The War that Changed the Course of History
The First World War, also known as the Great War, resulted in the deaths of millions of people and permanently altered the psyches of all nations that participated. The history of this conflict and the lessons it learned are the subject of the documentary The War That Changed the Course of History.
The movie chronicles the origins of the conflict to the day of June 28th, 1914. That fateful day, the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were murdered by a Serbian assassin. Within a month, Austria-Hungary initiated hostilities against Serbia, which led to a centralized response from the Central Powers and their allies, including Germany, Britain, France and America. World War I was born.
The movie contains a lot of information in its limited running time, and details each significant battle that took place during the duration of the four-year conflict. Additionally, it analyzes the causes that made this conflict different from other wars.
Perhaps no external force had a greater effect on the nature of the conflict than the advancement of industry. The machinery that resulted from the conflict redefined warfare through land, air and sea, specifically the introduction of the rapid fire machine gun, aircraft and more advanced submarines. These innovations necessitated a change in traditional military strategies.
The terrain of the First World War was also unique in its challenges. The practice of trench warfare was difficult, particularly in colder climates that saw high levels of snowfall. As a result, many victims that should have been accounted for were still unaccounted for decades later when they were located in the frozen landscape. The filmmakers also discussed the propaganda efforts of the war by the time that were dedicated to the army by volunteers that were dwindling and new recruits were needed to fill their positions.
The movie features a multitude of intriguing battlefield footage, newspaper headlines and other visual artifacts of the day, including the first documented footage of Adolf Hitler. The narration’s pace is rapid, but it conveys a comprehensive and comprehensive understanding of the subject.
The War That Changed the Course of History is a significant recount of an often misunderstood or disregarded conflict. The effect would remain significant through the remainder of the century and into today.
