First Battle of the Marne
French counter-offensive that halted the German advance toward Paris, ending the war of movement and imposing trench warfare.
Allied victory
World War I (1914-1918): causes, battles and aftermath
Dates
28 July 1914 - 11 November 1918
Allied Powers
France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy (1915), USA (1917), Belgium, Serbia, Romania, Japan
Central Powers
Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria
Casualties
~17 million dead (including ~10 million military and ~7 million civilians), ~21 million wounded
Outcome
Allied victory. Treaty of Versailles (28 June 1919). Collapse of the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman empires.
Introduction
World War I was a global conflict fought between 28 July 1914 and 11 November 1918. The war pitted the Allied Powers (France, United Kingdom, Russia, and later Italy and the USA) against the Central Powers (Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria). Thirty-two nations ultimately took part.
The immediate trigger was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian-Serb nationalist. This set off a chain of alliance obligations that escalated into a world war within weeks.
The war resulted in approximately 17 million deaths and 21 million wounded, and fundamentally reshaped the political map of Europe.
Origins and causes
The origins of World War I involved multiple interconnected factors that built up over the period 1871-1914.
Rising German power: Germany's unification in 1871 created a new industrial and military superpower in the heart of Europe, fuelling an arms race and diplomatic tensions with France, Russia and Britain.
Alliance system: Europe was divided into two rival blocs — the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia, United Kingdom) — meaning that any local conflict risked becoming a continent-wide war.
Imperial rivalries: Competition for colonies in Africa and Asia created repeated diplomatic crises between the European powers.
Balkan tensions: The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 strengthened Serbia and destabilised Austria-Hungary, creating a powder keg in south-eastern Europe.
The July 1914 crisis: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo triggered the alliance system, leading Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia on 28 July, and drawing in Germany, Russia, France and Britain within days.
Course of the war
1914 - War of movement: Germany's Schlieffen Plan aimed for a rapid victory over France via Belgium before turning east against Russia. The First Battle of the Marne (September 1914) halted the German advance and led to the "Race to the Sea", ending in a stable front line of trenches stretching from the North Sea to Switzerland.
1915-1916 - Trench warfare: The Western Front became a 700-km network of trenches. The massive battles of Verdun (February-December 1916) and the Somme (July-November 1916) each caused hundreds of thousands of casualties for minimal territorial gains.
1917 - Turning points: The Russian Revolution removed Russia from the war, while the United States entered on 6 April 1917. The failed Nivelle Offensive led to mutinies in the French army.
1918 - Armistice: Germany's Spring Offensives were halted by Allied counter-attacks (the "Hundred Days Offensive"). The Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918 at 11am, ending the fighting.
Major battles
Battle of Verdun
The longest battle of the war. Germany sought to bleed France white. French resistance, symbolised by Pétain's order "They shall not pass", became a national symbol. About 700,000 casualties on both sides.
Status quo (French moral victory)
Battle of the Somme
Franco-British offensive designed to relieve pressure on Verdun. The first day (1 July 1916) was the bloodiest day in British Army history: 57,000 casualties in 24 hours. The battle saw the first use of tanks. Over one million total casualties.
Limited Allied advance (11 km)
Gallipoli Campaign
Allied attempt to force the Dardanelles strait, capture Constantinople and open a southern front. Planned in part by Winston Churchill, the campaign ended in failure (500,000 casualties) and is deeply etched in the national memories of Australia and New Zealand (ANZAC).
Ottoman victory
Key leaders
Allied Powers
Georges Clemenceau
Prime Minister of France (1917-1920)
Raymond Poincaré
President of France (1913-1920)
Ferdinand Foch
Marshal of France, Supreme Commander of Allied forces (1918)
David Lloyd George
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1916-1922)
Woodrow Wilson
President of the United States (1913-1921)
Nicolas II
Tsar of Russia (until 1917)
Central Powers
Wilhelm II
Kaiser (Emperor of Germany, 1888-1918)
Paul von Hindenburg
Field Marshal, Chief of German General Staff (1916-1918)
Erich Ludendorff
General, First Quartermaster General (Germany)
François-Joseph Ier
Emperor of Austria-Hungary (died 1916)
Aftermath and consequences
World War I resulted in approximately 17 million deaths and 21 million wounded. The Treaty of Versailles (28 June 1919) redrew the map of Europe and imposed harsh conditions on Germany, contributing to the rise of nationalism and eventually World War II. Four empires collapsed: the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman empires. The war also accelerated the development of aviation, armoured vehicles, submarines and chemical weapons.
Key events
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28 juin 1914Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo
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28 juillet 1914Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
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1er - 4 août 1914Germany, France and the United Kingdom enter the war
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Septembre 1914Battle of the Marne - German advance halted
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Mai 1915Italy enters the war on the Allied side
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Fév.-Déc. 1916Battle of Verdun (~700,000 casualties)
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Juil.-Nov. 1916Battle of the Somme - first use of tanks
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Mars 1917February Revolution in Russia - Tsar Nicholas II abdicates
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6 avril 1917The United States declares war on Germany
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Novembre 1917October Revolution - Bolsheviks seize power in Russia
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Mars 1918Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - Russia exits the war
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11 novembre 1918Armistice - end of fighting on the Western Front
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28 juin 1919Treaty of Versailles - official end of the war