World War I: A 1000-Word Summary

Introduction

World War I (WWI), also known as the Great War, was one of the most significant and
devastating conflicts in human history. It lasted from July 28, 1914, to November 11, 1918, and
involved many of the world’s most powerful nations. The war caused over 16 million deaths
and set the stage for political, economic, and social upheaval across Europe and beyond.
Although originally expected to be short, WWI became a brutal, drawn-out conflict that changed
warfare and the global order forever.

Causes of the War

The causes of WWI were complex and interconnected. Historians often summarize them using
the acronym MAIN:

 Militarism: By the early 20th century, European powers had built up massive armies and
navies. Nations believed that having a strong military was essential for national power
and security.
 Alliances: Europe was divided into two main alliance systems:
o The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)
o The Triple Entente (France, Russia, Britain)

These alliances promised mutual defense, meaning that if one country was attacked, its
allies would join the war.

 Imperialism: European powers were competing for colonies in Africa, Asia, and the
Middle East. Tensions grew as empires expanded and clashed over territory.
 Nationalism: National pride and rivalries ran deep. Ethnic groups under foreign rule—
such as Serbs in Austria-Hungary—wanted independence, while countries like Germany
and France had long-standing tensions over lost territory (e.g., Alsace-Lorraine).

The Spark: Assassination in Sarajevo

The immediate cause of WWI was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-
Hungary and his wife, Sophie, on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo (now Bosnia and Herzegovina).
The assassin, Gavrilo Princip, was a Bosnian Serb nationalist associated with a group seeking
independence for Slavic peoples.
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination and issued a harsh ultimatum. Serbia
accepted most of the demands, but not all. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on
Serbia. Due to alliance systems, other countries quickly joined:

 Russia mobilized to defend Serbia.

 Germany declared war on Russia and then France.
 Germany invaded Belgium, bringing Britain into the war.

What began as a regional conflict quickly escalated into a global war.

The Sides: Central Powers vs. Allied Powers

The two main sides in World War I were:

 Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria

 Allied Powers: France, Russia, Britain, Serbia, Belgium, Italy (joined in 1915), Japan,
and later the United States (joined in 1917)

Many colonies from Africa and Asia were also drawn in, contributing soldiers and resources.

The Western Front: Trench Warfare

By late 1914, after initial battles like the Battle of the Marne, the war in Western Europe
turned into a stalemate. Armies dug long trenches, stretching from the North Sea to
Switzerland. Soldiers lived in horrific conditions, surrounded by mud, rats, and the constant
threat of artillery and poison gas.

Key battles included:

 Battle of Verdun (1916): One of the longest and bloodiest battles, with around 700,000
casualties.
 Battle of the Somme (1916): Over 1 million killed or wounded. On the first day alone,
Britain suffered 60,000 casualties.

Despite massive losses, neither side gained much ground.

The Eastern Front and Other Theaters

On the Eastern Front, fighting was more mobile. Russia battled Germany and Austria-Hungary
across a vast front. Though Russia had a huge army, it suffered from poor leadership and lack of
supplies. The Central Powers made significant gains.

In 1917, the Russian Revolution broke out. Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks overthrew the
Russian government, pulled Russia out of the war, and signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with
Germany in 1918.

Other major fronts included:

 The Italian Front between Italy and Austria-Hungary in the Alps.

 The Middle Eastern Front, where British forces fought the Ottoman Empire.
 The war at sea, with German U-boats attacking Allied shipping.

The United States Enters the War

For the first few years, the United States remained neutral. But several events pushed America
toward war:

1. Unrestricted submarine warfare: German U-boats sank civilian and merchant ships,
including the Lusitania (1915), killing 128 Americans.
2. Zimmermann Telegram: In 1917, Britain intercepted a secret German message to
Mexico, promising to help Mexico regain lost territory if it joined the war against the
U.S.

On April 6, 1917, the U.S. declared war on Germany. American troops, supplies, and money
gave the Allies a crucial advantage.

The End of the War

By 1918, Germany launched a final offensive in the west, trying to win before American forces
arrived in full strength. They advanced but were stopped at the Second Battle of the Marne.

With Allied forces counterattacking and German morale collapsing, the Central Powers began to
surrender:

 Bulgaria surrendered in September 1918.

 The Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary followed in October and early November.
 Germany faced revolution at home. On November 11, 1918, Germany signed an
armistice (ceasefire), ending the fighting.

The war was over after more than four years of intense destruction.
Aftermath and Consequences

1. Casualties and Destruction

 Around 10 million soldiers and 6–7 million civilians died.

 Millions more were wounded or traumatized.
 Entire cities and villages were destroyed across Europe.

2. Political Changes

 Four empires collapsed: German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman.

 New countries were formed: Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Finland, Poland, and others.
 In Russia, the Bolsheviks established the Soviet Union, a communist state.

3. Treaty of Versailles (1919)

The treaty officially ended the war. Key terms included:

 Germany had to accept full blame for the war.

 It lost territory and colonies.
 It had to pay reparations to the Allies.
 Its military was severely restricted.

Many Germans saw the treaty as unjust, creating resentment that would later contribute to the
rise of Adolf Hitler and World War II.

4. League of Nations

Created to prevent future wars, the League aimed to solve disputes peacefully. However, it was
weak—partly because the U.S. never joined—and failed to stop later aggression in the 1930s.