The World War and What was Behind It | Page 2

to carry weapons in order to insure their right to live and to enjoy protection, so nations may learn at last that peace and security are preferable to the fruits of brigandage and aggression. The colonies of America, after years of jealousy and small differences, followed by a tremendous war, at last learned this lesson. In the same way the states of Europe will have to learn it. The stumbling blocks in the way are the remains of feudal government in Europe and the ignorance and short-sightedness of the common people in many countries. Ignorance is rapidly waning with the advance of education, and we trust that feudalism will not long survive its last terrible crime, the world war of 1914.
Now that the United States has become a belligerent, it is very essential that our people understand the events that led up to our participation in the war. So many of our citizens are of a peace-loving nature, we are so far removed from the militarism of continental Europe, and the whole war seems so needless and so profitless to those who have not studied carefully its causes, that there is danger of a want of harmony with the program of the government if all are not taught the simple truth of the matter. There is no quicker channel through which to reach all the people than the public schools. With this in mind, two entire chapters and part of a third are devoted to demonstrating why no other course was open to this country than to accept the war which was forced upon her.
In the preparation of this little work, the author has received many helpful suggestions from co-workers. His thanks are especially due to Professor A. G. Terry of Northwestern University and Professor A. H. Sanford of the Wisconsin State Normal School at La Crosse, who were kind enough to read through and correct the manuscript before its final revision. The author is especially indebted to the Committee on Public Information at Washington, D. C., for furnishing to him authoritative data on many phases of the war. Acknowledgment is also made to Row, Peterson and Company for kind permission to use illustrations from History Stories of Other Lands; also to the International Film Service, Inc., of New York City for the use of many valuable copyright illustrations of scenes relating to the great war.
L. P. BENEZET.
Evansville, Indiana, January 2, 1918

CONTENTS
Preface List of Maps List of Illustrations
1. The Great War 2. Rome and the Barbarian Tribes 3. From Chiefs to Kings 4. Master and Man 5. A Babel of Tongues 6. "The Terrible Turk" 7. The Rise of Modern Nations 8. The Fall of Two Kingdoms 9. The Little Man from the Common People 10. A King-Made Map and Its Trail of Wrongs 11. Italy a Nation at Last 12. The Man of Blood and Iron 13. The Balance of Power 14. The "Entente Cordiale" 15. The Sowing of the Dragon's Teeth 16. Who Profits? 17. The Spark that Exploded the Magazine 18. Why England Came In 19. Diplomacy and Kingly Ambition 20. Back to the Balkans 21. The War under the Sea 22. Another Crown Topples 23. The United States at War--Why? 24. Europe As It Should Be 25. The Cost of It All 26. What Germany Must Learn
Pronouncing Glossary Index

LIST OF MAPS
1. Distribution of Peoples According to Relationship 2. Distribution of Languages 3. Southeastern Europe in 600 B.C. 4. Southeastern Europe 975 A.D. 5. Southeastern Europe 1690 6. The Empire of Charlemagne 7. Europe in 1540 8. The Growth of Brandenburg-Prussia 1400-1806 9. Italy in 525 10. Italy in 650 11. Italy in 1175 12. Europe in 1796 13. Europe in 1810 14. Europe in 1815 15. Italy Made One Nation--1914-- 16. Formation of the German Empire 17. Southeastern and Central Europe 1796 18. Losses of Turkey During the Nineteenth Century 19. Turkey As the Balkan Allies Planned to Divide It 20. Changes Resulting from Balkan Wars 1912-1913 21. The Two Routes from Germany into France 22. The Roumanian Campaign as the Allies Wished It 23. The Roumanian Campaign as It Turned Out 24. Europe as It Should Be

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1. The Peace Palace at the Hague 2. Fleeing from Their Homes, Around which a Battle is Raging 3. A Drill Ground in Modern Europe 4. The Forum of Rome as It Was 1600 Years Ago 5. The Last Combat of the Gladiators 6. Germans Going into Battle 7. A Hun Warrior 8. Gaius Julius Caesar 9. A Prankish Chief 10. Movable Huts of Early Germans 11. Goths on the March 12. Franks Crossing the Rhine 13. Men of Normandy Landing in England 14. Alexander Defeating the Persians 15. A Knight in Armor 16. A Norman Castle in England 17. A Vassal Doing Homage to His Lord