World War One In Colour, Part II - VIDEO

World war one In Colour 4/7 - The fighting of the war mostly took place along several fronts that broadly encircled the European continent. The Western Front was marked by a system of trenches, breastworks, and fortifications separated by an area known as no man's land. These fortifications stretched 475 miles (more than 600 kilometres) and precipitated a style of fighting known as trench warfare.

World war one In Colour 5/7 - On the Eastern Front, the vast eastern plains and limited rail network prevented a trench warfare stalemate, though the scale of the conflict was just as large as on the Western Front.

World war one In Colour 6/7 - The Middle Eastern Front and the Italian Front also saw heavy fighting, while hostilities also occurred at sea, and for the first time, in the air Date July 28, 1914 -- November 11, 1918 Location Europe, Africa and the Middle East (briefly in China and the Pacific Islands) Military dead: 5,525,000 Military wounded:12,831,500 Military missing:4,121,000

World war one In Colour 7/7 - The context which helps explain the war was increasing economic and military competition between Britain and Germany. Germany's industrial economy was fast overtaking Britain's, but the German economy lacked a major empire to back up its home economy. The economic race between the two powers led to military competition in particular the building of numerous Dreadnoughts - powerful military ships.