Most historians describe the First World War as the first modern war, a “total war,” with the full impact of industrial lethality and destructiveness.  However, some argue that the American Civil War introduced “total war” as a reality, especially in the final year of that conflict.  Here is a short video from the House Divided Project, however, featuring historian Mark Neely from Penn State, arguing against this view:

As part of a series of centennial commemorations, the History Channel has offered some helpful videos and data visualizations for understanding World War I:

World War I –By the Numbers infographic

Dickinson history students digging trench (1977)