Unknown and interesting facts of the First World War. Interesting facts about the First World War that you may not have known During the First World War

The First is considered a special era of humanity world war. Great-grandfathers told many facts about the World War to younger generations. How the first war took place is known to many only from the stories of relatives and from books. Interesting facts Every self-respecting citizen of our Motherland should know about this event.

1.More than 70 million people participated in the First World War.

2.Approximately 10 million soldiers died.

3.About 12 million civilians were killed by the First World War.

4.During the First World War, good trenches were built. They housed beds, wardrobes and even doorbells.

5. About 30 different types of gases were used in the war.

6. For the first time in the First World War, tanks were used in battles.

7. The trenches dug during the First World War reached about 40,000 kilometers.

8.During the First World War, machine guns began to be used.

9.Millions of soldiers who fought in the war suffered from embarrassment.

10.Austro-Hungarian, Russian, German and Ottoman Empires ceased to exist as a result of the First World War.

11. At the end of the war in 1919, an organization was created - the League of Nations, which preceded the UN.

12. 38 states took part in the war.

13.Even such famous personalities as Agatha Christie participated in the First World War. She was well versed in poisons and was a nurse.

14. Several times during the war a truce was declared. This is evidenced by the facts about World War I.

15.During the First World War, cats were in the trenches. They were a warning of a gas attack.

16.Dogs were messengers in the war. Capsules were strapped to their bodies and they delivered important documentation.

17.During the First World War, about 12 million troops were mobilized.

18. Pigeons were postmen during the First World War. Thanks to them, letters were sent.

19.George Ellison is believed to be the last British soldier to die in the First World War.

20.Pigeons were trained for aerial photography in World War I.

21.During the First World War, France, trying to confuse German pilots, built a “fake Paris”.

22. Until the moment when suppression appeared in the war, German was the second most common in the US.

23.Canadians survived the first chemical attack during the First World War.

24. After the First World War, the Australian military began a war with emus.

25.During the First World War, the pigeon managed to save the lives of 198 American soldiers.

26.Pharmacists discovered heroin only during the First World War.

27. In this war, about 8 million horses were killed on the Western Front.

28.Ritmeister von Richthofen was the best fighter pilot during the First World War. This is evidenced by the facts about World War I.

29.In Great Britain, during the First World War, arose memorial sign"Dead Man's Penny"

30.The First World War was one of the bloodiest wars in human history.

31. The war lasted 4 years.

32.The First World War pushed humanity to the development of military technologies.

33.The submarine fleet began to take its first steps during the First World War.

34. The largest weapon of the war was considered the “Paris Cannon”, firing 210-pound shells.

35.During the First World War, about 75 thousand British grenades were created.

36. Every fourth soldier was on duty during the night during the war.

37.All trenches during the First World War were built in the form of zigzags.

38. During the First World War, winter temperatures were so low that even bread froze.

39.The First World War began after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.

40.The First World War is often called the “attack of the dead.”

41.On the eve of the war, France had the most big army.

42. A third of all war victims died from the Spanish flu.

43.British tanks during the First World War were divided into “females” and “males”.

44.Dogs laid telegraph wires in the First World War.

45.Tanks were originally called “land ships” during World War I.

46.For America, the First World War cost 30 billion dollars.

47.During the First World War, battles took place on all oceans and continents.

48.The First World War is the sixth conflict in world history in terms of the number of deaths.

49.In World War I, the color brown was a sign of Nazism.

50.Small horns were on the helmets of German soldiers in the First World War.

51.The Pope was a sergeant in the Italian army during the war.

52.One of the monkeys received a medal during the First World War and was awarded the rank of corporal.

53. During the war, German helmets were equated with crossbows.

54.Aircraft bombs used during the First World War weighed about 5-10 kg.

55.The main types of aviation were created during the First World War.

56.The war is considered the ancestor of plastic surgery, because it was then that Harold Gillies decided to perform the first operation.

57.The Russian army during the First World War numbered 12 million soldiers.

58.During World War I, Hitler had to shave his own mustache.

59. In war, the dove was called the “feathered warrior.”

60. Many dogs found mines on the battlefield during the First World War.

61.Russia had many Germans at its disposal during the war.

62.Not only men fought for the Motherland, but also fragile women.

63.Trench coats, which were worn during the war, remain in trend even today.

64.In the First World War, the first armored vehicles were tested.

65.After the end of the First World War, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became independent countries.

66. Thousands of people remained disabled and deformed after the war.

67.Most of the fighting took place in European countries.

68.The First World War was repeatedly called a “world fire.”

69. Many figures went to the front to fight.

70.During the First World War, teenagers ran away from home to fight at the front.

71. N.N. did not lose a single battle of the First World War. Yudenich.

72. During the first chemical attacks during the war, Canadians used a handkerchief soaked in human urine as a filter.

73. Due to the fact that the word hamburger comes from German word"Hamburg", the Americans stopped using it during the war.

74. Aviation became a full-fledged branch of the military precisely during the First World War.

75.Germany is considered the main casualty of the First World War.

76.Tanks first began to be used during the battle of Flers-Courcelette.

77. According to historians, the most striking consequence of the First World War is the USSR.

78. They learned how to do blood transfusions only in the last years of the First World War.

79.The ranks of workers during the First World War were replenished with representatives of the fairer sex.

80. Disposable feminine pads are considered a wartime invention.

Exactly 100 years ago, Germany declared war on the Russian Empire. Thus, our country entered into one of the largest and bloodiest armed conflicts in human history - the First World War.

However, this name appeared only in 1939. Contemporaries called this “meat grinder” the “Great War.” Our compatriots also nicknamed it the “Second Patriotic War” or, simply, “German”.

The massacre went on for four years. Battles took place all over to the globe, but most of the battles took place in Europe. 65 million men from 30 countries fought in active armies.

1. The Germans were the first to adopt flamethrowers in the First World War. Their flamethrowers could throw flames 40 m.

2. More than 65 million men from 30 countries fought in the First World War. About 10 million died. The Allies (Entente forces) lost approximately 6 million soldiers. Triple Alliance lost about 4 million soldiers.

3. In World War I, there were over 35 million casualties, soldiers and civilians. More than 15 million died and 20 million were injured.

4. Almost 2/3 of the deaths in World War I occurred in battle. In previous conflicts, most deaths were due to disease.

5. During World War I, about 1/3 of all military casualties died from the Spanish flu.

6. Russia's armed forces in World War I numbered 12 million soldiers, making it the largest army in the war. More than 3/4 were killed, wounded or missing.

7. In August 1914 german soldiers killed 150 civilians in Arshot. These killings were part of a strategy known as Schrecklichkeit ("intimidation"). Its goal was to intimidate the citizens of the occupied territories in order to avoid uprisings.

8. During the First World War, British tanks were initially divided into "male" and "female" tanks. Males were equipped with cannons, and females with heavy machine guns.

9. "Little Willie" was the first tank prototype in World War I. Constructed in 1915, it accommodated a crew of three and moved at a speed of 4.8 km/h.

10. Artillery shelling and mines created incredible noise. In 1917, explosions behind the German front line at the Battle of Messines near the River Ypres in Belgium were heard in London, 140 miles (220 km) away.

11. The Peace Pool is a 40-foot (12 m) deep lake located near Messines in Belgium. It fills the crater created by an explosion in 1917 when the British detonated a mine containing 45 tons of explosives.

12. In World War I, dogs were used as messengers, carrying orders to the front lines in capsules attached to their torsos. Dogs were also used to lay telegraph wires.

13. Tanks were first used at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (1916).

14. Tanks were originally called "land ships". However, in order to pass them off as water tanks rather than weapons, the British decided to give them the code name "tanks". It was on the fields of the First World War that tank building began its development, which received a second similar powerful impulse already in the Second World War. Despite large number Despite innovations and changes in the design of these vehicles at the beginning of the century and their rapid evolution, tanks never became the main equipment of war. By the way, even such a simple device at first glance as stainless steel handrails on the body of a tank for a tank landing on armor was invented only in the middle of the Second World War, so what can we say about more serious improvements. But, it’s worth paying tribute to, it was she who discovered armored vehicles for humanity as an independent species armed forces and showed his enormous potential on the battlefield.

15. The most successful fighter pilot of the First World War was Ritmeister von Richthofen (1892-1918). He shot down 80 planes, more than any other pilot in the war. He died after being shot at Amiens. The most successful Allied fighter pilot was Frenchman René Fonck (1894-1953), who shot down 75 enemy aircraft.

16. Margaret Zelle (1876-1917), also known as Mata Hari, was a Dutch exotic dancer accused of double espionage. Although she always denied being a spy, the French executed her in 1917.

17. Shortly before his death, French second lieutenant Alfred Joubert wrote about the First World War in his diary: “Humanity has gone mad! You have to be crazy to do what's going on. What a massacre... What scenes of horror and carnage! I can't find words to convey my impressions. Even hell can't be that terrible! People have gone crazy!

18. Some Americans were against the initial US refusal to enter World War I, so they joined the French Foreign Legion or the British or Canadian armies.

19. A group of American pilots formed the Lafayette Squadron, which became part of the French air force and one of the strongest military units on the Western Front.

20. For the United States, World War I cost $30 billion.

21. After World War I, four empires ceased to exist: Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian.

22. The First World War lasted from 1914 to 1918, with battles taking place on every ocean and almost every continent. Most of the fighting, however, took place in Europe.

23. The terrorist group from Sarajevo responsible for the assassination of Franz Ferdinand was called the Black Hand.

24. The United States entered World War I during last year when the war was practically over.

25. Woodrow Wilson's campaign slogan for a second term was: "He kept us out of war." About a month after he assumed the presidency, the United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917.

26. The First World War is the sixth deadliest conflict in world history.

27. The First World War was the catalyst for the transformation of Russia into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR). This was the creation of the world's first communist state and the opening of a new milestone in world history. Historians note that the emergence of the USSR was the most striking and important consequence of the First World War.

28. After World War I, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland were declared independent states.

29. The war disfigured and left thousands of soldiers disabled. To correct facial damage, doctors resorted to reconstructive surgery, and masks were used to cover the worst deformities. Some soldiers remained in private hospitals their entire lives.

The First World War is the largest, one of the tragic events and not only the 20th century, but practically the entire history of mankind. The First World War began in June 1914, but the end of the bloody war was recorded in November. 11th 1918. Despite the fact that the hostilities lasted for 4 whole years and all actions were carefully documented by historians, many facts still remain unknown to many connoisseurs and admirers of history. To lower the veil of mystery at least a little, get acquainted with several interesting and unusual facts and historical moments during the First World War.

What does history contain?

The reason for the war was the deliberate murder of the Austrian Duke in Sarajevo F. Ferdinand– 28th 1914. The killer was Gavrilo Princip, who was 19 years old at that time - he was a terrorist from Bosnia, belonging to the Young Bosnia group, which fought for the country's independence. At this moment, there were only 59 states on the map of world countries, and 38 of them took part in the war itself.

The very name of the First World War was approved as such by historians only in 39 of the last century, after the Second World War began. Before that, it was called the Great War, the Second Patriotic War, or the Great War.


The countries participating in this war lost their subjects more than 22 million of its people, and 55 million were injured.

It was during the First World War that the military began to use flamethrowers and were the first to adopt them. German troops. During the war, the very first prototype of the tank was constructed - it was affectionately called “Little Willie”. Such fighting machine included 3 fighters and moved at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per hour - not much, but still a combat power that had to be reckoned with.

Many celebrities took part in the First World War - for example, the famous writer of the world's famous detective stories, Agatha Christie. During the war, she was a nurse and was well versed in many poisons, and therefore in many of her stories and detective stories, murders were committed with the help of poisons.

During the First World War, a truce was declared several times - the first time was at Christmas in 14, when the troops of England and Germany decided to celebrate it together on the front line. The second time this fact took place was in the winter of 1916-17, when severe frosts and wolves were severe. It was during the harsh winter that we had to shoot back from the hungry portages - when several hundred of them were killed, only then did we continue all military operations at the front.

He became the most courageous and successful pilot of that war - he managed to shoot down 80 enemy aircraft. The second place is occupied by the French ace pilot - he has 75 downed enemy aircraft, while not far behind the German fighter pilot.

Thus, not only soldiers and military equipment, but also animals were enlisted to serve in the troops - it was during this period that many attempts were made to teach military affairs and cunning techniques to animals. Thus, the famous trainer V. Durov in 1915 submitted to the military leadership a proposal to train seals to search for military mines. In a short period of time, it was actually possible to train only 20 of these animals, but as historical evidence notes, one day they were simply found poisoned. According to modern historians, this result was a consequence of the actions of military intelligence.

Who exactly attacked a ground target with darts from the air?

In the arsenal of combat aviation, bombs, missiles, and metal darts were used to destroy ground targets. During the First World War, it was metal darts that found their use against enemy ground forces. So, flying out of special cassettes, and when approaching the ground, they developed incredible speed and successfully destroyed the infantry. In addition, it was a kind of psychological attack on people and animals - such an invention rightfully belongs to the French, but was used in service by German and Russian troops.

A Hungarian soldier wounded in the temple could no longer sleep

So, according to historical data, one of the battles during the First World War, a Hungarian military man was wounded by a bullet in the temple area. Despite the seriousness of the wound and the fact that most of the frontal lobe of the brain was crushed by the bullet, the warrior was able to survive. But as a result of such a wound, he could no longer fall asleep and even the examinations and treatment could not eliminate this phenomenon. Paul claimed that his condition was excellent and he felt great, without feeling tired or drowsy. Kern lived another 40 years after the war and was never able to sleep and died in 195.

Why were ships painted in a zebra pattern in World War I?

During the war of 1914 - 1918, unusual camouflage was very often used for warships, mostly the British and American fleets - the ship was simply repainted in fragmentary patterns, interlacing and stripes made with contrasting colors and colors. The purpose of such war paint is not to hide the ship itself, but to do everything in order to complicate the calculation of its course and speed. During World War II, unusual camouflage was also used, but it was the radars that appeared in service that nullified all the arguments and arguments in its favor and support.

Why did the Fuhrer shave his mustache during World War I?

So, according to the words and written evidence of the writer A. Moritz Frei, reflected in his autobiography, who served with the future Fuhrer of the nation in the same regiment, Hitler, who at the very beginning wore a lush, long mustache in the style of Emperor Wilhelm 2, shaved it off, leaving this brush for myself. The thing is that the lush and long mustache made it difficult to put on a gas mask, and the regiment commander ordered Adolf to shave it off.

The First World War is one of the most tragic events not only of the 20th century, but, in principle, of the entire history of mankind. The beginning was made in July 1914. This bloody military conflict ended on November 11, 1918.
The reason for the battle was the Sarajevo assassination of the Austrian Duke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. He was killed by 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian terrorist who was a member of the Mlada Bosnia group, which fought to liberate his country from oppression.
At that time, there were only 59 states in the world. 38 countries took part in this war, including the territories of modern Ukraine and Russia.

In general, the name of this great battle was established only in 1939, after the start of World War II. In the interwar period, the name was often used Great War(as well as Great Patriotic War, Second Patriotic War, Great Patriotic War, Imperialist War).

As a result of the military conflict, 4 empires ceased to exist: Austro-Hungarian, German, Russian and Ottoman. Countries involved in the battles lost more than 22 million people and 55 million people were wounded.
It turns out that at that time, according to eyewitnesses, Hitler wore a bushy mustache. They had to be shaved off and the well-known “toothbrush” left behind only because they interfered with putting on the gas mask correctly.
Thanks to the First World War, a very significant figure appeared in world history - Lettov-Vorbeck. He is the most successful guerrilla in the whole world. Lettow-Vorbeck was a German major general and commanded German troops during the African Campaign, the only one that was not defeated until all battles were over.


Another interesting and memorable fact was the use of flamethrowers in the First World War. Before this conflict they had not been present in any battle. The Germans were the first to take them into their hands. Also during the First World War, the first prototype of a tank called “Little Willie” was designed. It could accommodate three fighters and moved at a speed of only 4.8 km/h. It is also known that during the great battles of the 19th century, many countries used only armored trains from heavy equipment. It was in the First World War that countries began to use separate combat units called “armored tires,” which also resembled tanks. Their most significant difference from modern “armored vehicles” was their limited movement on rails.

Participation in the First World War took place even worldwide famous people, such as Agatha Christie. She was a nurse and well versed in poisons. For this reason, in her books, many murders were committed in this manner.
During the battle, a truce was declared several times. The first time was on Christmas Day 1914, when the British and German military decided to spend it together on the front line. The second time this happened was in the harsh winter of 1916-1917. On eastern front war, a temporary truce was declared, because starving wolves began to attack the soldiers. Only after several hundred aggressive animals had been exterminated did hostilities resume.

The most successful fighter pilot of those times was Ritmeister Von Richthofen, who shot down about 80 aircraft in this war. However, in second place after him was the Frenchman Rene Fonck, who fought on the side of the socialists. He was not much behind the German - he shot down 75 enemy birds.
During the First World War, an interesting memorial appeared in Great Britain called the Dead Man's Penny. It was a medallion engraved with "He died for honor and freedom" and with an image of a lion, a female personification and two dolphins to the side. The uniqueness of this decoration was that on each of the million medallions the name and surname of a specific deceased person were minted.
The consequences of the war continued into the 21st century, as it was not until October 2010 that Germany finally completed the payment of reparations imposed under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.


Today the color brown is associated with Nazism. He was chosen by the Nazis for a prosaic reason, not at all on purpose. When the Germans lost their African colonies after World War I, they were left with a huge amount of brown uniforms for African landscapes. Soon the National Socialist Party bought these uniforms on the cheap for assault troops.


An interesting fact: some indigenous Slavs who lived on the territory of Austria-Hungary enlisted in the army specifically to go over to the side of Russia.
The largest burial site from the First World War is a mass grave not far from the village of Sovkhoznoye. The soldiers who fell during the Battle of Gumbinnen are buried there: 646 soldiers from Germany and 438 from Russia. The largest burial place of Russian soldiers is the mass grave in the village of Pushkino. In this place, 196 Germans and 601 Russian soldiers found their peace.


The First World War is the largest bloody confrontation in the history of all mankind. But, at the same time, in those days there were a lot of discoveries and great events that brought not only grief, but also gave impetus to the development of military affairs.

People are accustomed to the fact that many feats are performed during military operations. And because of this, they simply don’t remember them all. However, if the history of the Great Patriotic War Although known to many, only a small part of people know about the interesting facts that happened during the First World War. And it’s about them we'll talk in this review.

Facts that not everyone knows

Contributed to changing most ideas about how military operations should take place. What facts can you give about the First World War? In mortal combat, of course, infantry continued to play a major role. However, it was during this period that armored vehicles with military aviation. Cavalrymen collided with each other amid explosions. And in this difficult time, people were forged who became famous throughout the world. However, not always on the positive side.

For Russia, this war was the most difficult, since the conflict was not only with German and Austro-Hungarian troops. Serious problems were also brewing within the country, in its very heart. And after three bloody years of the First World War, for another five years the country could not cope with the revolution.

Today, few people know the history of the First World War. And this can be said about the well-known details of the fighting. However, in this review It is worth especially talking about interesting facts of the First World War that can surprise many.

The attack that scared the German troops

Many people know about the feat that the defenders accomplished Brest Fortress. However, not everyone can boast of knowing that about 40 years earlier, Russian soldiers survived the same hopeless battle. Osovets, not very large in size, lasted for 190 days. She became famous due to the fact that the 13th company of the 226th Zemlyansky regiment launched a completely hopeless counterattack. At the end of July 1915, the Germans released gas towards the fortress. The defenders simply had no chance to protect themselves, since individual means protection had not yet been invented at that time. Accordingly, all Russian soldiers received severe poisoning. After some time, German troops went on the attack under the cover of their artillery. And quite unexpectedly, Russian soldiers, wrapped in rags, in torn tunics, constantly coughing, came out to meet them from the green clouds of the poisonous substance. However, they clutched the rifles in their hands quite tightly. At the head of the attack was Second Lieutenant Kotlinsky. The Germans, frightened by such an attack, were thrown back to their original positions. Later, Russian troops left the fortress by order of the main command.

The girl's feat that broke the enemy's advance

What other terrifying and interesting facts of the First World War can you remember? It is worth mentioning the “Stavropol maiden”. This is the name given to sister of mercy Rimma Ivanova, who died in 1915 near a Carpathian village. What do you remember about her? When during the battle all the officers were killed and the soldiers were demoralized, she was not afraid to rally the soldiers around her. Rimma, leading the attack, managed to knock the enemy out of the trench. True, she never saw the moment of victory.

The first tank on the battlefield

Speaking about interesting facts of the First World War, we should mention “Little Willie”. This was the name of the first tank designed in Britain. Its speed was about 4.8 kilometers per hour. The transport was equipped with a cannon. This model appeared on the battlefield in 1916 during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Many years have passed since that moment, and various states continue to measure themselves by the length of the barrel and the thickness of the armor. The word "tank" means "tank". This is due to the fact that the British new look they tried to disguise the weapons as barrels of fuel. However, they did not mislead anyone with their cunning.

Tokens that made history

What interesting facts of the First World War are known? "Dead Man's Penny" This is how the posthumous tokens were called, on which there was an inscription that the fighter died for honor and freedom. These items were sent to the relatives of the dead soldiers. Over 6 years, more than one million of these tokens were sent out. Their rank was not indicated. This is due to the fact that the British authorities wanted to equalize all the dead.

The changes also affected food.

A lot of bad things were done during the First World War. Interesting facts can fully confirm this. However, there was also room for events that were not too violent. For example, after that anti-German sentiments began to spread. And in order not to lose their money, restaurateurs in England and America renamed “German-style cabbage” to “freedom cabbage.”

Fashionable clothes in the trenches

Which unknown facts Can World War I be mentioned in this review? Many modern fashionistas do not know that the name of clothing such as “trench coat” was formed in the trenches. This word was used by the soldiers to describe the raincoats that were given to them by the quartermasters. However, the translation of the word “trench coat” speaks for itself - “trench coat”.

Heroic exploits of animals during hostilities

Speaking of historical facts The First World War, it is worth mentioning pigeon No. 888 and “trench cats”. Animals are often used in wartime. Pigeons mainly played the role of postmen. With their help, letters and orders were transmitted. The most famous postman was pigeon number 888. During the entire period of hostilities, he forwarded more than a hundred important letters. And it should be noted that this is the only bird that received military rank colonel. She was buried with full honors.

Simple cats were also quite common in the trenches. They were necessary not only for catching mice. The cats also warned fighters about the onset of gas attacks better than any sensor. Four-legged fighters were also used in submarines as a “sensor” to monitor air purity. What are not original facts about the events that took place in those days when the First World War was going on?

During the war years, one original tradition appeared. After the successful completion of the raid, the British submariners hung out which today is known as “ Jolly Roger" Admiral Wilson thus showed that the use of submarines for him was a dishonest maneuver that was not worthy of gentlemen.

Temporary truces to achieve common goals

What secrets does the First World War still hold? Chronicles and facts claim that during Christmas in 1914, soldiers of Germany and England declared a temporary truce in order to celebrate the holiday. During this period, a football match was held and Christian hymns were sung. Subsequently, this tradition could not be resumed. Another truce occurred in Belarus when German and Russian troops united to shoot down the wolves that attacked them. Fighting were continued at the moment when all the animals were killed.

Conclusion

In this article we have attempted to highlight basic facts about the First World War that may be of interest. Few people know about them. However, accomplished feats require that they be remembered. Often the heroism of people turned the tide of hostilities. And everyone, without exception, needs to know this.