The world's authority on the dynamics of Fascism, Professor Roger Griffin, has been a subscriber to the Library of Social Science Newsletter since October 6, 2014. He's received 6713 Newsletter and has opened (and presumably read) 2170 of them.

What appears below is my theory accounting  for the First World War--explaining why what occurred--occurred. The meaning of what occurred. Is my theory correct? Have I captured the truth? WHAT SAY YOU ROGER GRIFFIN?
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The First World War was fought--not in the name of or for the purpose of conquest--but in order to prove the power and existence of nations by dying for them.

Each nation sent young men to die in order to prove the reality of its sacred ideal. The First World War performed a "truth" function.

The mechanism was the same for each nation. Dying for the sacred ideal. Dying to prove devotion to one's nation.

And then memorials were erected in the name of those who had died—testifying then--and to the present day--to the reality of the entity for which dying had occurred. 

Memorialization performed and performs a validation function.