10 shocking facts about WWI that will amaze you

Flamethrowers are one of the most terrifying weapons ever invented, capable of shooting jets of flame as far as 130 feet (40 m).

The Germans were the first to use them in WWI, during their attack on French positions at Verdun in February 1916.

These horrific weapons frequently caused panic and confusion among the defenders, who had never seen such a weapon before.

However, flamethrowers also had their drawbacks: they were heavy, cumbersome and prone to malfunctioning.

They also made their operators easy targets for enemy snipers.

One of the most enduring images of World War I is that of soldiers huddled in muddy trenches, waiting for the next attack.

But what many people don't realize is just how long soldiers could spend in those trenches.

Some soldiers were forced to stay in the trenches for months on end, facing the constant threat of enemy attack, disease, and starvation.

It's estimated that soldiers spent an average of 15-20 days in the front line before being rotated back to a rest area, but some were kept in the trenches for much longer.

One British soldier, for example, spent 337 days in the trenches without a break.

The minimum height requirement for the British Army was 5ft 3ins, but many shorter men were eager to enlist and fight for their country.

Rather reluctantly, the War Office established a number of ‘bantam battalions’, attached to more conventional regiments.

Many bantams were coal miners, and their short height and technical expertise proved a great asset in the tunnelling work that went on underneath the western front.

However, bantams were eventually considered to be not particularly effective in battle when isolated to the same unit, so the idea was dropped after conscription was introduced in 1916.

World War I saw the first large-scale use of chemical weapons, including mustard gas, phosgene, and chlorine gas.

These weapons caused horrific injuries and deaths, and their use was widely condemned by the international community.

However, many people are not aware of the fact that both sides used these weapons during the war.

In fact, the Germans were the first to use chlorine gas, in April 1915, but the Allies quickly developed their own chemical weapons in response.

WWI marked the end of an era for many European powers that had dominated world affairs for centuries.

Four empires collapsed as a result of the war: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia and Ottoman Turkey.

These empires were replaced by new states based on national or ethnic lines, such as Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia and Turkey.

However, some of these states faced instability or conflict with their neighbours or minorities within their borders.

The collapse of empires also paved the way for new ideologies such as communism and fascism to emerge.

On Christmas Eve 1914, soldiers on both sides of the Western Front put down their weapons and celebrated Christmas together in no-man's-land.

This spontaneous truce was not sanctioned by military commanders on either side, but it lasted for several days and involved fraternization, gift exchanges, and even soccer games.

Although the truce was widely reported at the time, it was later suppressed by military authorities, who feared it would undermine the war effort.

Tanks are one of the most iconic inventions of WWI, revolutionizing warfare with their mobility and firepower.

However, they were not always called tanks: they were originally named “landships” by their British inventors.

However, it would take several months of trails before they were effective in combat. 

Early experiments with them in real battles were disheartening, as they tended to break down frequently and leave their crews vulnerable to enemy attacks.

On May 7, 1915, the passenger liner Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans.

This incident played a significant role in bringing the United States into the war, but what many people don't know is that the Lusitania was carrying large quantities of munitions and other war supplies, making it a legitimate target under international law.

However, the sinking of a passenger ship caused widespread outrage and condemnation around the world.

The most successful fighter pilot of WWI was Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), better known as the Red Baron because he painted his plane red.

He shot down 80 planes, more than any other WWI pilot. He died after being shot down near Amiens in April 1918.

While it is commonly believed that he was killed by another pilot, recent evidence suggests that he was actually hit by a bullet fired from the ground by an Australian soldier named Cedric Popkin. 

The Red Baron's body was recovered by the Allies and given a military funeral with full honors.

While World War I was raging, a new and deadly disease was spreading around the world.

The Spanish Flu, as it came to be known, infected an estimated 500 million people and killed between 20 and 50 million.

Although it was called the Spanish Flu, it did not originate in Spain, but rather in the United States or China.

The flu was able to spread rapidly due to the large number of people traveling during the war, and it is estimated that more soldiers died from the flu than from combat.