From your perspective, who were the "good guys" in World War I?

[Nakura Chambers]

From your perspective, who do you believe were the "good guys" in World War I?


The Central Powers
Some argue that Germany's behavior during the July Crisis (following the assassination of Franz Ferdinand) was highly militaristic, with Germany encouraging Austria-Hungary to wage war against Serbia (and as a result, France and Russia). Some also point towards Germany's policy of weltpolitik, or aggressive diplomacy, as being responsible for the war.

It should be noted that the Central Powers were accused of war crimes and widespread human rights abuses during the war, leading some to believe they were the "bad guys." One such example is the Ottoman Empire's alleged genocide against Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks. Another example was the Rape of Belgium, in which Germany followed a policy of treating civilians as combatants (either armed or not), killing and plundering across the country. A more controversial example would be Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, though critics would contend that Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare policy was justified.


The Allied Powers
A common argument is that the Allied Powers were the "good guys," because they were largely democratic and in some ways fighting for the right of central European peoples to self-determination (Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia, etc.). Others point to the conflict as a humanitarian one, with the United States helping liberate and rebuild Europe. Many third world nationalists held a positive opinion of the Allied Powers due to Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points and calls for the gradual end of European colonialism.

While most contend that the Allied Powers were the "good guys," some believe otherwise, citing Russia's genocide against Jews during the war. Other critics point towards the controversial and potentially "unfair" handling of the Treaty of Versailles and Treaty of Trianon by the Allied Powers (primarily France) as evidence of the Allies (or at least France) behaving in a dishonorable manner. Still others argue that the primary Allied Powers (United States, Britain, France and Russia/USSR) were unfair to their Chinese, Italian, Japanese and Serbian allies following the war.

[Crissi]

No one. If the Allies were actually "good", they wouldnt have insisted on such a heavy penalty post WW1. Thanks for helping start WW2, jerks!

[Nakura Chambers]

No one. If the Allies were actually "good", they wouldnt have insisted on such a heavy penalty post WW1. Thanks for helping start WW2, jerks!

Replace "Allies" with France. Britain and the United States opposed the heavy sanctions in the Treaty of Versailles.

[taliey]

All this 'good guy, bad guy' business is an attempt to appeal to man's sense of morality.

It largely ignores the history of the conflict, and instead goes for the simplistic and presto, our understanding of history is based on appeals to man's feelings and not towards what happened during WWI.

tl;dr, labeling good guys and bad guys is missing the point when we study history. We're studying history as it unfolded, not as some sport teams vying for supremacy.

[Tierbook]

Replace "Allies" with France. Britain and the United States opposed the heavy sanctions in the Treaty of Versailles.

I could of sworn Britain pushed pretty hard for reparations as well. The US basically said fuck it and went home.

[taliey]

I could of sworn Britain pushed pretty hard for reparations as well. The US basically said fuck it and went home.

Not like the US Senate was going to take President Wilson's shit. Henry Cabot Lodge pretty much torpedoed any role the US had in the League of Nations.

[Deleted]

The world isn't (always) black and white, and I don't necessarily think that there were good and bad guys in WWI.

[Independent voter]

Before there was soccer, Europe used to have wars. From the US standpoint the majority of people didn't want to pick a side or get involved in yet another EU war.

[Deleted]

The world isn't (always) black and white, and I don't necessarily think that there were good and bad guys in WWI.

This, but to make it interesting I think the people who started invading were the baddies.

[Haven]

All the guys that just wanted to be left alone outside other players' ambitions. Serbs.

[breadisfunny]

there was no "good guys" in world war I. it was a war of cascading alliances that would have led to the collapse of the entire continent's economies/governments if it hadn't stopped when it did. then again considering who made the thread......

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

"alleged" Armenian genocide.

[Mormolyce]

What if I told you...

There were no good guys in any war ever outside of movies?

No one. If the Allies were actually "good", they wouldnt have insisted on such a heavy penalty post WW1. Thanks for helping start WW2, jerks!

Hindsight is 20/20.

[Crissi]

What if I told you...

There were no good guys in any war ever outside of movies?



Hindsight is 20/20.

Then Woodrow Wilson was a prophet! p

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

Hindsight is 20/20.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to expect people to understand that imposing ridiculous penalties on a population like that is going to result in bad things. It's not like WW2 was the first such instance.

[breadisfunny]

What if I told you...

There were no good guys in any war ever outside of movies?



Hindsight is 20/20.

except the u.s. president told the french president and the other allies to not put such harsh penalties on germany for fear of it leading to a second world war and and they essentially rejected the idea. 72 million people died 20+ years later. so yes there were people present who could see penalizing germany so harshly was a bad idea from the start but they were ignored because france and britian were mad and put their national pride above the cost of human lives.

[Deleted]

Everyone were dicks.

[Mormolyce]

This, but to make it interesting I think the people who started invading were the baddies.

In that case the Americans were the bad guys in the War of 1812.

[Stelio Kontos]

the Ottoman Empire's alleged genocide against Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks.

That's like the "alleged" moon landing. And the "alleged" Holocaust.

As in, actual events that happened. No point other than bias to add in "alleged".

[THE Bigzoman]

No one. If the Allies were actually "good", they wouldnt have insisted on such a heavy penalty post WW1. Thanks for helping start WW2, jerks!

I often marvel at the people that place Germany at fault for World War II. The fact that they have to pay reparations mystify me. I could see someone pinning the holocaust on them, but when you fuck over an entire nation economically, what do you expect?

Hitler promised for Germany to return to it's "former glory", which was likely translated as we're gonna not struggle economically anymore and people won't be killing each other in the streets anymore under this guy, so they supported him. When he established himself, it was either continue your support or disappear.