What started the first World War?

Kieran Fagan explains the background to the battle

The Great War began because the great powers of Europe, Britain, France and Russia were ranged against the might of Germany. Ostensibly the 1914-18 war - it did not become the first World War until a second came along in 1939 - began because Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian (Hapsburg) throne and his wife Sophie, were shot in Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914. This prompted war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia on July 28th, 1914; became a general European struggle by Germany's declaration of war against Russia on August 1st, 1914; and eventually became a global war involving 32 nations. The United States became involved reluctantly towards the end.

The real causes of the first World War were the rise of nationalism, and fear of Germany. Since 1871 Germany had established itself as a great world power. When Germany invaded Belgium on August 3rd, and started to cut a swathe down towards northern France, Britain swiftly declared war.

Ireland too had caught the nationalism "bug" but Home Rule was effectively on the backburner until the conflict in Europe was resolved. Many Irish soldiers joined the British army and there was an expectation that all the combatants, except the defeated Germans, would be home for Christmas (1914).

Instead the armies of Britain, France and Germany got bogged down in trench warfare across the north of France and Belgium for four years. Thousands of lives were sacrificed to gain a few yards of territory, only to be lost the next day, week or month.

A "Big Push" was planned for 1916. The French army was largely committed to defending the fort of Verdun, though forts belonged to an outdated concept of warfare. The British volunteer army was the main instrument deployed to drive the Germans back at the river Somme. And the 36th Division, composed of the Ulster Volunteers originally formed to resist Home Rule in the north of Ireland, was to the forefront on day one, July 1st, 1916.

In the first two days the Ulstermen took terrible losses. In 1917 the survivors fought at Messines alongside the Irish Catholics of the 16th Division formed largely from the National Volunteers. In Ireland, the National Volunteers had been promised Home Rule, while the Ulster Volunteers resisted it with the threat of force.

As the Battle of the Somme began, six German divisions held the line, with another three in reserve. The British attacked with 15 divisions. Failure to make a decisive breakthrough on the opening day resulted in close and bloody fighting during July and August.

On September 3rd, the 47th (Irish) Brigade, composed largely of Redmond's National Volunteers, captured the village of Guillemont. Britain piled the pressure on the Germans. Operations on the River Ancre continued with some gains.

On the battlefont's extreme right, Britain's Fourth Army was edging towards le Transloy, capturing le Sars, but rain was turning the battleground into a quagmire. In deteriorating weather, major operations ended on November 18th, 1916.

The German line had been pushed back about 8km in the centre area at a dreadful cost. The Battle of the Somme was over.