Terry Deary - Frightful First World War

History can be horrible. So horrible that some boring old fogies think young people should not be told the whole, terrible truth.

But if you never learn the truth youll miss out on some of the most useful things in life

And the next time your new leather shoes hurt you, stuff them full of flowers. What happens? Nothing. The shoes stay hard and your feet get blisters.

Why couldnt your teachers tell you the truth about sweet pea mixture? Either

a) they dont know or

b) they know but they are too embarrassed to say.

What you need is a book thats not too embarrassed to tell you about the awful things people used to do. You want a history of the horrible.

And its no use telling you

That makes it sound cosy and peaceful, doesnt it? The truth is pretty nasty, but youll never understand how those people suffered unless you read their own true memories of trenches and no mans land

Thats more like the truth because it was written by a soldier who was there.

Of all the history in the world the story of the First World War also known as the Great War is perhaps the most horrible. Its a story of what happens when machines go to war and human beings get in the way. But its also a story of courage and craziness, brave people and batty people, friendships and fierce hatreds, love and lice.

The Great War gangs

Why did the Great War start? Lots of big, thick history books have been written to answer that question. But, to put it simply, by 1914 the countries of Europe had formed themselves into two big gangs like street gangs. The gang called the Central Powers were led by the Germans and the gang we call the Allies were led by the French and British.

The two gangs started collecting weapons, making threats and swapping insults, the way gangs do.

All it needed was for one gang member to throw the first stone and a huge punch-up would follow.

The Black Hand bunglers

So exactly how did the First World War start? Its never one of the gang leaders that starts the fight, is it? Its always one of the scruffy little kids that hangs around the edge. In this case the scruffy little kid was called Bosnia in the Allies gang.

And so a Serbian gang known as the Black Hand (honest!) waited till the Emperor came to Bosnia. Gavrilo Princip was a Serbian Black Hand freedom fighter.

The first stone had been thrown. Austria declared war on Serbia, and Germany helped Austria so Russia helped Serbia so France helped Russia. Germany marched through Belgium to get to France so Britain helped Belgium.

The First World War had started. It was expected to last about four months but it lasted four frightful years.

But, before the war starts, here are two quick questions.

1 What happened to Ferdis blood-soaked jacket after his death?

a) It was taken into battle like a flag for the Austrians to follow.

b) He was buried in it.

c) It was put in a museum, so gruesome people can go and gaze at it.

2 What happened to the assassin Gavrilo Princip?

a) He was shot by the police as he ran away.

b) He escaped and lived happily ever after.

c) He was arrested and put in prison.

Answers: 1c) Franz Ferdinands death was the start of the bloodiest war seen until that time. So his blood-soaked coat was an important reminder of the terrible event. It is now on display in the Austrian Historical Museum in Vienna. Go and see it if you like that sort of thing.