165 World War 1 Topics for Essays with Examples

Looking for good World War 1 topics to write about? This area of study is exciting, controversial, and worth analysing!

In your WW1 essay, you might want to focus on the causes of the conflict, its participants, or answer the question of who started the First World War. In this article, we’ve gathered 139 WW1 ideas that you can use in any project, presentation, or even debate. There are also great World War 1 essay examples to inspire you even more.

🔝 Top 10 World War 1 Topics to Write about

1. Causes of World War I
2. Political and military alliances before the WWI
3. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the starting point of WW1
4. Naval warfare of World War I
5. Ottoman Empire in World War 1
6. The role of technology in World War 1
7. The use of chemical weapons in WWI
8. The most cruel war crimes of WW1
9. Armenian genocide as a part of World War 1
10. The effects and consequences of WW1

📝 World War 1 Essay: How to Write

With over 60 million people mobilized and involving countries all around the world, any World War 1 Essay is bound to touch upon a wide variety of topics.

The mechanics behind the start of the war, its process, and results all interconnect, which may make the subject seem hard to understand and harder to outline.

However, navigating your way around World War 1 essay questions is only a matter of taking note of a few cornerstone historical processes.

Before You Start Your Outline

Do some research on your assigned issue. The more books and journals you peruse, the more aware of your subject you will be. You will not use all of them, but you will form an understanding of which titles your essay needs.

As you continue your research, start compiling your bibliography, which will be the backbone of your essay’s credibility. World War 1 is a highly historiographical event, and you will be sure to find a wide variety of literature on it on the internet.

Write down some essential terms and think about how they relate to your essay. Imperialism, nationalism, the Versailles treaty are good starter examples of omnipresent processes and results of World War 1. Doing so may help you give your essay a new, previously explored perspective.

Structuring your Thoughts into an Essay Outline

After you have finished with your sources and key terms, think about how you can split your main theme into subtopics.

Even if your essay is a single page, doing so will allow you to divide your ideas evenly between paragraphs. If it is on the longer side, think about including subheadings in your work.

This action gives your essay a more rigid structure that is easy to read. Additionally, now is the time to think about your essay’s title. World War 1 essay titles should reflect your stance as the writer and hint at the conclusion that you will draw.

You may feel like your outlined subheadings are overlapping, making your essay seem messy. In this case, find and read a World War 1 essay sample. Plagiarism is a severe academic offense, but getting inspired by someone else’s work, while giving credit, is not.

Beginning to Write

You should try to start your essay with something that attracts the attention of your readers. This World War 1 essay hook can be a fact or an intriguing explanation of a process central to your topic. Then, in this paragraph:

• Give your readers a brief overview of the events that are relevant to your essay;
• Hint at your intent, explain your methods and make your point of view clear;
• Make sure your readers are aware of what problems you will touch upon;
• Create a working thesis statement that will be your guideline throughout your work.

Each paragraph you include should link back to your thesis statement. Always be sure to ask yourself when writing:

• Does this further my argument?
• Can my facts be used against me? How can I fix that?
• Is there a different perspective on this issue?
• Could I remove this without hurting the quality of my essay?
• Is my structure reflective of the problem it is covering? What can I do better?

Remember that a good structure reflects the amount of effort you put into your work. Need a sample to get inspired? Head over to IvyPanda!

🏆 Best World War 1 Essay Topics & Examples

1. Positive and Negative Effects of WW1 on Canada: Essay
   Nonetheless, the war led to great negative impacts such as loss of lives, economic downtrend, and the generation of tensions involving the Francophones and Anglophones who disagreed after the emergence of the notion of conscription.
2. First World War: Causes and Effects
   This later led to the entry of countries allied to Serbia into the war so as to protect their partners. In conclusion, the First World War led to the loss of many lives.
3. American Dream After World War I
   People lost vision of what this dream was supposed to mean and it became a dream, not of the vestal and industrious, but of the corrupt coterie, hence corrupting the dream itself.
4. Effects of the Industrial Revolution in Relation to World War I
   During the last period of the 19th century all the way to the early 20th century, Europe and America experienced revolutions in communication, transportation and weapons which were very crucial particularly in the manner in […]
5. Total War of World War I
   The paper will demonstrate that the First World War was a total war since it bore most the hallmark characteristics of the total war including unlimited warfare, prioritization of armament efforts, involvement of the civilian […]
6. World War I Technology
   Although the question of the origins of the Great War is highly debated, and although this war is considered by many as the beginning of a new stage in history and the real starting point […]
7. Ernest Hemingway’s Personality and His Reflections on WWI
   The events of World War I and Hemmingway’s personal experiences seemed to have an impact on his writings as he sought to establish himself alongside great writers in the Lost Generation, thus portraying his sensitivity.
8. Federal Government Expansion During World War I
   The period between 1914 and 1918 was marked by the increased role of the federal government in the United States and the dramatic expansion of its bureaucracies.
9. Causes of WWI and WWII: Comparing and Contrasting
   In the following paper, Kenneth Waltz’s levels of analysis will be used for the comparison and contrast of causes of WWI and WWII. The second similarity refers to the distribution of power and the division […]
10. World War 1 Origins (How and Why the War Started)
    William Anthony Hay claims that according to McMeekin, a tutor of international relations, “The war’s real catalyst lay in Russia’s ambition to supplant the waning Ottoman Empire in the Near East and to control the […]
11. America’s Involvement in World War I
    The issues that led to America’s involvement in this were the German’s resumption of unexpected submarine attacks and the Zimmerman telegram.
12. The Causes and Effects of World War I
    To this end, the Commission on the Responsibility of the Authors of the War and the Enforcement of Penalties met in Paris in 1919. It is impossible to name a single reason for the initiation […]
13. Anti-War Movement DADA Vs. Propaganda Posters of WWI
    In relation to the causes of the WWI, these can considered as pertinent specifically on the basis that the reasons can be related to the type of society that is present during the said era.
14. Aboriginal Soldiers in the World War I and II
    Additionally, the paper will argue that the role and experiences of Aboriginal soldiers and the manner in which they have been overshadowed by other significant events in Australian history.
15. Life of Soldiers During the World War I
    In this paper, we are going to discuss how the World War I affected live of people and what was the life of soldiers and civilians serving and living on the frontlines.
16. Eastman Kodak Company and Fujifilm
    The Eastman Kodak Company has been focusing on photography and has currently added the use of technology in combining images and information in order to alter the ways through which businesses and people communicate.
17. The Aftermath of World War I for Germany
    In spite of the fact that Germany was one of the most powerful European states before the war’s start in 1914, World War I led to the political, economic, and social decline in the country […]
18. The Progressive Era and World War I
    To achieve the intended goals, many progressives began by exposing the major evils and challenges that were affecting the United States towards the end of the 19th century.
19. The Progressive Movement and the American Entry Into World War I
    The motivations of the progressive movement were complex and varied, but they all sought to improve the lives of the people of the United States.
20. World War I as the Catastrophe of the 20th Century
    There were increased cataclysms in Europe over time; for instance, the war laid a foundation for the rise of Hitler and increased the influence of the Nazism ideology.
21. World War I: American Policy of Neutrality
    Even though the people of America were shocked and firmly against involvement in the war, the US president thought of the crisis as a turning point that could significantly change America’s place in the world.
22. Economic Causes of World War I
    As of 1860, the American South was generating 75% of the world’s cotton due to the institution of slavery on the part of its wealthy farmers.
23. The Role of Canada in World War I
    The beginning of the war was marked by great losses in the field and in the economy of the state. By the war’s end, Canada had shown itself as a great power, which allowed the […]
24. America’s Progressive Era and World War I
    This paper will outline the events leading to America’s entrance into the war, the obstacles faced by the U.S.military, and the role of American women and minorities.
25. The Entry of the United States Into World War I
    The United States is believed to have entered the war after sinking the American liner Lusitania by a German submarine in 1915. Due to the competent actions of President W.
26. Role the United States of America in the World War I
    The main result of the battle was the victory of the Entente and the collapse of the four largest empires: the Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and German.
27. Impact of World War I on the American Army
    Some of the major strategies include the use of airplanes in the field of battle, employing armored vehicles, and electronic communication.
28. The United States Priorities Following World War I
    Gentile, Linick, and Shurkin single out four important periods in the evolution of the US army: Constitutional moorings and the 19th century, the Spanish-American War to Total War, and the Korean War to Total Force […]

💡 Good Essay Topics on WW1

1. Biggest Influence on the US Involvement in World War I
   Although a combination of factors including trade alliances and the interception of the Zimmerman note encouraged the decision to join the fray, Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare was the biggest reason for the US involvement.
2. Nationalism in Europe Before WWI
   This movement was the result of effective propaganda and an aggressive policy aimed at the redistribution of territories and the seizure of power.
3. Factors Leading to the Termination of World War I
   However, the deliberate humiliation of the German leadership at the hand of the Allied forces perpetrated through the signing of the “war guilt clause” indicates that the reason for the Allied forces was not solely […]
4. World War I Causes by Ethnic Problems in Austro-Hungary
   The presence of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in the said maneuvers was the perfect opportunity. After the capture of Gavrilo Princip it was time for the Austro-Hungarian Empire to react and teach the […]
5. World War I: Medias of Propaganda in the U.S.
   Posters of World War 1 presented a different style of propaganda because of the war time effort of U S government.
6. America Changes After World War I
   Among the various changes underwent by America during their recovery period in the 1920s were changes in culture, economy as well as in the workforce.
7. America in World War I
   One of the events that led America into the First World War was when a liner belonging to the British was sunk by the U-boat belonging to Germans.
8. The Nature of the Fighting in World War I and World War II
   So, the results of this war were awful, but still, speaking about the losses of the World War II, it can be said, that it was the bloodiest conflict in human history. The most obvious […]
9. Treaty of Versailles History: The Pact of Peace After WWI
   The differences among the winners of the war, later on, led to the emergence of more conflicts simply because Germany was not fully weakened; it is believed that the conflicts between these nations were the […]
10. The Wars Between 1815 and WWI in Europe
    Tsar Nicholas moved into Moldavia and Wallachia and secret accords with the Austrian and British governments for the disposition of the Ottoman empire were formulated in 1844 in London.
11. World War I Within the Context of Military Revolution
    The main peculiarity of the World War I is the advent of the so-called “three-dimensional conflict”, which means that the combat is held also in the air.
12. Life Before World War I and Life of Soldiers in Trenches
    The future of these Habsburg domains, assembled over the centuries by marriage, purchase and conquest, was the subject of endless coffee-table speculation, but the subsequent demise of the monarchy should not necessarily encourage the notion […]
13. Great Depression of Canada and Conscription During World War I in Canada
    Due to the depression in the United States, the people across the border were not able to buy the wheat produced and cultivated in Canada and as a result, the exports declined.
14. Leadership in the World War I Environment
    Military leadership is the process of influencing others to accomplish the mission by providing purpose, direction, and motivation and the basic responsibilities of a leader are the accomplishments of the mission and the welfare of […]
15. World War 1 and Technological Improvement
    The was sparked by the assassination of the Heir to the Austrian throne, Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip on June 28th, 1914.
16. The Battle of Verdun: World War One
    The choice of Verdun as the center of interest by the Germans was not very effective because the French men lost faith in the fortresses and the need to defend them.
17. Imperialist Global Order After World War I
    Thus, the general trend of the after-war years was the dismantling of multiethnic empires and the establishment of new nation-states. However, World War I also created new challenges to the existing hierarchies of wealth and […]
18. Soccer Influence on Sociopolitical Aspects of WWI
    During this period, many footballers and athletes were tempted or encouraged to join the militaries of their respective countries and become part of the ongoing war.
19. Idealist Philosophy After World War I
    Although I disagree with the philosophy of idealism, it is a fact that it managed to create a better world following the events of World War I.
20. World War I and Its Outbreak Causes
    Some of the events that influenced the eruption of World War I include the Franco-Prussian war, the Moroccan crisis, the Balkan wars, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from Austria.
21. World War I and Battle of Vimy Ridge for Canadians
    If the authors of the required readings gathered for a discussion of the First World War and Vimy Ridge, they would be likely to agree and disagree with one another on some points.
22. Aftermath of the WWI
    The source concludes that the provisions of the treaty were unfavorable to the government and the people of Germany, something that forced the country’s leaders to respond with militarization of the state.
23. Trucial States’ History From World War I to the 1960s
    During the decline of the pearling industry, the British were highly vigilant to sustain the existing regional trend of alienation amongst leaders and the people.
24. World War I and Its Aftermath
    In 1930, Hitler’s ambitions and the rise of Nazism was boosted by president’s declaration that the state was to be ruled autocratically.
25. American Experiences in World War I: Radio Broadcast
    There was a heated debate in the American society concerning the county’s involvement in the Great War, and President Wilson was heavily criticized not only for the fact of entering the war but also for […]
26. World War I and the 1920s
    In this case, American citizens went from industry workers and soldiers during the World War I to the explorers, who discover different forms of entertainment in the 1920s because of stabilization of the politics in […]
27. World War I, Its Origin and Allies
    Many researchers consider the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in June 1914 in Sarajevo to be the reason for the start of World War I.
28. World War I for Americans: Before and After
    It is important to say that lower classes had to deal with the biggest number of issues, and they have suffered the most.

🔎 Interesting Topics to Write about World War 1

1. France Before World War I and After World War II
   To overcome the negative consequences of the Franco-Prussian War, France needed to focus on new perspectives for the state’s economic and political development, and such an approach could provide the state with the necessary resources […]
2. Pozieres Battle in World War I on Western Front
   The battle for the village of Pozieres was one of the deadliest and most remarkable for the Australian troops which took part in the First World War.
3. Native Americans Role in World War I
   Most of the students who went to schools away from the reserves came to the realization that they were, ‘first Americans and then indians second.’3 The schools also taught patriotic songs as well as observation […]
4. American History From Reconstruction to World War I
   However, despite the popular opinion of the individual initiative of the first settlers, the federal government played a great role in facilitating the settlement of the West.
5. America & World War I
   The three years have been used to argue that the US was unwilling to enter the war; that the US was neutral as Woodrow Wilson had declared.
6. From World War One to Globalization
   Even though the First World War shook Europe to the core, the combination of the first and the Second World War created a three world order, modeled along three rival political affiliations.
7. How the Federal Bureaucracy Expanded During WWI?
   The role of the bureaucracy was expansive during the war since the state was expected to provide many services to the citizens, something that led to the formulation of stronger rules and regulations to guide […]
8. The Expansion of Federal Bureaucracy During WWI
   With these, a number of government agencies were created during the WWI particularly when it emerged that there was a need to regulate or control industrial sector as well as the call for the US […]
9. Role of Civilian Population in World War I
   Not only did the war encouraged people to join their forces in order to fight the enemy, but also affected their perception of the state’s key political processes raising political engagement rates among population, WWI […]
10. WWI: Germany’s Secret Gambles
    The “interception of the German arms shipment by the Royal Navy” led to the quick suppression of the Eastern uprising and execution of key leaders of the Irish Republicans.
11. The Second Battlefield: Women, Modernism, and the First World War
    The first theme is the connection of writings of women on the subject of the First World War and the modernism theoretical constructs.
12. The Book “The First World War” by John Keegan
    However, the emergence of the bill of the right to people’s life across the globe is owed to the occurrence of the First and the Second World War.
13. Watching the World Fall Apart: A Post-WWI Vision of the World in the Works of Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and George Grosz
    While it is quite understandable that at the current stage of the development of humankind, some conflicts still have to be resolved with the use of coercive methods, war as a massive homicide still remains […]
14. First World War and Germany
    In particular, the author is more concerned with giving the effects of the war on the German people, unlike other authors who generalize the effects of the war.
15. Ernist Junger’s World War I Experiences
    When the Storm of Steel was published, it became a favorite in Germany since it adored the greatness of war and the huge sacrifices made by the Germany warriors to end the war victoriously.
16. World War I Technological Advancements
    World War I saw the application of several new technologies to the battlefield, the most important being that of the internal combustion engine, which permitted the development of the first successful mechanized armored fighting vehicles1.
17. The First World War and the Russian Revolution
    Scholars argue that Russia’s involvement in the First World War and the economic consequences are the primary causes of the revolution.
18. Effects of World War I on the Development of Modern Art
    For the artists and most of the people in Europe, the time that preceded the World War I, the actual war period and the aftermath of the was presented a period of profound disillusionment 13.
19. United States and World War I
    The paper further gives an in-depth analysis of how the Germans waged war against the European countries and the circumstances that forced the United States to abandon its neutrality to take part in the Great […]
20. WWI-War: Revolution, and Reconstruction
    In as much as soldiers and civilians garnered experience during WWI, it is imperative to acknowledge that the unsuitable environment at the forefront led to deterioration of health standards; furthermore, civilians were forced to live […]
21. The Causes of the First World War
    In his description of the war, it is clear that Europe played a key role towards the formation of the war alliances.
22. The Role of Airplanes During World War I (1914-1918)
    The government further formed a consultative ‘Aircraft Production Board’ that was made up of members of the Army, Navy, as well as the sector to assess the Europeans’ fortunes in aircraft sector in a bid […]
23. The World War I
    The war brought to the fore various issues which had been in the air in the end of the nineteenth century and in the beginning of the twentieth century.
24. Importance of Accountability: World War I
    It is clear from the beginning of this article, that the statistics on the World War I causalities indicates that the Germans suffered fewer casualties compared to their western counterparts, who are the French and […]
25. Events Leading Up to WWI
    This move also contributed to the start of the conflict and eventually to the war. This decision was vehemently opposed by the Slavs, which saw Russia come to the aid of Serbia while on the […]
26. America and Democracy, at Home and Abroad, During and Just After the First World War
    Democracy is a kind of regime in which all eligible citizens are allowed to contribute to the decisions of the state.
27. Causes and Consequences of World War 1
    In social and economic cycles, the interaction of the whites and Blacks was controlled by the laws that neither of the groups was allowed to cross the other party’s path.
28. Changes in the Middle East After the World War I
    The involvement in the war by the countries from the Middle East not only led to loss of power but also spurred the economic decline and created social problems.

⭐ World War 1 Research Topics

1. Industrialization and Competition for Resources Which Led to the First World War
2. Factors That Made the First World War Unique
3. Identify and Evaluate Two Main Themes That Have Defined Management Thought Since the End of the First World War.
4. The Events and Results of the First World War I
5. Terrible Beauty: Music and Writing of the First World War
6. Liberal Democracy and Capitalism After World War 1
7. European Politics and the Impact of French Foreign Policy Before the First World War
8. Chemical Warfare During the First World War
9. The First World War and Russian Revolution
10. European Diplomacy and the First World War
11. With What Justification Can World War 1 Be Called a Total War
12. The Catalyst for the First World War
13. The Reasons for the Economic Prosperity in America After the First World War
14. Events Leading for the First World War
15. Imperialistic Rivalries and the Road to the First World War
16. Shaping the American Dream, Defining Success From the First World War to Present
17. Austro-Serbian Relations Provoked the First World War
18. America and the First World War
19. The Purpose and Intent of the League of Nations After the First World War
20. The First World War Impact on Australian Economy
21. The Long Term and Short Term Causes of World War 1

📃 Simple & Easy World War 1 Essay Titles

1. European Goods Market Integration in the Very Long Run: From the Black Death to the First World War
2. The Reasons for the American Support for the Involvement in the First World War
3. Military Technology During the First World War
4. German Foreign Policy and the Impact of Nationalism on It Before the First World War
5. The American Foreign Policy After the First World War
6. The Economic, Social, and Political Impact of the First World War on Eur
7. Technological Advancements During the First World War
8. The World Before the First World War According to Barbara Tuchman
9. The Effects That the First World War Had on Many People
10. The Effective Weapons Used in the First World War
11. Women’s Work During the First World War
12. Diplomatic Crises: The First World War and the Cuban Missile Crisis
13. The First World War Changed the Way People Thought About War and Patriotism
14. Gender Roles During the First World War
15. The Reasons for the Outbreak of the First World War
16. Australia’s Economic and Military Contribution in the First World War
17. The First World War: A New Era of Military Conflict
18. German Propaganda During the First World War
19. Analyzing Propaganda During World War 1
20. Britain During the First World War and the Social and Welfare Reforms

❓ World War 1 Essay Questions

1. How Important Was the Entry of the U.S. Into the First World War?
2. Was the First World War a Total War?
3. What Effect Did the First World War Have on Germany?
4. How Significant Was the First World War?
5. In What Ways Were People’s Lives at Home Affected by the First World War?
6. The Russian Revolution Us a Direct Result of the First World War
7. How Did Medical Care Change During the First World War?
8. How the First World War Created Modern America?
9. Was the First World War the Cause of the February Revolution in Russia?
10. Was the First World War Inevitable?
11. How Did the First World War Change the Role of Women?
12. How Industrialization Powered the First World War?
13. Why Did the First World War Last So Long?
14. How Far Was the First World War Responsible for the Growth of the Labour Party and the Decline of the Liberal Party?
15. Why Did the United States Entry Into World War 1?
16. How Did the United States Prepare to Fight for the First World War?
17. How Did the First World War Set the Global Stage for the Second World War?
18. Why Did World War 1 End So Quickly After the Years of Stalemate?
19. Why Did the First World War End When It Did?
20. How Did the First World War Affect Britain Society?
21. How Did Women Affected World War 1?
22. How Did Imperialism Cause World War 1?
23. How the First World War Impacted the Homefronts of Participating Nations?
24. Was the Alliance System the Main Cause of the First World War?
25. How Did the Middle East Change as a Result of World War 1?
26. Why Did the Ottomans Enter the First World War?
27. Why Did Germany Lose the First World War?
28. What Was the Most Important Cause of the First World War?
29. How Did the Allies Win World War 1?
30. Why Did Some Men Oppose Women’s Employment in the Industry During the First World War?