Marry

The goals of the main countries participating in the First World War. Countries participating in the First World War. Cause to start a war

At the end of July 1914, a war began in Europe, which became one of the largest armed conflicts in the history of mankind. More than nine million soldiers died. About five million civilians who found themselves in occupation were destroyed by disease, hunger, and air raids. What were the goals pursued in the First World War by its participants? What preceded the armed conflict?

Answering the question about the goals of the participants in the First World War is not easy. For some, it began as an act of retribution and punishment. For others, it has become an armed conflict designed to end wars forever. It's called the "Great" for a reason. Until 1914, humanity did not know more large-scale military operations. But the First War was followed by the Second, even more destructive, and after it - many small armed conflicts around the world. Those who considered the goal of World War I to establish peace in Europe were mistaken.

Prelude

Already at the beginning of the century, the forthcoming war was often discussed in Europe. Neither politicians nor writers had any idea how large-scale it would be. Even the military did not know about it. From time to time, small military campaigns took place in Europe, but they all ended rather quickly, because they were fought, as a rule, against a weak enemy. Spears could not withstand machine guns, ancient cannons could not withstand powerful ship guns.

Among the French, there was a growing hatred of the Germans, which arose back in the 70s of the XIX century - after Bismarck signed an agreement according to which Alsace and almost all of Lorraine passed to Germany. German ambitions, meanwhile, grew in direct proportion to industrial development. They had no colonies, no sea power, no influence over Asian Muslims. To win a dominant position in Europe - that was the goal of Germany in the First World War.

Causes

What were the goals and plans of the participants in the First World War? This question is answered in different ways. Thomas Woodrow Wilson once said that it was useless to look for the reason that prompted the European powers to unleash war in 1914.

Armed conflict always breeds rivalry, and the logic of anti-war sentiment cannot smooth it out. At the beginning of the 20th century, it manifested itself in different ways. In France, irritation was growing against Germany, which had annexed its lands in 1871. The Germans looked with increasing confidence towards the eastern border, cherishing territorial ambitions. Nicholas II made plans for the Balkans. Austria-Hungary tried to maintain its fragile imperial structure.

What mood prevailed in Great Britain before the outbreak of the First World War? The goals of Germany in the upcoming armed conflict were known to political scientists. British journalists and writers sounded the alarm: German naval power was growing rapidly.

The Kaiser dreamed of equaling Britain in naval power, which became one of his goals in the First World War. The personnel of the German Navy was increased by 15,000 officers and soldiers. Churchill suggested taking a short break to build up military strength, but the Germans did not support the idea. This happened in 1912. At the same time, Serbia won the war with Turkey, dealing a heavy blow to the prestige of the Germans.

In 1913, Churchill again put forward a proposal to postpone the arms race. But this time, too, the Kaiser did not heed the advice of the British Prime Minister. The German army by that time consisted of more than 600 thousand people. What were the goals of the First World War participants? First of all, the satisfaction of insatiable territorial greed.

Assassination of the Habsburg heir

On June 28, 1914, Franz Ferdinand paid an official visit to Sarajevo. Among the onlookers who had gathered to stare at the Archduke was the nineteen-year-old He, who committed an act that served as the formal cause of the hostilities that soon engulfed a large part of Europe.

The principle was not one, but with accomplices. One of them threw a bomb at the Archduke's car. The first attempt was unsuccessful: the officers who were in the next car were injured. The wounded were taken to the hospital, while the Archduke continued his journey. Gavrilo Princip annoyed that his accomplices failed to cope with the task. However, on the pavement, only ten meters from the car of the Archduke, he was quite by accident. Realizing that the target was moving directly towards him, he stepped forward and fired. The Archduke died from blood loss. The wife who accompanied him on his last trip died with him.

Princip and his associates belonged to the Black Hand terrorist organization. They received weapons in Belgrade, then crossed the Austrian border into Bosnia. The victim of the conspirators was more than supportive of the interests of the national minorities that inhabited Austria-Hungary. Franz Ferdinand had a reputation as a politician who sought to change the dual nature of the empire to a tripartite one by including the South Slavs in the alliance. However, the terrorists did not know about it.

July Crisis

Under this term in history it is customary to understand the largest diplomatic clash of European states that took place in the summer of 1914. In order to answer the question about the goals of the First World War, it is necessary to understand what the so-called July crisis was.

So, on June 28, a high-profile murder was committed in Sarajevo. The government of Austria-Hungary reacted with lightning speed. Namely, it presented an ultimatum to Serbia, which contained a demand to find and punish those responsible for the murder of the Archduke. The fact that the attackers are subjects of the Hamburg Empire, the investigation was able to establish quite quickly. Politicians believed that Austrian sentiment could only be destroyed by force. In their opinion, the Serbian authorities did everything to undermine the monarchical influence on the Balkan Peninsula.

Serbia had a huge influence on the Slavs who lived in Austria-Hungary. Therefore, the authorities believed that any separatist sentiments were a threat to the existence of the imperial state. The assassination of the Archduke was used by the Austro-Hungarian government as a justification for military action against Serbia.

In early July, the German government began to seriously fear that demands on Serbia would lead to the entry into an armed conflict of the Russian Empire. And this, in turn, would serve as the beginning of large-scale hostilities. The fears were justified. On July 28, Austria declared war on Serbia. This date is officially considered the beginning of the First World War. Briefly, the goals of the powers that took part in it cannot be stated. This topic is devoted to many historical works, documentaries.

It is known that on July 29, the Prime Minister of Great Britain proposed to convene the heads of European states in order to maintain peace. However, the rulers did not have the strength or desire to stop the impending disaster. On July 29, the threat of artillery shelling loomed over Serbia. The Russian Empire announced the mobilization of a huge population. About six million people were drafted into the army. Although there was no declaration of war on Austria that day.

Negotiations between Germany and Russia

In order to avoid the First World War, whose goals for Russia were rather gloomy, Nicholas II sent a telegram to the Kaiser. The Russian tsar was in friendly correspondence with the German ruler. The telegram, in which he asked to do everything possible to stop Austria-Hungary before it went too far, Nicholas II signed "Niki". The Kaiser responded to the Russian Tsar in the same vein, promising to influence the Austrians and induce them to reach an agreement with the Russian Empire. Under the answer to Nicholas II was listed - "Willy".

After the tsar received a telegram from the Kaiser, he replaced the general mobilization with a partial one. Later, the Kaiser advised Nicholas II not to enter into a military conflict, so as not to involve Europe in a bloody war. By the way, it was not possible to cancel the mobilization. She was already moving across the country at full speed. And soon news came to St. Petersburg that Germany was preparing for war. On July 30, Nicholas II signed an order for general mobilization. The Russian public hoped that this would stop the war.

Germany sent an ultimatum to Russia demanding to stop mobilization, which was refused. Then she turned to France with a request to maintain neutrality. But this time, too, it was refused. Germany was confident that the Russian army, which the Germans considered heavy and clumsy, could be defeated fairly quickly. But the opposing forces were too great.

In France, in those days, the barracks were already crowded with about three million soldiers. This meant that while the German army would advance to Russia, in the west a crushing blow will overtake her. Perhaps even defeat. That is why one of the prominent German military leaders developed a plan according to which it was first necessary to defeat France, and then fall upon the Russian Empire.

Members

Before telling about further events, it is worth once again, and in a more concise form, to state the goals of the powers in the First World War. Two opposing camps into which the participants were divided: the Quadruple Alliance and the Entente. First - Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire Bulgaria. The Entente is an alliance that includes Russia, France, Britain.

Goals of entry into World War I

Germany sought to establish dominance first in Europe and then throughout the world. This was well known in Russia, Great Britain and France. For several decades, the Germans have been building up military power. For Austria, the goals and plans in the First World War were not so ambitious - to establish control over the Balkans.

Great Britain was haunted by individual lands of the Ottoman Empire, which by the beginning of the 20th century had significantly weakened. In addition, England sought to seize the oil possessions located in Mesopotamia and Palestine. The goals were as follows: to weaken into Germany, to establish dominance in Europe and, of course, to reclaim Alsace and Lorraine.

The Turks, who became allies of Germany, sought to seize the Crimea, Iran and maintain control in the Balkans. What were Russia's goals in World War I? Just like France, she sought to weaken the influence of Germany. In addition, the Russian Empire needed free passage through the Dardanelles and the Bosporus to the Mediterranean Sea. And, of course, increased influence in the Balkans. These are the goals of the countries in the First World War - a war that until 1939 was considered the most terrible, bloody, large-scale in history.

1914

Military operations unfolded mainly in the French and Russian theaters of operations. Battles were also fought in the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus, China, Africa and Oceania. Every from the participants of the First World War, the goals of their planned to be achieved in just a few months. No one then imagined that the conflict would drag on for four years.

So, Germany, according to the plan mentioned above, planned to capture Paris within 39 days, and then immediately go to the east. One of the famous sayings of the German ruler: "Lunch will be in Paris, and dinner in St. Petersburg." France intended to start hostilities with the return of Alsace and Lorraine.

The path to Paris ran through Belgium. On August 4, without much difficulty, she captured a small state. True, the Belgian army unexpectedly offered quite powerful resistance, given its size. But this, of course, could not detain the enemy for a long time. For the French, the invasion of Belgium came as a surprise, but they still managed to transfer their units fairly quickly.

The French for some time had to not only abandon the plan to return the lands once annexed by Germany, but also retreat. The German army was advancing rapidly. The British retreated to the coast, the French in early September were already preparing a summer residence in the capital. However, it ended with a victory over Germany. This event had a significant impact on the further course of the war.

By the beginning of 1915, it became clear that Germany would not achieve its goals, and the armed conflict, contrary to the wishes of all its participants, would be protracted. The Germans captured Belgium and a large part of France. They failed to defeat the French within a month and go to Russia. The war promised to be long and exhausting.

Eastern front

In 1915, the retreat of the Russian army began. Galicia was lost. Until mid-spring, groups of Austrian troops were concentrated here. In early May, the enemy dealt a powerful blow to the Russian army. The eastern front shifted towards the Russian Empire. The withdrawal of Russian troops ended at the end of August. During the second year of the war, Germany achieved significant military victories and captured enemy territories. But the overall goal was never achieved.

1916-1918

On May 31, the Battle of Jutland took place. There is still debate about who won it, Great Britain or Germany. However, the events that took place in 1916 demonstrated the clear superiority of the Entente. In December, the German government proposed an alliance, but was refused. The next two years, Germany made several more attempts to capture France, but none of them were successful. The revolution that took place in Russia in 1917 had a significant impact on the course of subsequent events. The Germans concluded a truce with the new state.

Results

Not only the war itself was terrible, but also its consequences. New borders were established, long-term conflicts were provoked. The war changed the map of Europe. Neither the Russian, nor the German, nor the Ottoman Empire now existed. Neither was Austria-Hungary. The German economy has been greatly weakened. The national humiliation experienced by the Germans led to revanchist sentiments that gave rise to fascism.

After the end of the war, the world community understood: from now on, armed conflicts will be total. The war led to an arms race - to obtain weapons capable of destroying the entire world.

World War I (1914 - 1918)

The Russian Empire collapsed. One of the goals of the war is solved.
Chamberlain

The First World War lasted from August 1, 1914 to November 11, 1918. 38 states with a population of 62% of the world took part in it. This war was rather ambiguous and extremely contradictory described in modern history. I specifically cited Chamberlain's words in the epigraph to once again emphasize this inconsistency. A prominent politician in England (Russia's ally in the war) says that one of the goals of the war has been achieved by overthrowing the autocracy in Russia!

The Balkan countries played an important role in the beginning of the war. They were not independent. Their policy (both foreign and domestic) was greatly influenced by England. Germany by that time had lost its influence in this region, although it controlled Bulgaria for a long time.

Entente. Russian Empire, France, Great Britain. The allies were the USA, Italy, Romania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
Triple Alliance. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire. Later, the Bulgarian kingdom joined them, and the coalition became known as the Quadruple Union.

The following major countries took part in the war: Austria-Hungary (July 27, 1914 - November 3, 1918), Germany (August 1, 1914 - November 11, 1918), Turkey (October 29, 1914 - October 30, 1918), Bulgaria (October 14, 1915 - 29 September 1918). Entente countries and allies: Russia (August 1, 1914 - March 3, 1918), France (August 3, 1914), Belgium (August 3, 1914), Great Britain (August 4, 1914), Italy (May 23, 1915), Romania (August 27, 1916) .

Another important point. Initially, a member of the "Triple Alliance" was Italy. But after the outbreak of the First World War, the Italians declared neutrality.

Causes of World War I

The main reason for the outbreak of the First World War is the desire of the leading powers, primarily England, France and Austria-Hungary, to redistribute the world. The fact is that the colonial system collapsed by the beginning of the 20th century. The leading European countries, which had prospered for years by exploiting the colonies, were no longer allowed to obtain resources simply by taking them away from the Indians, Africans and South Americans. Now resources could only be won back from each other. Therefore, contradictions arose:

Between England and Germany. England sought to prevent the strengthening of German influence in the Balkans. Germany sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, and also sought to deprive England of naval dominance.
Between Germany and France. France dreamed of regaining the lands of Alsace and Lorraine, which she had lost in the war of 1870-71. France also sought to seize the German Saar coal basin.
Between Germany and Russia. Germany sought to take Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states from Russia.
Between Russia and Austria-Hungary. Contradictions arose because of the desire of both countries to influence the Balkans, as well as the desire of Russia to subjugate the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.

Cause to start a war

The events in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) served as the reason for the start of the First World War. On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand organization of the Young Bosnia movement, assassinated Archduke Frans Ferdinand. Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, so the resonance of the murder was enormous. This was the reason for Austria-Hungary to attack Serbia.

The behavior of England is very important here, since Austria-Hungary could not start a war on its own, because this practically guaranteed a war throughout Europe. The British, at the level of the embassy, convinced Nicholas 2 that Russia, in the event of aggression, should not leave Serbia without help. But then all (I emphasize this) the English press wrote that the Serbs were barbarians and Austria-Hungary should not leave the murder of the Archduke unpunished. That is, England did everything so that Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia did not shy away from war.

Important nuances of the reason for war

In all textbooks we are told that the main and only reason for the outbreak of the First World War was the assassination of the Austrian Archduke. At the same time, they forget to say that the next day, June 29, another significant murder took place. The French politician Jean Jaures, who actively opposed the war and had great influence in France, was killed. A few weeks before the assassination of the Archduke, there was an attempt on Rasputin, who, like Zhores, was an opponent of the war and had a great influence on Nicholas 2. I also want to note some facts from the fate of the main characters of those days:

Gavrilo Principin. He died in prison in 1918 from tuberculosis.
Russian Ambassador to Serbia - Hartley. In 1914 he died at the Austrian embassy in Serbia, where he came for a reception.
Colonel Apis, leader of the Black Hand. Shot in 1917.
In 1917 Hartley's correspondence with Sozonov (the next Russian ambassador to Serbia) disappeared.

All this indicates that there were a lot of black spots in the events of the days, which have not yet been revealed. And this is very important to understand.

The role of England in starting the war

At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 2 great powers in continental Europe: Germany and Russia. They did not want to openly fight against each other, since the forces were approximately equal. Therefore, in the "July crisis" of 1914, both sides took a wait-and-see attitude. English diplomacy came to the fore. By means of the press and secret diplomacy, she conveyed to Germany the position - in the event of war, England would remain neutral or take the side of Germany. By open diplomacy, Nicholas 2 heard the opposite idea that in the event of a war, England would take the side of Russia.

It must be clearly understood that one open statement by England that she will not allow war in Europe would be enough for neither Germany nor Russia to even think about anything of the kind. Naturally, under such conditions, Austria-Hungary would not have dared to attack Serbia. But England, with all her diplomacy, pushed the European countries to war.

Russia before the war

Before the First World War, Russia reformed the army. In 1907, the fleet was reformed, and in 1910 the land forces were reformed. The country increased military spending many times over, and the total number of the army in peacetime was now 2 million people. In 1912, Russia adopts a new Field Service Charter. Today it is rightfully called the most perfect Charter of its time, since it motivated soldiers and commanders to take personal initiative. Important point! The doctrine of the army of the Russian Empire was offensive.

Despite the fact that there were many positive changes, there were also very serious miscalculations. The main one is the underestimation of the role of artillery in the war. As the course of events of the First World War showed, this was a terrible mistake, which clearly showed that at the beginning of the 20th century, Russian generals were seriously behind the times. They lived in the past when the role of the cavalry was important. As a result, 75% of all the losses of the First World War were caused by artillery! This is a sentence to the imperial generals.

It is important to note that Russia never finished preparing for the war (at the proper level), while Germany completed it in 1914.

The balance of forces and means before the war and after it

Artillery

	Number of guns	Of these, heavy weapons


Austria-Hungary
Germany

According to the data from the table, it can be seen that Germany and Austria-Hungary were many times superior to Russia and France in terms of heavy guns. Therefore, the balance of power was in favor of the first two countries. Moreover, the Germans, as usual, before the war created an excellent military industry, which produced 250,000 shells daily. For comparison, Britain produced 10,000 shells a month! As they say, feel the difference...

Another example showing the importance of artillery is the battles on the Dunajec Gorlice line (May 1915). In 4 hours, the German army fired 700,000 shells. For comparison, during the entire Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), Germany fired just over 800,000 shells. That is, in 4 hours a little less than in the entire war. The Germans clearly understood that heavy artillery would play a decisive role in the war.

Armament and military equipment

Production of weapons and equipment during the First World War (thousand units).

	Shooting	Artillery



Great Britain
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
Germany
Austria-Hungary

This table clearly shows the weakness of the Russian Empire in terms of equipping the army. In all major indicators, Russia is far behind Germany, but also behind France and Great Britain. Largely because of this, the war turned out to be so difficult for our country.

Number of people (infantry)

The number of fighting infantry (millions of people).

	At the beginning of the war	By the end of the war	Losses killed



Great Britain
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
Germany
Austria-Hungary

The table shows that the smallest contribution, both in terms of combatants and in terms of deaths, was made by Great Britain to the war. This is logical, since the British did not really participate in major battles. Another example from this table is illustrative. We are told in all textbooks that Austria-Hungary, due to heavy losses, could not fight on its own, and it always needed Germany's help. But pay attention to Austria-Hungary and France in the table. The numbers are identical! Just as Germany had to fight for Austria-Hungary, so Russia had to fight for France (it is no coincidence that the Russian army saved Paris from capitulation three times during the First World War).

The table also shows that in fact the war was between Russia and Germany. Both countries lost 4.3 million killed, while Britain, France and Austria-Hungary together lost 3.5 million. The numbers are telling. But it turned out that the countries that fought the most and made the most efforts in the war ended up with nothing. First, Russia signed the shameful Brest peace for itself, losing a lot of land. Then Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, in fact, having lost its independence.

The course of the war

Military events of 1914

July 28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. This entailed the involvement in the war of the countries of the Triple Alliance, on the one hand, and the Entente, on the other.

Russia entered World War I on August 1, 1914. Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (uncle of Nicholas 2) was appointed supreme commander.

In the first days of the beginning of the war, Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. Since the war with Germany began, and the capital could not have a name of German origin - "burg".
History reference

German "Schlieffen Plan"

Germany was under the threat of a war on two fronts: East - with Russia, West - with France. Then the German command developed the "Schlieffen plan", according to which Germany should defeat France in 40 days and then fight with Russia. Why 40 days? The Germans believed that this is how much Russia would need to mobilize. Therefore, when Russia mobilizes, France will already be out of the game.

On August 2, 1914, Germany captured Luxembourg, on August 4 they invaded Belgium (a neutral country at that time), and by August 20 Germany had reached the borders of France. The implementation of the Schlieffen plan began. Germany advanced deep into France, but on September 5 was stopped at the Marne River, where a battle took place, in which about 2 million people participated on both sides.

Northwestern front of Russia in 1914

Russia at the beginning of the war made a stupid thing that Germany could not calculate in any way. Nicholas 2 decided to enter the war without fully mobilizing the army. On August 4, Russian troops, under the command of Rennenkampf, launched an offensive in East Prussia (modern Kaliningrad). Samsonov's army was equipped to help her. Initially, the troops were successful, and Germany was forced to retreat. As a result, part of the forces of the Western Front was transferred to the Eastern. The result - Germany repulsed the Russian offensive in East Prussia (the troops acted disorganized and lacked resources), but as a result, the Schlieffen plan failed, and France could not be captured. So, Russia saved Paris, though by defeating its 1st and 2nd armies. After that, a positional war began.

Southwestern Front of Russia

On the southwestern front in August-September, Russia launched an offensive operation against Galicia, which was occupied by the troops of Austria-Hungary. The Galician operation was more successful than the offensive in East Prussia. In this battle, Austria-Hungary suffered a catastrophic defeat. 400 thousand people were killed, 100 thousand captured. For comparison, the Russian army lost 150 thousand people killed. After that, Austria-Hungary actually withdrew from the war, as it lost the ability to conduct independent operations. Austria was saved from complete defeat only by the help of Germany, which was forced to transfer additional divisions to Galicia.

The main results of the military campaign of 1914

Germany failed to implement the Schlieffen plan for blitzkrieg.
No one managed to win a decisive advantage. The war turned into a positional one.

Map of military events in 1914-15

Military events of 1915

In 1915, Germany decided to shift the main blow to the eastern front, directing all its forces to the war with Russia, which was the weakest country of the Entente, according to the Germans. It was a strategic plan developed by the commander of the Eastern Front, General von Hindenburg. Russia managed to thwart this plan only at the cost of colossal losses, but at the same time, 1915 turned out to be simply terrible for the empire of Nicholas 2.

The situation on the northwestern front

From January to October, Germany waged an active offensive, as a result of which Russia lost Poland, western Ukraine, part of the Baltic states, and western Belarus. Russia went into deep defense. Russian losses were gigantic:

Killed and wounded - 850 thousand people
Captured - 900 thousand people

Russia did not capitulate, but the countries of the "Triple Alliance" were convinced that Russia would not be able to recover from the losses it had received.

Germany's successes in this sector of the front led to the fact that on October 14, 1915, Bulgaria entered the First World War (on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary).

The situation on the southwestern front

The Germans, together with Austria-Hungary, organized the Gorlitsky breakthrough in the spring of 1915, forcing the entire southwestern front of Russia to retreat. Galicia, which was captured in 1914, was completely lost. Germany was able to achieve this advantage thanks to the terrible mistakes of the Russian command, as well as a significant technical advantage. German superiority in technology reached:

2.5 times in machine guns.
4.5 times in light artillery.
40 times in heavy artillery.

It was not possible to withdraw Russia from the war, but the losses on this sector of the front were gigantic: 150,000 killed, 700,000 wounded, 900,000 prisoners and 4 million refugees.

The situation on the western front

All is calm on the Western Front. This phrase can describe how the war between Germany and France in 1915 proceeded. There were sluggish hostilities in which no one sought the initiative. Germany was implementing plans in Eastern Europe, while England and France were calmly mobilizing the economy and the army, preparing for further war. No one provided any assistance to Russia, although Nicholas 2 repeatedly appealed to France, first of all, so that she would switch to active operations on the Western Front. As usual, no one heard him ... By the way, this sluggish war on the western front for Germany is perfectly described by Hemingway in the novel “Farewell to Arms”.

The main result of 1915 was that Germany was unable to withdraw Russia from the war, although all forces were thrown at it. It became obvious that the First World War would drag on for a long time, since in 1.5 years of the war no one was able to gain an advantage or a strategic initiative.

Military events of 1916

"Verdun meat grinder"

In February 1916, Germany launched a general offensive against France, with the aim of capturing Paris. For this, a campaign was carried out on Verdun, which covered the approaches to the French capital. The battle lasted until the end of 1916. During this time, 2 million people died, for which the battle was called the Verdun Meat Grinder. France survived, but again thanks to the fact that Russia came to its rescue, which became more active on the southwestern front.

Events on the southwestern front in 1916

In May 1916, Russian troops went on the offensive, which lasted 2 months. This offensive went down in history under the name "Brusilovsky breakthrough". This name is due to the fact that the Russian army was commanded by General Brusilov. The breakthrough of defense in Bukovina (from Lutsk to Chernivtsi) happened on June 5th. The Russian army managed not only to break through the defense, but also to advance into its depths in places up to 120 kilometers. German and Austro-Hungarian losses were catastrophic. 1.5 million dead, wounded and captured. The offensive was stopped only by additional German divisions, which were hastily transferred here from Verdun (France) and from Italy.

This offensive of the Russian army was not without a fly in the ointment. They threw it, as usual, the allies. On August 27, 1916, Romania enters the First World War on the side of the Entente. Germany very quickly inflicted a defeat on her. As a result, Romania lost its army, and Russia received an additional 2,000 kilometers of front.

Events on the Caucasian and Northwestern fronts

Positional battles continued on the North-Western Front in the spring-autumn period. As for the Caucasian front, here the main events continued from the beginning of 1916 to April. During this time, 2 operations were carried out: Erzumur and Trebizond. According to their results, Erzurum and Trebizond were conquered, respectively.

Outcome of 1916 in World War I

The strategic initiative went over to the side of the Entente.
The French fortress of Verdun survived thanks to the advance of the Russian army.
Romania entered the war on the side of the Entente.
Russia launched a powerful offensive - the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

Military and political events of 1917

The year 1917 in the First World War was marked by the fact that the war continued against the background of the revolutionary situation in Russia and Germany, as well as the deterioration of the economic situation of the countries. I will give an example of Russia. During the 3 years of the war, prices for basic products increased by an average of 4-4.5 times. Naturally, this caused discontent among the people. Add to this heavy losses and a grueling war - it turns out excellent ground for revolutionaries. The situation is similar in Germany.

In 1917, the United States enters World War I. The positions of the "Triple Alliance" are deteriorating. Germany with allies cannot effectively fight on 2 fronts, as a result of which it goes on the defensive.

End of the war for Russia

In the spring of 1917, Germany launched another offensive on the Western Front. Despite the events in Russia, the Western countries demanded that the Provisional Government implement the agreements signed by the Empire and send troops on the offensive. As a result, on June 16, the Russian army went on the offensive in the Lvov region. Again, we saved the allies from major battles, but we set ourselves up completely.

The Russian army, exhausted by the war and losses, did not want to fight. Issues of provisions, uniforms and supplies during the war years have not been resolved. The army fought reluctantly, but moved forward. The Germans were forced to re-deploy troops here, and Russia's Entente allies again isolated themselves, watching what would happen next. On July 6, Germany launched a counteroffensive. As a result, 150,000 Russian soldiers died. The army actually ceased to exist. The front has collapsed. Russia could no longer fight, and this catastrophe was inevitable.

People demanded that Russia withdraw from the war. And this was one of their main demands on the Bolsheviks, who seized power in October 1917. Initially, at the 2nd Congress of the Party, the Bolsheviks signed a decree "On Peace", in fact declaring Russia's withdrawal from the war, and on March 3, 1918, they signed the Brest Peace. The conditions of this world were as follows:

Russia makes peace with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey.
Russia is losing Poland, Ukraine, Finland, part of Belarus and the Baltic states.
Russia cedes Batum, Kars and Ardagan to Turkey.

As a result of its participation in the First World War, Russia lost: about 1 million square meters of territory, about 1/4 of the population, 1/4 of arable land and 3/4 of the coal and metallurgical industry were lost.
History reference

Events in the war in 1918

Germany got rid of the Eastern Front and the need to wage war in 2 directions. As a result, in the spring and summer of 1918, she attempted an offensive on the Western Front, but this offensive had no success. Moreover, in its course it became obvious that Germany was squeezing the maximum out of herself, and that she needed a break in the war.

Autumn 1918

The decisive events in the First World War took place in the autumn. The Entente countries, together with the United States, went on the offensive. The German army was completely ousted from France and Belgium. In October, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria signed a truce with the Entente, and Germany was left to fight alone. Her position was hopeless, after the German allies in the "Triple Alliance" essentially capitulated. This resulted in the same thing that happened in Russia - a revolution. On November 9, 1918, Emperor Wilhelm II was deposed.

End of World War I

On November 11, 1918, the First World War of 1914-1918 ended. Germany signed a complete surrender. It happened near Paris, in the forest of Compiègne, at the Retonde station. The surrender was accepted by the French Marshal Foch. The terms of the signed peace were as follows:

Germany recognizes complete defeat in the war.
The return of France to the province of Alsace and Lorraine to the borders of 1870, as well as the transfer of the Saar coal basin.
Germany lost all its colonial possessions, and also pledged to transfer 1/8 of its territory to its geographical neighbors.
For 15 years, the Entente troops are located on the left bank of the Rhine.
By May 1, 1921, Germany had to pay the members of the Entente (Russia was not supposed to do anything) 20 billion marks in gold, goods, securities, etc.
For 30 years, Germany must pay reparations, and the amount of these reparations is set by the victors themselves and can increase them at any time during these 30 years.
Germany was forbidden to have an army of more than 100 thousand people, and the army was obliged to be exclusively voluntary.

The terms of "peace" were so humiliating for Germany that the country actually became a puppet. Therefore, many people of that time said that the First World War, although it ended, did not end with peace, but with a truce for 30 years. And so it eventually happened ...

Results of the First World War

The First World War was fought on the territory of 14 states. Countries with a total population of over 1 billion people took part in it (this is approximately 62% of the total world population at that time). In total, 74 million people were mobilized by the participating countries, of which 10 million died and another 20 million were injured.

As a result of the war, the political map of Europe changed significantly. There were such independent states as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Albania. Austria-Hungary split into Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Increased their borders Romania, Greece, France, Italy. There were 5 countries that lost and lost in the territory: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia.

Map of the First World War 1914-1918

THE GOALS OF THE STATES PARTICIPANTS OF THE WAR All the great European powers that participated in the First World War pursued their own, and moreover selfish goals: Germany claimed world domination and the expansion of the colonial empire; Austria-Hungary wanted to establish control over the Balkans; England fought against the expansion of Germany's sphere of influence and sought to subjugate the territories of the Ottoman Empire; France sought to regain Alsace and Lorraine, as well as seize the Saar coalfield in Germany; Russia sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East; Turkey wanted to keep the Balkans under its rule and seize the Crimea and Iran; Italy sought to establish its dominance in the Mediterranean.

THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR On June 28, 1914, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in the capital of Serbia, Sarajevo. The government of Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia, according to which the Austrian units were to enter the country. Serbia rejected the conditions. On July 28, 1914, war broke out between the two countries. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Duchess von Hohenberg in Sarajevo (June 28, 1914).

THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR Russia demanded that Serbia be left alone. A general mobilization began in the country. In response, on August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia. Other major countries soon entered the war: France (August 3, 1914); Great Britain (August 4, 1914); Japan (August 23, 1914). Demonstration on Palace Square in anticipation of the announcement by Nicholas II of the Manifesto on Russia's entry into the war.

MILITARY PLANS OF THE PARTIES At the beginning of the war, the Entente countries (Russia, France and England) were opposed by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey. The German "Schlieffen plan" assumed the defeat of France in the first month of the war, and then a blow to Russia. Russia planned active hostilities against Austria-Hungary and defense against Germany. England planned to block the coast of Germany with her fleet, and on land to help the French.

CAMPAIGN OF 1914 At the beginning of the war, German troops, having broken through Belgium, began to approach Paris. On September 5 - 9, 1914, the French army was able to launch a counterattack on the Marne River and stop the German offensive. The Western Front has stabilized. The enemy began to build trenches, barbed wire and minefields. The war in the west became "trench". The offensive of the German infantry. The offensive of the French infantry.

CAMPAIGN OF 1914 At the request of the allies, Russia simultaneously launched two large offensive operations: in Galicia against the Austrians; in East Prussia against the Germans. The Galician operation was a success. The Russian army blocked Przemysl, the main fortress of the Austrians. The offensive in East Prussia ended for the Russian army with a defeat near Tannenberg. Russian trenches on the Eastern Front.

CAMPAIGN OF 1915 The next year on the Western Front passed relatively calmly. However, it was in 1915 that chemical weapons were used for the first time in the history of wars on the Western Front. On April 22, 1915, the Germans attacked the British positions with chlorine. Soldiers and officers suffered, of which 5,000 died. Gas attack near Ypres (April 22, 1915). German machine gunners in gas masks.

THE 1915 CAMPAIGN On the eastern front, the Germans decided to take Russia out of the war. As a result of their offensive, which lasted from May to September 1915, the Russian army suffered a painful defeat. She was forced to leave Galicia, Poland, Lithuania, Courland and part of Belarus. The front stabilized on the Riga-Minsk-Chernivtsi line. However, it was not possible to withdraw Russia from the war. Russian battery on the Eastern Front.

THE 1916 CAMPAIGN In 1916, two major battles took place on the Western Front. One of them was the Battle of Verdun, which went down in the history of the First World War as the Verdun Meat Grinder. Between February 21 and July 21, 1916, both sides lost about soldiers and officers, but the front line did not change. The Germans never managed to take the last fortress on the way to Paris and decide the outcome of the war in their favor. "Verdun meat grinder". Verdun after the battle.

THE 1916 CAMPAIGN Another major battle that determined the outcome of the 1916 campaign in the West was the Battle of the Somme. From June 26 to October 26, 1916, British and French troops made a number of attempts to break through the German defenses. Losses on both sides amounted to about a man. However, the front line has not changed significantly. English tank from the First World War.

CAMPAIGN OF 1916 On the Eastern Front on June 5, 1916, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of General Brusilov broke through the Austro-Hungarian front and occupied an area of sq. km. Austria-Hungary was on the verge of a military disaster. Only the transfer of German troops from Verdun and Austrian troops from Italy helped stop the Russian offensive in Galicia. General Brusilov and the actions of the Southwestern Front in the summer of 1916.

WAR AT SEA From the beginning of the war, the English fleet established a blockade of the coast of Germany. In an effort to turn the tide at sea, in 1915 Germany launched a submarine war. The decisive naval battle of the First World War took place on May 31, 1916 in the North Sea. Despite the fact that the English fleet suffered heavy losses, the Germans failed to break the naval blockade. The sinking of the Lusitania (May 7, 1915). Battle of Jutland (May 31, 1916).

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1917 The course of the war on the Eastern Front was drastically changed by the February Revolution in Russia. Discipline in the army fell sharply. Desertion has become massive. The soldiers began to fraternize with the enemy. The Bolsheviks who came to power declared their desire to end the war and in December 1917 concluded a truce with the enemy. Poster dedicated to the February Revolution. Fraternization of Russian and German soldiers at the front.

CAMPAIGN OF 1917 The most significant event of the war on the Western Front was the entry of the United States into it on April 6, 1917. A year later, American soldiers and officers were already fighting in Europe. The entry of the United States into the war, bearing in mind their economic potential and untouched human resources, turned out to be one of the decisive factors in the victory of the Entente. American poster from World War I.

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1918 On March 3, 1918, Russia and its opponents signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. According to its terms, Russia: renounces Ukraine, the Baltic states and Finland; disarms the army and navy; pays an indemnity in marks. The capture of a vast territory, which produced 32% of the agricultural and 25% of the industrial products of Russia, allowed Germany to hope for a final victory. Caricature of Leon Trotsky, who signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Losses of Russia as a result of the Brest Peace.

CAMPAIGN OF 1918 In 1918, after the failure of another German offensive in the West, the outcome of the war was a foregone conclusion. During September-November 1918, Germany's allies signed an armistice with the Entente countries. On November 11, 1918, in the Compiègne Forest, German representatives signed the Armistice of Compiegne. This ended the First World War The end of the First World War.

The First World War is a very large and multifaceted event in the history of mankind. To study such a capacious topic, this article will form the Table “World War I 1914 1918”, which will outline the main fronts and the course of hostilities on the western and eastern fronts.

Briefly about the war

It is known that the main cause of the First World War of 1914-1918 was the colonial race between France, Britain on the one hand and Germany on the other. The results of this race was the war of the Entente and the Triple Alliance, followed by the collapse of the four largest empires in the world and a change in the political map of Europe in subsequent years.

More than two dozen different states arose on the territory of the former Russian Empire, Yugoslavia and other states were created at the expense of Austria-Hungary. Germany, although it lost, was ready to take revenge, which happened in 1939.

Rice. 1. Military alliances in Europe in 1914.

The chronology of an event of this magnitude is quite diverse, but we will talk briefly about the stages of the First World War, analyze its events and results, bringing the course of the war into a chronological table.

The pretext for war was the assassination on June 28, 1914, of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. After that, Vienna officially declared war on Belgrade, starting shelling the city.

Rice. 2. Gavrilo Princip.

Table "First World War"

*date of*	*Event*	*Results*
	Declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia	The beginning of the First World
	Germany declared war on Russia
	Germany declares war on France	The beginning of the offensive of German troops on Paris through Belgium
	Russian offensive in East Prussia	The defeat of Samsonov's army
	Beginning of the Battle of Galicia	The Russians are pushing the Austrians out of the region
September 1914	Battle of the Marne	German offensive in France stopped
	Operation Run to the Sea	Establishment of a static Franco-German front line
	Defense of the fortress Osovets
	Sarykamysh operation	The defeat of Turkish troops in the Caucasus
	Battle of Ypres	First use of poison gases by Germany
	Gorlitsky breakthrough	The beginning of a large-scale retreat of Russian troops to the east
	Italy's entry into the war
	The landing of the Entente troops in Greece	Opening of the Thessaloniki Front
	Beginning of the Battle of Verdun
	Naroch operation
April 1916	Operation Nivelle	It was not possible to break through the German front in the west
	Brusilovsky breakthrough	The expulsion of the Austrians from Galicia
	Battle of Jutland	The Germans could not break the naval blockade
	Battle of the Somme	First use of tanks
	The beginning of the submarine war	Germany began sinking civilian ships
	US entry into the war
	October Revolution	The coming to power in Russia of the Bolsheviks
	Brest Peace	Russia withdraws from the war
	Entente counteroffensive	The beginning of the defeat of the German troops
	Revolution in Germany	The overthrow of the German monarchy
	Compiègne truce	Cessation of hostilities
	Peace of Versailles	End of the First World War

The White Guard movement in Russia did not recognize the results of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and continued de jure to wage war against Germany. The Supreme Ruler of Russia A. V. Kolchak intended, after the attack on Moscow and Petrograd, to continue the war against the Bolsheviks until complete victory, together with the Entente.

Rice. 3. Tanks on the Somme.

The defeat of Germany led to the redistribution of all its colonies among the victorious countries, not counting Russia. The new Soviet government found itself in political isolation, abandoning the imperial legacy and intending to "ignite the fire of the world revolution."

What have we learned?

These events are far from all that have taken place over the years. There were many more tragic pages that the younger generation really should learn about. The lessons that the war taught were not perceived by the victors, which very soon led to the Second World War.

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Block: Entente

Country: The main ones are Russia, England (that is, the British Empire), France and Serbia. Italy, Montenegro, the United States, Belgium, Japan and Romania also entered the war.

Time to enter the war:

Russia - August 1, 1914 (Kaiser Wilhelm declared war on his nephew Tsar Nicholas II)

England and Belgium - August 4, 1914 (Germany declared war on Belgium, and in light of the events of recent days, Britain declared war on the Germans)

The rest of the countries did not play a big role in the war.

Goals:

Russia - to seize the Bosporus and Dardanelles in the Black Sea, get trade outlets to the Middle East (blocked at that time by the Ottoman Empire), gain control over the lands where Christian Slavs lived in the Balkans.

France to reclaim the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, which were taken over by Germany in the 1870s

England - to protect their colonies from Germany, as well as participate in the division of the lands of the weakened Ottoman Empire

Heads of State:

France - Prime Ministers of the Republic Georges Clemenceau, Raymond Poincaré

Russia - Emperor Nicholas II. After the February Revolution of 1917, the Provisional Government of Russia, headed by Alexander Kerensky, participated in the First World War for some time.

England - King George V

Block: Triple Alliance

Country: The main ones are Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey (that is, the Ottoman Empire). Also on the side of the Triple Alliance was Bulgaria (sometimes the coalition is called the Quarter Alliance, but this name is less known)

Time to enter the war:

Germany - August 1, 1914 (Kaiser Wilhelm declared war on his nephew Tsar Nicholas II)

Goals:

Austria-Hungary: keep Bosnia and Herzegovina in Yugoslavia

Germany - to take away from England and France their colonies in various countries and thus obtain new markets for trade and land for the development of resources

The Ottoman Empire is to protect its possessions, as well as regain lost lands in the Balkans during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13.

Heads of State:

Germany - Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last emperor of the country

Austria-Hungary - the aged Emperor Franz Joseph, later the young Emperor Charles the First.

Turkey - Sultans Mehmed the Fifth and Mehmed the Sixth. But in the war, the commander and politician Enver Pasha became more famous.