Causes and Background of World War I:
– Rise of Prussia under Otto von Bismarck challenging the balance of power
– French revanchism for Alsace-Lorraine
– Formation of alliances like the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance
– German industrial growth leading to the Kaiserliche Marine
– Influence of naval strategists like Alfred Thayer Mahan
Global Impact and Aftermath:
– Over 8 million total deaths during the war
– Movement of troops contributing to the spread of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic
– United States entering the war in 1917
– Bolsheviks seizing power in the Russian October Revolution in 1917
– Creation of new independent states post-war
Assassination and Conflicts in the Balkans:
– Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination in Sarajevo
– Balkan League formation leading to the First Balkan War
– Tensions in the Balkans escalating with the Bosnian Crisis
– Series of crises in the Balkans before 1914
– Ethnic tensions and violence post-assassination
Military Strategies and Progress of the War:
– Miscommunication affecting Central Powers’ strategy
– Serbian victory against Austria-Hungary
– First use of anti-aircraft warfare and medical evacuation by Serbian army
– German offensive in Belgium and France based on the Schlieffen Plan
– Stalemate on the Western Front and technological advancements
Global Theaters of War and Indian Involvement:
– New Zealand, Australia, and Japan’s actions in the Pacific
– African campaigns involving British, French, and German forces
– Indian support for the Allies with over 1.3 million soldiers serving
– Strategic outcomes like German defensive positions in France
– Disillusionment post-war leading to movements for independence
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World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. Fighting took place throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. One of the deadliest wars in history, it resulted in an estimated 9 million soldiers dead and 23 million wounded, plus up to 8 million civilian deaths from numerous causes including genocide. The movement of large numbers of troops and civilians during the war was a major factor in spreading the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.
Increasing diplomatic tensions between the European great powers reached a breaking point on 28 June 1914, when a Bosnian Serb named Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Austria-Hungary held Serbia responsible, and declared war on 28 July. Russia came to Serbia's defence, and by 4 August, Germany, France, and Britain were drawn into the war, with the Ottoman Empire joining in November of the same year. Germany's strategy in 1914 was to first defeat France, then transfer forces to the Russian front. However, this failed, and by the end of 1914, the Western Front consisted of a continuous line of trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland. The Eastern Front was more dynamic, but neither side could gain a decisive advantage, despite costly offensives. As the war expanded to more fronts, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Greece and others joined in from 1915 onward.
In early 1917, the United States entered the war on the Allies' side, and later the same year, the Bolsheviks seized power in the Russian October Revolution, making peace with the Central Powers in early 1918. Germany launched an offensive in the west in March 1918, and despite initial successes, it left the German Army exhausted and demoralised. A successful Allied counter-offensive later that year caused a collapse of the German frontline. By the end of 1918, Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary agreed to armistices with the Allies, leaving Germany isolated. Facing revolution at home and with his army on the verge of mutiny, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated on 9 November.
The fighting ended with the Armistice of 11 November 1918, while the subsequent Paris Peace Conference imposed various settlements on the defeated powers, notably the Treaty of Versailles. The dissolution of the Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman Empires resulted in the creation of new independent states, including Poland, Finland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. The inability to manage post-war instability contributed to the outbreak of World War II in September 1939.
