warring countries were severely disrupted; two great empires-the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire-collapsed in defeat. This resource presents comprehensive coverage of the World War I period. World War Biographies profiles 30 of the major players, soldiers and noncombatants of the period, including Woodrow Wilson, Kaiser Wilhelm II, John Pershing, Henri-Philippe Petain, Eddie Rickenbacker, Alvin York, Edith Cavell, T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and many others. Other features include photos and maps, a detailed chronology of events, sidebars featuring related information, an index, a glossary of Words to Know, research and activity ideas, and a list of further reading sources. Comprehensive coverage of the World War I period. Three volumes cover the historical events, people, and documents of World War I in a straightforward manner that will be easily understood by middle and high school students Provides approximately thirty full or excerpted speeches, diary entries, novels, poems, correspondence, and artwork related to World War I, with information placing each in context