WWI

World War I is often called the first modern war, in class, we learned that this is because it was the first war in which modern weapons such as machine guns, tanks, submarines, and poison gas were used prolifically. I wonder if it is also called thus because of the previously unheard-of slaughter and death. World War I was also the first war from which many soldiers came home from war wounded -- both physically and psychologically--and were expected to re-assimilate into society. Use of modern antiseptic and surgical techniques allowed wounded soldiers who would have died in previous wars to return -- however worse for the wear.

I feel that we've overlooked this aspect of the war in class. I'd like to know more about the social and cultural changes that took place because of the onset and later end of the war. How did this differ in different nations?