World War One, the biggest, armed conflict at the time, began this day in 1914.

Seventy-million military personnel would mobilise and fight in the war, 60 million of which were Europeans; it’s not surprising therefore, that the event is otherwise called the European War.

Also, nine million belligerents died in the war, which, however, did not match the number of civilians who died; 13 million.

The cause? Politics and pride!

There was already tension between Triple Entente, consisting of France, Russia, and Britain; and the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

The immediate cause of the war came when a Slav teenager shot and killed the heir apparent to the Austria-Hungarian Empire Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

World War One

Austria-Hungary accused neighbouring Serbia of complicity; and after negotiations hit a snug from Austria-Hungary making ridiculous demands on Serbia which the latter rejected, Austria-Hungary declared war, on this day, July 28, 1914.

Russia, feeling honour-bound to defend Serbia, mobilized its military. This caused Germany, Austria-Hungary’s ally to mobilise as well, followed by a declaration of war on Russia and France.

Triple Entente: Green and Triple Alliance in Gold.

After Germany invaded Belgium, Britain was infuriated and declared war on Germany.

USA and the others joined the war later.

The end

The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which punished Germany for the war and put a lot of harsh terms on them.

One of those terms is loss of territories home and abroad; and one of those overseas territories was the Trans-Volta Togoland, present day Togo, and parts of Ghana: Volta Region, Oti Region, parts of: Northern Region, North East Region and Upper East Region.

World War One

These parts in Ghana would vote in a plebiscite to join Ghana in 1956, which is today the core of a secessionist movement in Volta Region. – Read more on that here

But that’s a story for another day. The WW1 did affect Ghana too, didn’t it?

Source - Oswald Azumah