ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Spirit of 1914

The Spirit of 1914 was a feeling of excitement and unity that many people in Europe felt at the beginning of World War I, which started in 1914. At the time, people in different countries had been arguing and fighting with each other for years, but when the war started, everyone put those disagreements aside and came together to support their own country.

People felt a sense of patriotism, which means they felt really proud to be from their own country, and they wanted to do everything they could to help their country win the war. This included joining the military, working harder to produce food and supplies for soldiers, and even sacrificing their own personal comfort and safety.

Some people compare the Spirit of 1914 to the feeling of being on a sports team. When you're on a team, you might have personal disagreements with your teammates, but when you step onto the field or court, you all work together towards a common goal of winning the game. In the same way, people during World War I put aside their differences and worked together to fight for their country.

Of course, the war ended up being very long and very difficult, and many people lost their lives or were seriously injured. In hindsight, many people look back and think that the Spirit of 1914 was not a good thing, because it led to so much destruction and suffering. But at the time, it was a powerful feeling that brought people together in a time of crisis.
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