Title: World War I Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Open Graph Title: World War I Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
X Title: World War I Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Description: Discover World War I facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Open Graph Description: Discover World War I facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
X Description: Discover World War I facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Opengraph URL: https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/national-archives-needs-help-cataloging-world-war-i-photos","headline":"You Can Help the National Archives Keep a Photographic Record of World War I","description":"The National Archives needs citizens to help make its collection of WWI photographs and historical documents searchable.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2021-06-08T08:30:00Z","dateModified":"2021-06-08T08:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/national-archives-needs-help-cataloging-world-war-i-photos"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/woodrow-wilson-caught-1918-flu","headline":"When Woodrow Wilson Caught the 1918 Flu During a Pandemic, But Hid It From the Public","description":"Woodrow Wilson never publicly acknowledged the 1918 influenza pandemic—not even after he caught the virus himself.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Ellen Gutoskey"},"datePublished":"2020-11-02T15:30:00Z","dateModified":"2020-11-02T15:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/presidents/woodrow-wilson-caught-1918-flu"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/military/1923-video-shows-biplane-creating-smoke-screen","headline":"This Video From 1923 Shows a U.S. Biplane Creating a Smoke Screen to Conceal Itself in Open Waters","description":"World War I generated lots of new technology, including smoke screens that looked as large and solid as the Wall from ‘Game of Thrones.’","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Ellen Gutoskey"},"datePublished":"2020-10-12T20:00:00Z","dateModified":"2020-10-12T20:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/military/1923-video-shows-biplane-creating-smoke-screen"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/live-smarter/home/coronavirus-revives-victory-gardens","headline":"To Avoid Grocery Shopping, Quarantined Americans Are Reviving Wartime-Era Victory Gardens","description":"Victory gardens were originally a way to supplement food supplies during World Wars I and II. Now, Americans are bringing them back in response to COVID-19 concerns.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Michele Debczak"},"datePublished":"2020-03-30T13:00:00Z","dateModified":"2020-03-30T13:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/live-smarter/home/coronavirus-revives-victory-gardens"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/henry-johnson-world-war-i","headline":"Henry Johnson, the One-Man Army Who Fought Off Dozens of German Soldiers During World War I","description":"In May 1918, Henry Johnson found himself alone in a French forest with a wounded ally, an empty rifle, and dozens of German soldiers closing in. He didn't run. He fought.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2019-08-29T17:30:00Z","dateModified":"2019-08-29T17:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/henry-johnson-world-war-i"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/anna-coleman-ladd-mask-artist-world-war-i","headline":"Reconstructing History: Anna Coleman Ladd, the Mask Artist of World War I","description":"An artist and sculptor, Anna Coleman Ladd offered her talents to soldiers who had been badly disfigured fighting in World War I. Her masks helped restore their appearance and their self-confidence.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2019-07-26T14:30:00Z","dateModified":"2019-07-26T14:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/anna-coleman-ladd-mask-artist-world-war-i"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/21-slang-terms-world-war-i","headline":"20 Slang Terms From World War I","description":"Though it was more than 100 years ago—on April 6, 1917—that the United States entered the First World War, its effect on our language continues.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2019-04-06T10:00:00Z","dateModified":"2022-04-05T00:31:32Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/21-slang-terms-world-war-i"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/german-and-russian-wwi-soldiers-fought-wolves","headline":"The Time German and Russian WWI Soldiers Banded Together to Fight Wolves","description":"WWI fighters had a lot to fear in battle—but few thought they'd be battling wolves.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Lucas Reilly"},"datePublished":"2018-12-10T16:45:00Z","dateModified":"2018-12-10T16:45:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/german-and-russian-wwi-soldiers-fought-wolves"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/world-war-i-wwi-centennial-armistice","headline":"WWI Centennial: Armistice","description":"\"The war to end war\" finally ends.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Erik Sass"},"datePublished":"2018-11-13T23:00:00Z","dateModified":"2018-11-13T23:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/world-war-i-wwi-centennial-armistice"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/wwi-centennial-allies-triumph-italy-german-sailors-mutiny","headline":"WWI Centennial: Allies Triumph In Italy, German Sailors Mutiny","description":"Central Europe fragments while Germany sees the final throes of battle.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Erik Sass"},"datePublished":"2018-11-02T23:00:00Z","dateModified":"2018-11-02T23:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/wwi-centennial-allies-triumph-italy-german-sailors-mutiny"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/wwi-centennial-allies-rebuff-german-armistice-offer","headline":"WWI Centennial: Allies Rebuff German Armistice Offer","description":"The Central Powers are close to giving up.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Erik Sass"},"datePublished":"2018-10-12T23:00:00Z","dateModified":"2018-10-12T23:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/world-war-i/wwi-centennial-allies-rebuff-german-armistice-offer"}}
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{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/books/kurt-vonnegut-best-worst-books","headline":"The Books Kurt Vonnegut Considered His Best—and Worst","description":"In 1981, Kurt Vonnegut gave his own books a report card from A+ to D. Here is how he graded his best work—and the self-portrait that got his lowest mark.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Hoffman"},"datePublished":"2026-11-11T01:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-11T01:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/books/kurt-vonnegut-best-worst-books"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/slang/gilded-age-society-slang-decoded","headline":"From 'Dollar Princess' to 'The Four Hundred,' Decoding the Gilded Age's High-Society Slang","description":"Ever wondered what Gilded Age high society meant by \"dollar princess\" or \"the alum\"? Decode the 19th-century slang used in HBO’s 'The Gilded Age.'","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T23:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T23:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/language/slang/gilded-age-society-slang-decoded"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/misconceptions/real-pocahontas-facts","headline":"5 Facts You Might Not Know About the Real Pocahontas","description":"Find out the real history of Pocahontas, from her true names (Matoaka and Amonute) to the truth behind John Smith’s famous execution story.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Colin Scanlon"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T15:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/misconceptions/real-pocahontas-facts"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/food/foods-families-ate-during-gilded-age","headline":"6 Foods Families Really Ate During the Gilded Age","description":"From potted ham and boiled cabbage to diamondback terrapin and celery, discover what high society—and working-class families—actually ate during the Gilded Age.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Nitya Rao"},"datePublished":"2026-11-08T01:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T01:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/food/foods-families-ate-during-gilded-age"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/real-historical-figures-gilded-ag","headline":"10 Real-Life Historical Figures in HBO’s 'The Gilded Age'","description":"The HBO show 'The Gilded Age' features a number of people who really did live during the Gilded Age, from the real Mrs. Catherine Astor to Booker T. Washington.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-11-07T23:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-11-07T23:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/tv/real-historical-figures-gilded-ag"}}
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