- "The war. The war to end all wars. Four years, 27 countries, 25 million dead, soldiers and civilians. Innocent people. Women and children slaughtered. Their homes and their villages looted and burned. Weapons far deadlier than you can... ever imagine. It's like nothing I've ever seen. It's like the world's going to end."
- ―Steve Trevor[src]
World War I, also known as WWI, the First World War[1], the Great War, or the War to End All Wars, was a global conflict, centered in Europe that began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918. Due to Ares' role in discreetly instigating it, World War I was more widespread and greater in casualties then any war that had ever come before it.
With the supposed death of Ares at the hands of Wonder Woman, many Central and Allied Powers soldiers embraced and smiled, as if they had just woken up from an enthrallment, ending World War I for good, with the German Kaiser officially capitulating shortly thereafter.
Background
- "All these years, I have struggled alone, whispering into their ears ideas. Inspiration for formulas, weapons..."
- ―Ares to Diana[src]
Ares despised the human race that Zeus created, so he began corrupting them with war, blood-thirst, and violence.
After the War of the Gods he became the sole surviving unopposed Old God and again proceeded to corrupt humanity with war, determined to wipe the race out, but that ultimately proved ineffective.
From his point of view, humanity itself chose to start the war with the ideas he planted in their heads; he himself had nothing to do with it.[2]
History
The conflict started in July 28, 1914[3] and during its duration it involved 23 nations.[2]
The early years of the war led to the formation of the No Man's Land, a territory disputed between the two main forces of the conflict and located in Europe.[2]
Between July 13 and November 6 of 1917 it occoured the Battle of Passchendaele, one of the longest and bloodiest of the war. The American spy Steve Trevor partecipated and survived it.[4]
Wonder Woman Intervention
in November 1918 Steve was on a mission in an Ottoman Empire base. There, he managed to steal a notebook containing the gaseous toxicology research of Doctor Poison. Steve stole a plane from the base to escape with the notebook; however, he was shot down in open sea. He crash-landed near the island of Themyscira, where he was saved from drowning by the Amazon princess Diana. Later that night they two left the island and reached London to delivered the notebook to his superiors at high command but they refused to act which seemed to anger Diana.[2]
Battle of Veld
However, with the financial support of Sr. Patrick Morgan, they formed a group of mercenaries called Wonder Men and reached the Belgian trenchs, where Diana used her powers to defeat the Germans and liberate the city of Veld. After the victoty they made a photography to record the event.[2][5]
Massacre of Veld
In the morning they proceed to the castle where Erich Ludendorff was hosting a party to celebrate the firing of the new gas formula that Doctor Poison has concocted for him. Inside the castle Steve entered the ball room, met Doctor Poison and probed her for information that might be useful. Ludendorff then fired the new gas at the battle lines from an artillery gun of the castle houses. The gas had the desired effect, killing thousands of troops from both sides and civilians as well. Horrified by the result of the gas, Diana rode to the complex behind the castle, pursued by Steve, where a larger supply of the gas was being loaded into a bomber plane with the intention of dropping the gas on London and force the Allies to surrender.[2]
Battle in the Airport
Diana fought her way inside and engaged in combat with Ludendorff, beating in combat and killing him. Descending the tower, Diana noticed none other than Sir Patrick Morgan inside the tower. Sir Patrick revealed himself as Ares and told Diana his reasoning to start the war and what he hoped to gain from it. The Wonder Men distracted the remaining German personnel while Steve chased the plane and managed to enter it. Diana refuted Ares claim that the outcome of the war would result in a better world and attacks him. The two engaged in combat, fighting their way across the complex, whilst Steve managed to commandeer the now airborne bomber. He flow the plane to near maximum altitude before shooting the gas bombs with his pistol to prevent the gas reaching anyone else, at the cost of his own life.
Witnessing Steve's selfless act, Diana is inspired to continue her fight against Ares with increased vigor and defeated him, freeing mankind from its induced aggressive compulsions thereby ending the war.[2]
The later day the Armistice was signed and the war ended in November 11, 1918.[2][3]
Aftermath
- "Peace is only an armistice in an endless war..."
- ―Erich Ludendorff about humanity's future.[src]
Returning to London where the people are celebrating the end of the war, Diana notices a memorial with pictures of deceased soldiers who fought in the war with Steve being among them.[2]
Etta Candy recruited all the Wonder Men for a secret mission that could impact humanity's future.[6]
The presumed "War to End All Wars" did not ended any war, as mankind would continued to making warfare and starting other wars[4], such as World War II[7] and the Cold War.[8]
Factions
Allied Powers
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- China
- France
- Greece
- Italy
- Japan
- Portugal
- Russia
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
Central Powers
Trivia
- Steve Trevor claims that in 1918 "27 countries" had fought in the war. However in reality there were 34 countries fighting in the conflict.
- About these countries, only 13 have been revealed in the DC Extended Universe.
References
- ↑ Wonder Woman: The Art and Making of the Film
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Wonder Woman
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 This is an event from real world history, referenced in the DC Extended Universe.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wonder Woman: The Official Movie Novelization
- ↑ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- ↑ Etta's Mission
- ↑ Suicide Squad
- ↑ Time Out Shortlist Gotham and Metropolis
