Introduction

This blog, Chapter 27: World War I, will cover chapter 27 of the A History of Western Society Eighth Edition textbook. 

This chapter covers the first World War, a period from 1914 through 1918, when Continental Europe, particularly France was engulfed in large scale trench-warfare. It discusses the causes that led to this terrible conflict, the progression of the war around the continent and the resulting treaties and political arrangements that were made at its end.

Chapter Objective

In this blog I hope to shed light on the art of this time period, significant political and military characters of the war, and draw parallels between European and American events that occurred simultaneously during this time.


Essential Question

How were artists of the time affected by the Great War, and how did they choose to represent it in their work?

- As with any war, World War I was subject to its fair share of criticism, leading artists of the time to portray it with mixed opinions, some such as the cubists were greatly impressed by the shape and structure of wartime machinery and painted it in bold, cutting-edge style, while others painted it as sad and destructive with paintings closer to the style of realism.