A War to End All Wars... At 1057:30 on 11 November 1918, Battery 4 of the U.S. Navy Railway Gun Unit fired a 14-inch shell timed to hit a German target over 20 miles away seconds before the cease-fire went into effect at 1100 that same day, thus bringing an end to what had been hitherto, the bloodiest, most costly, and destructive war in human history. Conrad had already (October 1913) been assured by William II of Germany’s support if Austria-Hungary should start a preventive war against Serbia. At the end of October, the mutiny of German sailors in Kiel touched off widespread revolt in German coastal cities and in the major municipal areas of Hannover, Frankfurt on Main, and Munich.1. Romania had renewed its secret anti-Russian alliance of 1883 with the Central Powers on February 26, 1914, but now chose to remain neutral. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijević, head of Serbia’s military intelligence, was also, under the alias “Apis,” head of the secret society Union or Death, pledged to the pursuit of this pan-Serbian ambition. On the same day, Social Democratic Party (SPD) delegate Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed Germany a republic, with an interim government led by SPD leader Friedrich Ebert. 3. World War I was one of the great watersheds of 20th-century geopolitical history. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. When World War 1 began in the summer of 1914, most people assumed the war would be finished by Christmas. World War I Concept I. Many citizens linked the humiliation of the treaty to the democratic government that replaced the monarchy at the end of the war. Combat also took place in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands, at sea and, for the first time, in the air. Votes: 1,645 In what ways was World War I fought differently than wars of the 19th century? This immensely large number of deaths dwarfed that of any previous war, largely because of the new technologies and styles of warfare used in World War I. On August 3 Germany declared war against France. Find out more about this global community of WWI historians, students & enthusiasts. How is warfare approached today? On November 8, the German government sent a delegation led by Catholic Center Party (Zentrum) representative Matthias Erzberger to France to receive and accept the Allies’ terms for ending the war. Between the time the Armistice was … What current examples of advanced military technology, weapons, or strategy can you identify? As the largest repository of American World War I records, the National Archives invites you to browse the wealth of records and information documenting the U.S. experience in this conflict, including photographs, documents, The war was a global war that lasted exactly 4 years, 3 months and 14 days. The "Great War," as its contemporaries called it, was over. The war pitted the Central Powers—mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey—against the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States. By late July 1918, they had advanced to within 50 miles of Paris, leading Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II to assure the German people that victory was in their grasp. View in Catalog. At the end of September, Germany’s military leaders advised the Kaiser that the war was lost and Germany should seek an armistice. The second brought the Bolsheviks to power. Nikola Pašić, the Serbian prime minister and an enemy of Apis, heard of the plot and warned the Austrian government of it, but his message was too cautiously worded to be understood. With Serbia already much aggrandized by the two Balkan Wars (1912–13, 1913), Serbian nationalists turned their attention back to the idea of “liberating” the South Slavs of Austria-Hungary. World War I (WWI or WW1), also called the First World War, began on July 28, 1914 and lasted until November 11, 1918. At 11:15 am on June 28, 1914, in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife, Sophie, duchess of Hohenberg, were shot dead by a Bosnian Serb, Gavrilo Princip. He died in France just weeks later. On November 3, Austro-Hungarian forces signed a truce near Padua, Italy. The news that Germany was suing for peace came as a shock to the German people, leading to disaffection with the government. At once he instructed the German Foreign Office to tell Austria-Hungary that there was no longer any justification for war and that it should content itself with a temporary occupation of Belgrade. German militarists perpetuate the myth that the German Army was undefeated in battle, undermining faith in the civilian government of the Weimar Republic. A naval arms race between Great Britain and the German Empire made conflict on the high seas almost inevitable. Washington, DC 20024-2126 To the wiki statistics found here should be added approximately 15 million pre-wiki website visits (1996-2006). Overview of the start of World War I, including details of the June 28, 1914, assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Germany - Germany had the largest army and was the primary leader of the Central Powers. The chief of the Austro-Hungarian general staff, Franz, Graf (count) Conrad von Hötzendorf, and the foreign minister, Leopold, Graf von Berchtold, saw the crime as the occasion for measures to humiliate Serbia and so to enhance Austria-Hungary’s prestige in the Balkans. A decisive change in the hostilities came in April 1917. The opposing sides in World War I are known as the Allies and the Central Powers. Initially there was enthusiasm on all sides and confidence in a quick and decisive victory. This exceeded military deaths in all the wars between European powers in the 19th century. What caused World War I and what were its effects? 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW Summary of important facts regarding World War I, major international conflict fought from 1914 to 1918. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Though Serbia offered to submit the issue to international arbitration, Austria-Hungary promptly severed diplomatic relations and ordered partial mobilization. Most of the war was fought using artillery (large weapons such as cannons), machine guns, and rifles. The Central Powers began as an alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary.Later the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria became part of the Central Powers. The immediate effect of the Russian Revolution on the European stage was a brutal and enduring civil war in formerly Russian-ruled lands (1917–1922) and the decision of the new Bolshevik leadership to make a separate peace with the Central Powers. A series of 40 illustrated books that describe the campaigns in which U.S. Army troops participated during World War II. The second brought the Bolsheviks to power. This experience provided the model for postwar totalitarian movements, including Fascism in Italy, Nazism in Germany, and Communism in the Soviet Union. In August, however, Allied forces, now reinforced with two million American troops, halted the German offensive and began steadily pushing back the German lines in what would become known as the "Hundred Days' Offensive.". At 11:00 a.m. on November 11 (11/11), 1918, fighting on the western front ceased. TTY: 202.488.0406, Joined later by numerous countries, including Brazil, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam (Thailand), and the United States, Joined later by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Bulgaria, This newly gained edge for the Allies was initially counter-balanced by events taking place on the war's eastern front. Warfare has become really massive. It spread roughly from the North Sea to the Swiss border. Although accurate casualty statistics are difficult to ascertain, an estimated 21 million men were wounded in combat. The harshness of the terms—which included Allied occupation of Germany’s Rhineland, the surrender to the Allies of the entire German fleet, and the continuation of the naval blockade of Germany—portended the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. But the conflict's far-reaching impact upon international, political, economic, and social spheres would resonate for decades to come. Germany and Russia incurred the highest number of military deaths: an estimated 1,773,700 and 1,700,000, respectively. Three notable women of World War I: Marie Curie, Mabel St. Clair Stobart, and Aileen Cole Stewart. September 9, 1914. No official agencies kept careful accounting of civilian losses during the war years, but scholars assert that as many as 13,000,000 non-combatants died as a result of hostilities, mostly from starvation, disease, military action, and massacres. Thereupon, Great Britain, which had no concern with Serbia and no express obligation to fight either for Russia or for France but was expressly committed to defend Belgium, on August 4 declared war against Germany. Most of the battles took place in Europe and the Middle East. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Gun crew from Regimental Headquarters Company, 23rd Infantry, firing 37 mm gun during an advance on German entrenched positions. The World War I Document Archive has resided on the server of the Brigham Young University Library since February 1996. During World War I, Army Private Arthur James Hamp is accused of desertion during battle. The first overthrew the imperial government. World War I (1914–18) marked the first great international conflict of the twentieth century. World War I was a major conflict fought in Europe and around the world between July 28, 1914, and November 11, 1918. World War I, also called First World War or Great War, an international conflict that in 1914–18 embroiled most of the nations of Europe along with Russia, the United States, the Middle East, and other regions. War was in fact declared on July 28, and Austro-Hungarian artillery began to bombard Belgrade the next day. Imperialism is when a country increases their power and wealth by bringing additional … The assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand by South Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. The booming of the artillery at the Western front could sometimes be heard all the way back in Britain. In the night of August 3–4 German forces invaded Belgium. It lacks, however, an overall narrative coherence compared to some other documentaries on this seminal global event that unleashed forces that caused such tragedy throughout the remainder of the 20th century up to the present. The trauma of the war would profoundly shape the attitudes and actions of both leaders and ordinary people during the Holocaust. Germany, which since July 28 had still been hoping, in disregard of earlier warning hints from Great Britain, that Austria-Hungary’s war against Serbia could be “localized” to the Balkans, was now disillusioned insofar as eastern Europe was concerned. Find topics of interest and explore encyclopedia content related to those topics, Find articles, photos, maps, films, and more listed alphabetically, Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust, Explore the ID Cards to learn more about personal experiences during the Holocaust. The impact of the conflict and its divisive peace would echo in the decades to come, giving rise to a second world war and genocide committed under its cover. The Treaty of Brest Litovsk freed Germany to concentrate its forces on the western front. Ottoman territories in the Middle East are divvied up among the victorious Allied powers at the Conference of San Remo. Corrections? Italy had confirmed the Triple Alliance on December 7, 1912, but could now propound formal arguments for disregarding it: first, Italy was not obliged to support its allies in a war of aggression; second, the original treaty of 1882 had stated expressly that the alliance was not against England. How did advances in technology change how war was fought? As many as 8.5 million soldiers and 13 million civilians died as a result of the war. July 1, 1916,  saw the heaviest loss of life in a single day. Abbreviation: WWI See more. It led to the fall of four great imperial dynasties (in Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey), resulted in the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, and, in its destabilization of European society, laid the groundwork for World War II. These events are referred to collectively as the Russian Revolution. Long-term causes of World War I A. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Stars: Nicki Vickery, Rob Townsend, Gerard Kearns, Ross Armstrong. World War I began after the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand by South Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. World War I is a real-time strategy based on the modified version of the well-known Blitzkrieg engine. This enthusiasm faded as the war bogged down. Both Russia and France predictably ignored these demands. But, meanwhile, the German Foreign Office had been giving such encouragement to Berchtold that already on July 27 he had persuaded Franz Joseph to authorize war against Serbia. 1871: The balance of power of Europe was upset by the decisive Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War and the creation of the German Empire. View the list of all donors. For most North American and western European combatants, their experience of the war was trench warfare. The first overthrew the imperial government. Omissions? 9th-12th grades. Millions of people were uprooted or displaced from their homes in Europe and Asia Minor as a result of the conflict. More than 25 countries eventually participated, aligning with either the Allied or the Central powers. World War I was one of the first great wars during the industrial revolution. A policy of attrition, particularly on the western front, cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. We would like to thank Crown Family Philanthropies and the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation for supporting the ongoing work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. Mortality for both military and civilian populations spiked at war's end with the outbreak of the "Spanish Flu," the deadliest influenza epidemic in history. The trauma of the war would profoundly shape the attitudes and actions of both leaders and ordinary people during the Holocaust. a. Bismarck thereafter feared French revenge and negotiated treaties to isolate France. Military leaders also failed to adjust their tactics to the increasingly mechanized nature of warfare. Parisians entered the First World War (1914-1918) in August 1914 on a wave of patriotic fervor, but within a few weeks Paris was close to the front lines and bombarded by German aircraft and artillery. Countries. Though the terms of the ultimatum were finally approved on July 19, its delivery was postponed to the evening of July 23, since by that time the French president, Raymond Poincaré, and his premier, René Viviani, who had set off on a state visit to Russia on July 15, would be on their way home and therefore unable to concert an immediate reaction with their Russian allies. The system of trenches and fortifications in western Europe extended at its longest some 475 miles. The League of Nations is established, but its effectiveness is hampered by the non-participation of the United States. Punitive treaties were imposed upon the defeated nations (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey). For the first time, tanks, aviation, dreadnaughts and chemical weapons were used in battle. Two days later, Erzberger met with a delegation of the victorious Allies under French Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch, the commanding general of the Allies’ forces, in a railcar in Compiègne Forest and accepted the armistice terms. Rival alliances: Triple Alliance vs. Imperial dynasties in Austria-Hungary, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia collapsed. Each one takes place at a different time and place in the war, focuses on a different unit and shows a different aspect to the war. Quentin Roosevelt was a daredevil pilot shot by Germans close to Champagne country during World War I. The Balkan Wars virtually eradicated the Ottoman presence in Europe, but led to violent strife among the victors. This newly gained edge for the Allies was initially counter-balanced by events taking place on the war's eastern front. A collection of significant facts about World War I. Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, riding in an open carriage at Sarajevo shortly before their assassination, June 28, 1914. On the other hand, the vast expanse of the eastern front prevented large-scale trench warfare. Serbia replied to the ultimatum on July 25, accepting most of its demands but protesting against two of them—namely, that Serbian officials (unnamed) should be dismissed at Austria-Hungary’s behest and that Austro-Hungarian officials should take part, on Serbian soil, in proceedings against organizations hostile to Austria-Hungary. World War I (1914–18) marked the first great international conflict of the twentieth century. Nations from across all non-polar continents were involved, although Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and Austria-Hungary dominated.Much of the war was characterized by stagnant trench warfare and massive loss of life in failed attacks; over eight million people were killed … The Versailles Treaty of 1919 forced Germany to cede 13 percent of its territory and to largely dismantle its armed forces. LEARN MORE More than 8.5 million soldiers died as a result of the hostilities. Austria-Hungary declared war against Russia on August 5; Serbia against Germany on August 6; Montenegro against Austria-Hungary on August 7 and against Germany on August 12; France and Great Britain against Austria-Hungary on August 10 and on August 12, respectively; Japan against Germany on August 23; Austria-Hungary against Japan on August 25 and against Belgium on August 28. Property and industry losses were catastrophic, especially in France and Belgium, where fighting had been the heaviest. Thenceforth, they could be called the Allied, or Entente, powers, or simply the Allies. At the end of October, the mutiny of German sailors in Kiel touched off widespread revolt in German coastal cities and in the major municipal areas of Hannover, Frankfurt on Main, and Munich. Failure to deliver mandated reparations leads to the armed occupation of the Ruhr River valley region by French and Belgian troops. Witness the beginning of World War I with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). A British soldier inside a trench on the Western Front during World War I, 1914–18. In 1917, Russia, one of the Allies’ principal powers, was rocked by two revolutions. Triple Entente 1. Also known as the Great War or First World War, it was fought mainly in Europe, but it also spread to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Germany's annexation of Alsace-Lorraine after the Franco-German War aroused a deep longing for revenge in the French people. World War I marked the first great international conflict of the twentieth century. Extended version -- Let's retrace on a map a summary of WWI, the so-called "Great War". By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. World War I represented one of the most destructive wars in modern history. After two and a half years of neutrality, the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. Take a … On October 4, the German Chancellor telegraphed U.S. President Woodrow Wilson a request to negotiate peace with the Allies. b. Four imperial dynasties—the Habsburgs of Austria-Hungary, the Hohenzollerns of Germany, the sultanate of the Ottoman Empire, and the Romanovs of Russia—collapsed as a direct result of the war, and the map of Europe was changed forever. Explore the roles of Marie Curie, Mabel St. Clair Stobart, and Aileen Cole Stewart in World War I. World War I pitted Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire against Great Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. The United States emerged as a world power, and new technology made warfare deadlier than ever before. World War I was a global military conflict from 1914 through 1918. Also called The Great War, World War I was one of the deadliest conflicts in history, and set the stage for another world war just 20 years later. World War I showed the power that could be mobilized by states organized for war. Forces and resources of the combatant nations in 1914, Rival strategies and the Dardanelles campaign, 1915–16, Serbia and the Salonika expedition, 1915–17, German strategy and the submarine war, 1916–January 1917, Peace moves and U.S. policy to February 1917, The Russian revolutions and the Eastern Front, March 1917–March 1918, The last offensives and the Allies’ victory, Eastern Europe and the Russian periphery, March–November 1918, https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I, Australian Government - Department of Veterans' Affairs - World War I and Australia 1914 to 1918, Australian War Memorial - First World War 1914–18, National Army Museum - The Story of Conscription, The History Learning Site - World War One, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - Holocaust Encyclopedia - World War I, National Geographic Kids - World War 1 facts for kids, NeoK12 - Educational Videos and Games for School Kids - World War I, Anzac Centenary - Australia’s Contribution to WWI, World War I - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), World War I - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), The outbreak of war: Forces and resources of the combatant nations in 1914, The last offensives and the Allies’ victory: Killed, wounded, and missing, The outbreak of war: Technology of war in 1914, Franz, Graf (count) Conrad von Hötzendorf, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. 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