AllMovie

This program chronicles the history of American involvement in warfare during the 20th century. Starting with the Spanish American War and ending with the Gulf War, the United States participated in a century of turmoil, marked by two world wars. Wars took a huge toll in lives and suffering in a steady course of conflict, punctuated by a few years of peace. The Time Life series evaluates the causes and costs of warfare in the last century. This episode relates the story of American involvement in the Great War in Europe. At great cost, World War I ended with the defeat of Germany. When the "war to end all wars" was over, the ensuing peace accords sowed the seeds for the coming of more conflict. Scholars discuss how the peace made for more war. Archival film clips, photographs, and journals document the story.