World Wars I and II were history’s most significant military combats. Both enormously impacted society, but there were many differences and similarities.
Why it started
World War 1 and World War 2 had different causes on why it started. The leading cause of World War I was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He and his wife, Sophie, were shot by Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. After the assassination, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, which they rejected and caused Austria-Hungary to declare war against Serbia. Germany supported Austria-Hungary and Russia with Serbia, which started World War 1.
World War 2 began in Europe on September 1, 1939, when Poland was invaded by Germany, with Great Britain and France declaring war on Germany two days later. The war between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R) and Germany began on June 22, 1941, because of Operation Barbarossa. The war soon spread to the Pacific on December 7/8, when Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor and other American, British, and Dutch military installations throughout Asia.
Countries that joined
Different nations joined between WWI and WW2. Over 30 countries declared war during 1914–1918 in World War 1, with the majority joining the Allies, such as Russia, France, Italy, the United States of America, and Serbia. The others joined the Central Powers, including Austria-Hungary, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.
World War 2 was much more significant, with around 70 countries involved. Some countries that fought were the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, the Big Three of the Allies, along with France, China, and more. The main combatants of the Axis Powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan, and the others were Finland, Thailand, Croatia, and more.
Casualties
Both wars had many casualties. World War I’s casualties totalled about 40 million, with 21 million wounded and 20 million deaths. The deaths were 10 million civilians and 9.7 million military personnel. World War 2 had a much greater number of casualties, with around 75 million dead, 40 million civilians, and 20 million military personnel.
These are the main differences between World War 1 and World War 2. World War 1 started because of the assassination of Gavrilo Princip, which had the Allies versus the Central Powers and fewer casualties. World War 2 started because Poland was invaded by Germany. It was the Allies versus the Axis Powers, with more casualties. Overall, World War 2 was more significant than World War 1.
About the Author
Anna is a pre-advanced BUBOTS student and is 11 years old. She is homeschooled and lives in Australia. She likes drawing, digital art, horse riding, reading, and writing, and hopes to become an author and artist.