WWI Essay

Was World War I a “just” or “unjust” war? In crafting your argument, make sure to answer the following questions:

Why did World War I begin?

How did WWI affect soldiers and civilians?

What was the outcome of the war?

Make sure to provide at least two specific examples in each body paragraph.

Structural Requirements:

  1. Introduction (Was World War I a “just” or “unjust” war?)
  2. Hook
  3. Opening Statement
  4. Thesis
  5. Map statement
  6. Body Paragraph 1 (Why did World War I begin?)
  7. Topic Statement
  8. Reason 1
  9. Example 1
  10. Explanation 1
  11. Reason 2
  12. Example 2
  13. Explanation 2
  14. Transition
  15. Body Paragraph 2 (How did WWI affect soldiers and civilians?)
  16. Topic Statement
  17. Reason 1
  18. Example 1
  19. Explanation 1
  20. Reason 2
  21. Example 2
  22. Explanation 2
  23. Transition
  24. Body Paragraph 3 (What was the outcome of the war?)
  25. Topic Statement
  26. Reason 1
  27. Example 1
  28. Explanation 1
  29. Reason 2
  30. Example 2
  31. Explanation 2
  32. Conclusion (Was World War I a “just” or “unjust” war?)
  33. Summary
  34. Closing Statement

Introduction / World War I was an “unjust” war and cannot be understood as anything other than a tragic waste of life. / World War I was a “just” war that was fought for noble reasons and ultimately led to a lasting peace.
Body Par. 1 / World War I began because of conflicts between and within the imperial powers.
Examples:
Economic Competition
Colonial Competition
The Alliance System
Ethnic nationalism in the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires
The Socialist Threat Back Home / World War I was fought by altruistic powers attempting to stop an empire bent on world domination.
Examples:
The Alliance System
The Austro-Hungarian Empire’s Ultimatum
The German Attack on Belgium
Body Par. 2 / WWI was the bloodiest, most devastating war the world had ever seen.
Examples:
New Technology
Stalemate
The Russian Revolution
The Armenian Genocide
Statistics (how many people died, how many were injured) / WWI led to death and destruction across Europe, but the devastation would have been far worse if the Allied powers did not fight it.
Examples:
The Armenian Genocide
Unrestricted German Submarine Warfare and the Sinking of the Lusitania
The Zimmerman Note
Body Par. 3 / The “war to end all wars” ironically ended in a peace settlement that would continue colonial rule over the Third World and ultimately lead the world into yet another global conflict.
Examples:
The Treaty of Versailles
The Mandate System
The Russian Civil War / The victorious allies forced the Germans to submit to a necessary peace treaty that kept the former imperial power from wreaking havoc in the world for 20 years.
Examples:
The Treaty of Versailles
The League of Nations
Conclusion / World War I was an “unjust” war and cannot be understood as anything other than a tragic waste of life. / World War I was a “just” war that was fought for noble reasons and ultimately led to a lasting peace.