headerphoto

Selected Highlights

The body of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife lying in state

Countdown to War

Read a single page summary of the origins of the First World War - the tangled secret alliances, the royal feuds, the personalities and the seemingly inevitable series of events in June and July 1914 which culminated in the oubreak of hostilities spanning four years.
Assassin's Target: Archduke Franz Ferdinand

German Kaiser Wilhelm II

Photographing Royalty

Browse a collection of some 200 contemporary photographs of the monarchs, crown princes and other assorted royalty who ruled Europe during World War One, including Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, British King George V and Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary.
Biographical Study - Kaiser Wilhelm II

Russian Tsar Nicholas II (right) with Britain's King George V

Dear Willy, Dear Nicky

Read a collection of telegrams exchanged between German Kaiser Wilhelm II and Russian Tsar Nicholas II in the four days leading up to war, from 29 July to 1 August 1914, in which each seeks to persuade the other to cede their diplomatic position.
The Doomed Tsar - Nicholas II of Russia

Adolf Hitler during the First World War

A Slow Fuse: Hitler's Wartime Experience

Read how Adolf Hitler's experience in the German infantry during the Great War helped shape his subsequent character, from initial eager enlistment in the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment to bitter anger and frustration following German defeat in 1918.
Who's Who: Adolf Hitler

Observation balloons

Observing War from Above

Read how each side made use of observation balloons during wartime, principally on the Western Front, as a means of spying on the opposing enemies lines, and of the often short lifespan of those servicemen who were courageous enough to occupy them.
The Balloon Buster: Willy Coppens


December 2009

Popular Features

Bookmark