The War that Changed the Course of History
World War I, also known as the Great War, claimed millions of lives and forever changed the psyche of every nation that fought. The story of that war, and the lessons and legacy it spawned, form the basis of the informative documentary, The War That Changed History.
The film traces the origins of the war to the events of June 28, 1914. On that day, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian assassin. Within a month, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, which in turn increased the involvement of the Allies and their allies, including Britain, Germany, and France. World War I was born.
The movie packs a ton of information in the short clips, detailing every major engagement that took place during the four-year war. It also examines the factors that make this conflict unique among previous wars.
Perhaps no force has changed the nature of conflict more profoundly than the Industrial Revolution. The resulting war machine redefined warfare on land, in the air, and at sea, especially with the advent of rapid-fire machine guns, fighter jets, and more advanced submarines. These technologies require changes to age-old military tactics.
The terrain of World War I also presented us with special challenges. Trench warfare proved tricky, especially in colder climates with heavy snowfall. As a result, many casualties remained unexplained and continued to be found on the frozen ground over the ensuing decades. The filmmakers also shed light on wartime propaganda efforts at a time when the Volunteer Army was shrinking and recruits were needed to take their place.
The film contains a series of compelling footage of battlefields, newspaper headlines and other visuals from the time, including the first known footage of a young Adolf Hitler. The narrative moves at breakneck pace, yet it presents a comprehensive and holistic view of its subject.
The War That Changed the Course of History is an important retelling of a war that is often misunderstood or overlooked. Its influence would reverberate for the rest of the century, continuing to the present.
