The History of the First World War . In the summer of 1914 Europe exploded into a frenzy of mass violence. The war that followed had global repercussions, destroyed four empires and cost millions of lives. Even the victorious countries were scarred for a generation, and we still today remain within the conflicts shadow. In this major new analysis, David Stevenson re-examines the causes, course, and impact of this war to end war, placing it in the context of its era and exposing its underlying dynamics. From the stable of Kershaw, Applebaum and Beevor, Stevenson is the next big author to illuminate our history.