When was the first world war started and ended? The First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict that began on July 28, 1914, and concluded on November 11, 1918. This period of intense warfare reshaped the political, social, and economic landscape of the world, leading to significant changes in the geopolitical order.
The immediate trigger for the outbreak of the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. This event set off a chain of alliances and rivalries among the major European powers, culminating in a full-scale conflict. The main opposing alliances were the Allied Powers, which included France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, and the Central Powers, consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire.
The war was characterized by unprecedented levels of destruction and loss of life. It involved the mobilization of millions of soldiers and the use of new and deadly technologies, such as machine guns, chemical weapons, and tanks. The conflict was fought on multiple fronts, including the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the Middle East, and the Italian Front.
The first phase of the war, known as the “Race to the Sea,” was marked by a series of unsuccessful battles and a series of trench lines that stretched across Europe. The stalemate on the Western Front lasted for years, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Meanwhile, the Central Powers faced challenges on other fronts, including the Russian Revolution, which weakened the Russian Empire and led to its withdrawal from the war in 1917.
The war took a significant turn in 1917 when the United States entered the conflict on the side of the Allies. This decision was influenced by the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915 and the interception of the Zimmermann Telegram, which revealed Germany’s plans to provoke Mexico into joining the war against the United States.
The end of the war was brought about by a series of events. In October 1918, the German Empire faced internal unrest and pressure from the Allies, leading to the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II. This event, combined with the German military’s inability to sustain the war effort, prompted the signing of the Armistice of Compiègne on November 11, 1918. The formal peace treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, was signed on June 28, 1919, marking the official end of the war.
The First World War had a profound impact on the world. It led to the collapse of several empires, including the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the German Empire. The war also laid the groundwork for the Cold War, as the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as the two dominant superpowers. Additionally, the war had a lasting effect on the social fabric of the countries involved, with significant changes in women’s rights, labor movements, and the treatment of minorities.
