Women in World War I

World War I, also known as the Great War, was a conflict that lasted from 1914 until 1918. The breaking point started when Germany rose to a higher power and the Ottoman Empire fell to a lower one. This caused an imbalance to take place in Europe, as well as fueling the growing industrialization and imperialism competitions that were happening worldwide. The final straw was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The fighting took place in Europe, the Middle East, as well as parts of Africa and Asia. The Allies were consisted of Great Britain, France, Russia, the United States, Italy, and Japan. The Central Powers were consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria. This is the first instance the world sees the use of trench warfare as well as the use of tanks and aircraft. The war ended in 1918 at the Peace of Paris Conference that lasted from 1919 to 1920 which settled the Treaty of Versailles, officially ending the war.

Women during this time took a variety of roles. Some women functioned as nurses, either affiliated with the military or not. Women also joined several military organizations across the world, this included the Women's Royal Naval Service in England as well as the Women's Battalion of Death in Russia. Women also acted on the home front in different capacities, such as factory work and fundraising.

This was also the time when the Women's Suffrage Movement was in full swing, and women continued to work with the goal of gaining the right to vote for themselves in the United States and England. Women who were acting at this time were taking a more radical approach to their tactics, such as picketing the White House while the War was being fought. For this, many of the women were arrested and placed in prison. Women were finally granted the right to vote after World War I ended, with the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920.