More of a question, than a quiz.

This is going to sound daft, but bear with me, it will all make sense in the end........

In what year did WWI begin?

 

1914. Why?

 

It very much depends on your nationality:

British Empire: 1914
France / Germany: 1914 (or maybe 1870)
Russia: 1914
Austro-Hungary: 1914 (or maybe with the Balkan Wars c. 1912?)
Ottoman Empire: 1914
Japan: 1914 (or maybe 1905?)
Italy: 1915
USA: 1917


Alternatively, some consider the 7 years war to be the first "world war" so maybe c. 1756

 

From the British point of view. So Siberian Black is correct.

When did WWI end?

bear with me, this will make sense in the end!

 

Theres an Anglican Church near where I live which commemorates "The Great War 1914-1919", A case could probably even be made that it ended in 1921, as fighting in Russia, Poland, and Finland countinued until then, being related to who-got-what in the Versailles Treaty...

The fighting in western Europe however ended in 1918, which makes it the common answer in English books. Legally however, the Versailles Treaty was signed in 1919 so I think the war 'officially' ended then

 

Well done smeghead, you are one step ahead.
After having asked the dates for WWI, I was going to go & ask the same of WWII.

I would then have 1914 - 1918. & 1939 - 1945.

My question was then going to be.
Why, on war memorials in this country, are the dates 1914 - 1919. & 1939 - 1945?

My guess was, that as the Armistice was 11/11/18. Some soldiers might have died of their wounds in 1919. However, the date of the signing of the treaty of Versailles is more probable, I think.

Your thoughts gentlemen?

 

I don't get it. What are you asking? (I'm just a stupid highschooler here so....)

 

I am asking why British war memorials for the 1st World war are always dated 1914 - 1919, not 1914 - 1918.

 

Armistice didn't occur until 1919, I think. That would then be the official end to the Great War wouldn't it?

 

The armistice on the Western Front and at sea took effect at 11am, 11th November 1918. The peace treaty (Treaty of Versailles) was signed on 28th June 1919. Thats one of the reasons for the scuttling of the High Seas Fleet on 21st June 1919 -- the commander had (IIRC) heard a rumour that the treaty was to be signed and the fleet handed over to the Allies the next day.

Tom

 

Right! Frig. it hasen't evne been a year and I'm already forgetting grade ten history....

 

An armistice is technically only an agreed-upon pause in the middle of a war. The armistice of 1918 is considered the end of World War I only because hostilities did not resume afterwards. Wars officially end only with peace treaties.

This is largely a matter of superfluous precision though, since most wars are considered over when the lead stops flying.