History quiz

Was World War I was the war said to end all wars?

The phrase "war to end all wars" was coined at the conclusion of World War I. The slogan emerged amid the war's devastation and loss, reflecting the widespread hope that the lessons learned from the cataclysmic conflict would inspire nations to find peaceful resolutions to future disputes and prevent a repeat of such horrors. Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States at the time, popularised the phrase "war to end all wars" in an address to the United States Senate in 1917, justifying America's entry into the war.

The optimism that followed the war led to international efforts to promote peace. One notable outcome was the establishment of the League of Nations, a global organisation designed to resolve conflicts through diplomacy and collective security. However, idealism waned as new conflicts emerged, including the rise of fascism and the outbreak of World War II two decades later. Despite the failure to achieve lasting peace, the phrase "war to end all wars" served as a potent reminder of the suffering caused by war and the aspiration to avoid future conflicts.