ABSTRACT
To many people in Europe the outbreak of war in August 1914 was welcome and seen as an opportunity to right many perceived wrongs, irrespective of either their political or economic validity. The politicians and generals who plunged Europe into this industrial-based war believed it would not last beyond a few months. By December, however, hopes of a swift and decisive victory were dashed against a backdrop of huge casualties, general stalemate, and a widening conflict.
