World War I: The Necessary War

In this BBC documentary Max Hastings attempts to debunk the idea that the First World War or Great war was an avoidable waste of life. On the 100 anniversary of the war Hastings looks at the history starting with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the throne in Austria-Hungary in June 1914. Many historians have suggested Britain should have stayed out of the war, unlike World War Two Germany was not looking for world power. Should Britain have got involved, had they stayed out would for example World War Two have been avoided.