World War I

Event / Era
World War I
Period / Year
1914–1918
Category
Contemporary (20th–21st century)
Details

World War I (1914–1918)

Causes (MAIN)

  • Militarism: An arms race and glorification of military power among European nations.
  • Alliances: The formation of two rival blocs—the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance.
  • Imperialism: Competition among European powers for colonies and resources worldwide.
  • Nationalism: Intense patriotic fervor and desire for self-determination, particularly in the Balkans.

Trigger

  • The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, ignited the conflict.

Major Combatants

  • Allied Powers: Primarily France, Britain, Russia (until 1917), later joined by the USA and Italy.
  • Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.

Result

  • An Allied victory, but at a devastating cost of approximately 20 million lives.
  • The Treaty of Versailles (1919) placed sole blame on Germany, imposing heavy reparations and territorial losses.
  • Led to the collapse of the German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires.
  • The League of Nations was created, serving as a precursor to the United Nations, aimed at preventing future wars.

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