The First World War (1914-18), a.k.a. The Great War, was an epochal moment in world history. It brought the long 19th century to an end and marked the beginning of the 20th. It wrote finis to the Gilded Age and its sanguine optimism. Its political and economic effects were felt throughout the remainder of the century and they continue even today. In this respect, we are still living in an even longer 20th century. War or the threat of war have persisted from then until now, as have most of the social and ec … (read more)