World War I: Timeline and Impact
The Outbreak of World War I
The conflict broke out when the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Habsburg and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo by a Bosnian nationalist who was part of a terrorist organization called the Black Hand.
The Major Powers Involved
The five best powers were involved in the conflict. The alliance system worked for the Triple Entente but failed for the Triple Alliance since Italy stayed out. All the major powers were involved, except for Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands.
1914: The Invasion of France
The Germans invaded French territory, and the French failed in their attempt to defend themselves. The second phase of the war was the Battle of the Marne, where the Germans were forced to withdraw from French territory.
1915: Trench Warfare
The armies defended lines through trenches dug in the soil. The main element in trench warfare was a defensive system that was almost impassable. This new form of warfare required new weapons such as grenades, mortars, aircraft, and armored vehicles.
War of Attrition: 1916
1916 saw the first hard Battle of Verdun, lasting four months with minimal changes on the front. Afterward, the Battle of the Somme failed to break the German lines. The naval blockade compelled Germany to attack Britain.
The Decisive Year: 1917
The withdrawal of Russia benefited the Central Powers, and the U.S. intervention favored the Allies. The Russian Revolution affected the continuity of the war. America, initially on the sidelines, became a supplier country.
The End of the Conflict: 1918
In February, the Bolshevik government signed the Peace of Brest-Litovsk. Russia’s exit from the war allowed Germany to concentrate troops on the French front, hoping to launch a final offensive. The Allied counterattack forced a general retreat.
The Treaty of Versailles
Germany signed a peace treaty with Russia after the revolution of 1917. After the war, the victors met in Paris to impose harsh military, economic, territorial, and political conditions with the Treaty of Versailles.
- Germany had to accept that it was the sole responsible party for the war.
- Germany lost Alsace-Lorraine to France and ceded eastern lands to Poland.
- The German army was reduced to a minimum.
- Germany undertook to pay reparations for damages caused by the war.
- The Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved, and new countries emerged: Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Poland.
Consequences of World War I
- Europe went from 24 to 32 countries.
- The Russian, German, Austrian, and Ottoman Empires disappeared.
- 14 million people died.
- Inflation and unemployment soared.
- Nationalist exaltation rose.
- The end of British leadership saw the rise of the U.S. and Japan.
- Women’s role in society changed.
The End of the Great War
- On November 11, 1918, Germany signed the armistice in Paris.
- On June 28, 1919, the peace treaty was signed.
- The victors met, including:
- Woodrow Wilson (U.S.)
- Georges Clemenceau (France)
- David Lloyd George (British Crown)
- Vittorio Emanuele Orlando (Italy)
- Wilson’s 14 Points (January 1918) aimed for a just peace without victors or vanquished.