Endless exchange of bullets from soldiers' rifles, a mother mourning the death of her young son who goes to war, and a great toll of life among both soldiers and civilians - all this is not enough to describe the horrors brought by war, but it is enough to illustrate the dear price paid in war. The First World War, which broke out in Europe in August 1914, certainly created a lasting effect on the world. It was not just a war between two nations, but a war of the world divided in two: the Central Powers and the Allies. Alliances, the development of new weapons such as rapid-firing machine guns, long-range cannons with explosive shells, tank and air battles, and extreme nationalism have added further flame to this smoke. However, many thought that this would only be a short war, but little did they know that a huge shadow was being cast over all of Europe as it became involved in the war. Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, observed on August 3, 1914, the night before Great Britain officially declared war on Germany that “The lamps are going out all over Europe; and we will no longer see them lit up." This statement of his illustrates how he foresees the devastating state of the world due to this war and indeed he was right. Unlike what most people expected, the war had horrific devastation. At least 10 million soldiers died in the war while 21 million were injured. Civilians faced dangers and hardships as the world experienced food shortages. Economies were neglected because every effort was directed towards supporting the war. Hunger, influenza pandemic and other diseases have caused the death of civilians not only in countries at war, but also in neutral centers... in the center of the card... civilians are involved: the true horrors of war. At the same time we must realize that the price we pay in war is so high that no powerful country can ever afford it: people's lives. So if this was the result of the war years ago, what more is there in this time when weapons of mass destruction or nuclear weapons could be used? Can we afford the price? Are we ready to face the true horrors of war? No, definitely not. Works Cited Perry, M., Davis, D., Harris, J., Laue, T. V., & Warren, D. J. (1985). A history of the world (revised edition ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Effects of World War I. (n.d.). Effects of the First World War. Retrieved December 8, 2013, from http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-war-i/effects.htmlThe Human Face of War. (n.d.). BBC News. Retrieved December 9, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/humanfaceofwar_gallery.shtml