What Was World War I?

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

This compelling addition to the What Was? series covers what was supposed to be “the war to end all wars” but tragically wasn't.

In 1914, the assassination of an Austrian archduke set off a disastrous four-year-long conflict involving dozens of countries with battles taking place in all parts of the world. World War I was the first to use planes and tanks as well as deadly gases that left soldiers blinded or “shell shocked” (a condition now called Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). There were battles that lasted for months with opposing troops fighting from rat-infested trenches, battles that often ended in a hollow victory with only a small area of land retaken. The author of many successful Who HQ titles Nico Medina gives young readers a clear and compelling account of this long and tragic event, a war that left over 20 million dead and was the lead-up to World War II barely twenty years later.

Series Overview: A natural expansion of the exceptional Who Was? series, What Was? focuses on compelling historical events, great battles, protests, and discoveries.

About the Author

Nico Medina is the author of several Who HQ books, including What Was Stonewall?, Who Is RuPaul?, What Is the AIDS Crisis?, Who Was Aretha Franklin?, and What Was the Ice Age?

Author Residence: Brooklyn, NY

Indonesian born Dede Putra is a digital artist living in Auckland, New Zealand. He is a bit of a foodie" and a "big audio/visual guy."

Illustrator Residence:Auckland, New Zealand