The Brief
An assassin’s bullets in Austria-Hungary sparked off the war, and a system of military alliances plunged the main European powers into fight. The war lasted four years and took the lives of nearly 10 million troops.
Military conscription raised larger armies than ever before, and extreme patriotism gave many men a cause they were willing to die for. Propaganda whipped up support for the war by making the enemy seem villainous.
On June 28, 1914, an assassin gunned down Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo, the capital of Austria-Hungary’s province of Bosnia. The killer, Gavrilo Princip, had ties to a terrorist organization in Serbia. Austria-Hungary believed that Serbia’s government was behind the assassination. It seized the opportunities to declare war on Serbia and settle an old feud.
The assassination of Francis Ferdinand sparked the outbreak of the World War 1. Other cause chiefly from the growth of extreme national pride among various European peoples, an enormous increase in European armed forces, a race for colonies, and the information of military alliances.
When the fighting begins, France, Russia, and the Great Britain join the Allies – backed the Serbia.
They opposed the Central Power - Austria-Hungary and Germany. Later, other nation joined either Allies or the Central Powers.
In autumn of 1918, the Central Powers surrendered. The peace treaties after the war carved new nation out of the defeated powers. The war left Europe exhausted, never to regain the controlling position in the world affairs that it had held before the war. The peace settlement also created conditions that helped lead to World War II.
Causes of the war
- The rise of the nationalism
- A built-up of military
- Competition of colonies
- System of military alliances
A built-up of military
Late 1800’s, Germany had the best-trained army in the world. It relied on a military conscription of all able bodied young men to increase size and strength of its peacetime army. Other European countries followed German’s lead and expanded their standing armies.
At first, Great Britain remain unconcerned for German, since they have a world strongest navy. But, 1898, German began to develop a navy forces to challenge the British navy.
1906, British launched the Dreadnought, the first modern battleship. The heavily armed had greater firepower than other ship on its time.
Advance technology – tools, materials, and techniques of industrialization > increase the destructive power of military forces.
Competition of colonies
During 1800’s to 1900’s > European nations carved nearly all of Africa and much of Asia into colonies. The race for colonies was fueled by the revolution of industrialization. Because, colonies supplied European with raw materials for factories, markets for manufacture goods, and opportunities for investment.
But competition strained relationship among European. Incident happens almost every year and it clashes nearly led to war.
System of military alliances
A country hoped to discourage an attack from its enemies by entering the military agreement with one another.
In agreement, its guaranty that in case of attack – other members of alliances would come to the country’s aid or remain neutral.
This system has certain danger - a country might take risks in dealings with other nations that it would hesitate to take alone.
If war came, the alliance system meant that must have a numbers to fight. Alliances could force a country to go war against nation that had not quarrel with or no interest.
The Triple Alliances
- Since the Germany is in the central of Europe, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck forms a series of alliances to strengthen his country security. First made ally of Austria-Hungary, year 1879. Italy joins the agreement in 1882, that’s why it named The Triple Alliances. Motive: member of triple alliances agreed to aid one another in the case of an attack.
The Triple Entente
- Germany naval build-up made Britain feel the needs of allies. 1904, Britain and France settled their past disagreement over colonies and signed the Entente Cordiale (Friendly Agreement). The two countries began to discuss joint military plans. 1907, Russia joined the Entente Cordiale. The Triple Entente did not obligate its members to go war as the Triple Alliance did.
But > both alliances left Europe divided into two opposing camp.
Beginning of the war
The assassination of an archduke. Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. He arranged to tour Bosnia with his wife, Sophia. As the couple rode through Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, an assassin jumped on their car and fired two shots. The murderer, Gavrilo Princip, was linked to a Serbian terrorist group called the Black Hand.
Austria-Hungary first gain the promised from Germany’s to support against the Serbia. It then sent a list of demand to Serbia in July 23. Serbia accepted most of the demands and offered to have a settled in international conference. However, Austria-Hungary rejected the offer and declared war on Serbia on July 28.
How the conflict spread. Great Britain proposed an international conference to end the crisis. But Germany rejects the idea, and tried to stop the war from spreading. Russia backed down before supporting its ally Serbia. 1914, Russia vowed (berikrar) to stand behind Serbia. Russia first gain the promise from France. July 30, 1914, Russia announced it would mobilize fully. German declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914, response to Russia mobilization. August 3, German declared war with France. August 4, Britain declares war on Germany.
The Western Front. Germany’s war plan had been prepared in 1905 by Alfred von Schlieffen, who provided advance military operations. The Schlieffen Plan assumed that Germany would have to fight both Russia and France. Aimed; quick defeat of France while Russia slowly mobilized. It required the Germany to strike first.
It has 2 wings to crush the France; small left wing would defend the Germany and the larger right wing would invade. The victory of the Germany depended on the strong right wing. Germany forced the France and small British force in southern Belgium and swept into France. One part of right wing pursued retreating French troops east toward the Marne River. This manoeuvre left the Germans exposed to attack from the rear.
Meanwhile, General Joseph Joffre, commander in French armies, stationed his forced near the Marne River east of Paris. It became the First Battle of the Marne, September 6. September 9, German started to withdraw.
The First Battle of the Marne was the key of victory, because it ended Germany’s hope to defeated France quickly.
The German army halted its retreat near the Aisne River. From there, a series of battles that became known as the Race to the Sea. German sought to seize ports on the English Channel, and cut a supply lines between France and Britain. But Allies stopped the German advance to the sea in the First Battle of Ypres in Belgium.
November 1914, the war reached a deadlock. The battlefront extends more than 720 kilometers across Belgium and northern France to the border of Switzerland. The deadlock last nearly 3 and half years.
The Eastern Front. Russian’s mobilization on the East Front moved faster than German expected. August 1914, 2 Russian armies go into German territory of East Prussia. Late August 1914, the German encircled the Russian army in the Battle of Tannenberg. Chased them out of East Prussia in the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. The number of Russian men killed, captured, mounded, or missing – 250000 in this two battle.
Austria-Hungary had less success than Germany. End 1914, Austria-Hungary forces had attacked Serbia three times and been beaten back each time. Early October, a humiliated Austro-Hungarian army had retreated into its own territory.
Fighting elsewhere.
November 1914, Turkish bombarded Russian port in Black Sea, and Turkish troops then invade the Russia.
British stayed in control of the seas over the Germany. It’s kept Germany’s surface fleet bottled up in its home water during most of the war. Result, Germany relied on submarine warfare.
Japan declared war on Germany and drove the Germans in several island in the Pacific Ocean.
Australia and New Zealand seized other German colonies in Pacific.
The Deadlock on the Western Front
The typical front-line trench was about 1.8 to 2.4 meters deep and wide enough for 2 men to pass. Support trench ran behind the front-line. Troops and supplies moved to the battle front through a communication trench. Barbed wire helped protect the front-line from surprise attack. Field artillery was set up behind the support trenches.
Between the enemies lines lay a stretch of ground called ‘no man’s land’. The size was varied from 27 meters to 1.6 kilometers.
Soldier served at the front line from a few days to a week, before rotated to the rear for rest. Life in the trenches is miserable. The smell of the dead bodies, and the rats a normal. Water-logged in the land of Belgium makes the soldier keep wet. Enemy artillery and machine gun keep each side pinned in the trenches.
Both Allies and Central power developed new weapons, which they hope would break this deadlock. April 1915, German uses poison gases in Second Battle of Ypres. The fumes caused vomiting and suffocation, but they failed to seize the opportunities to launch a major attack. The Allies begin to use it back, and the gas mask becomes necessary equipment in the trenches. Another new weapon is flame thrower, which shot out a stream of burning flame.
The war at sea
Great Britain controls the seas during the World War I, caused problem for German. Germany suffered a shortage of food and other good. U-boats – is a German submarine to combat the British. It’s destroyed great amount of goods heading for Britain. May 7, 1915, U-boat torpedoed the British passenger – Lusitania in Ireland. The passenger is 1198 including the 128 American people. In September, German agreed not to attack the neutral or passenger ships.
Major battles are on The Battle of Jutland. In the coast of Denmark, May 31 and June 1, 1916. Admiral Sir John Jollicoe of British with 150 warships. He faced the Admiral Reinhard Scheer of German with 99 warships. Both sides claim victory. Although Britain lost more ships than German, it still rule the world.
The war in the air
Great advance of aviation were made. Aero planes mainly use to observe enemy activities. In 1915, German developed a machine gun timed to fire between an aeroplane’s revolving blades. A pilot who gun down 5 or more enemy planes were called an ace. Germany’s Baron Manfred von Richthofen, who was known as the Red Baron, gun down 80 planes. Aerial bombing remained in early stages. 1915, German began to bomb London and other British cities from the airship called zeppelins.
The fighting end
The Allies won victories on all fronts in the autumn of 1918. Bulgarian surrendered on September 29. British forces under General Edmund Allenby triumphed over the Ottoman army. October 30, Ottoman signed the armistice. The last battle between Italy and Austria-Hungary began in October, location in Italy. Italy has the support from France and British, near the town of Vittorio Veneto. Austria-Hungary signed the armistice in November 3.
British naval blockage had nearly starved the German people, and widespread discontent led to riots and rising demands for peace. Kaiser Wilhelm gave up his throne on November 9 and held up to the Netherlands. An Allied delegation headed by Foch met with German representatives in a railway carriage in Compiegne Forest, in northern France.
Early morning November 11, 1918, the German accepted the armistice terms demand by Allies. Germany agreed to evacuate the territories it had taken during the war, to surrender large numbers of arms, ship, and other war materials, and to allow the Allied powers to occupy German territory along the Rhine River. Foch ordered the fighting to stop on the Western Front at 11a.m. World War I was over.
notes: I will give a later review if i found another infomation, and the picture will be add in the next time... Bye, thanks for reading.
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written by yara, April 09, 2008
the information is very useful and helpful, but why there are uncompleted sentences?
please i need this information.
Thanks
written by Administrator, April 13, 2008
i hope will know where you are..
email me for further information or discussion..
written by haz, April 13, 2008
I really need to know!!!
All the other informations great!!!
Thanks
written by anwari, April 14, 2008
By the way I'm not at home right now..
I will try to get more information (including the name of the agreement signed )
..and my next target is to read and get information about the World War 2..
Sorry because i didn't put the reference..
Thanks for all comment..
written by farmer joe McCfarlen, April 23, 2008
thnks a bunch! 
written by anwari, April 29, 2008
you are welcome
written by xavier kyle, December 17, 2008
what is the name of the incedent that took russia out of world war one?
please HELP me
written by anwari, December 19, 2008
i'm sorry
i's not really a history student...
i just love the history..
and i love to learn about the past..
if i can find that information..
i will let you know..
thanks for visiting...
written by sarah, January 21, 2009
written by anwari, January 26, 2009
love to read about the war especially the technology at that time...
i think the lecturer and historian will like to help u..
It's helpful. And I can't find it in another web pages.
Thanks.