World War I: Causes, Key Events, and Impact

Posted on Mar 5, 2025 in History

The First World War

Also known as the Great War or WWI, due to its size and geographic breadth.

Causes

  • Territorial Claims:
    • Between Russia and Austria-Hungary in the Balkans.
    • Between France and Germany for Alsace and Lorraine.
  • Economic Rivalries: Between Germany and Britain for control of international trade.
  • Colonial Interests: Which provoked local conflicts fueled by Germany to gain territories, such as the Moroccan crisis.
  • Block Forming Alliances:
    • The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy).
    • The Triple Entente (France, UK, and Russia).

Belligerent Countries

Central Powers

The Triple Alliance joined by the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria, while Italy moved to the Allied side.

Allied Powers

The Triple Entente joined by Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Japan, and later the United States.

Characteristics of a “Different” Conflict

  • New weapons and defensive systems, new technical and other control systems.
  • The massive incorporation of women into the workplace, who held the jobs of men who went to fight.
  • Focused on the economy, with the war’s main objective being the production of armaments.
  • The role played by “propaganda” in the press, used to maintain the morale of the people and troops.

War

Initiation

In July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, blaming them for collaboration in the bombing of Sarajevo, where the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated. Since then, the European nations chose one of two sides.

Phases of War

The War of Movement (1914)

Germany implemented the Schlieffen Plan, which was to strike quickly on the western front and then act against Russia.

The War of Position (1915-1916)

Occurred when the new weapons used impeded progress, stabilizing the fronts and creating trenches.

Decisive Events (1917)
  • The triumph of the Russian Revolution led to the withdrawal of this country from the conflict.
  • The entry of the United States.
The End of the War (1918)

Resulted from the victorious offensive of the Allies and the signing of the armistice (German surrender) on November 11, 1918.

The Peace of Paris (1919-1920)

Consisted of five treaties:

  • The Treaty of Versailles with Germany.
  • Treaty of Saint Germain, with Austria.
  • Treaty of Trianon, with Hungary.
  • Treaty of Neuilly, with Bulgaria.
  • Treaty of Sevres, with the Turkish Empire.

Terms of Peace

The conditions imposed on the vanquished were tough, and they suffered territorial losses, were disarmed, and were required to pay strong financial reparations.

Impact

  • Major loss of life, besides a large number of injured, disabled…
  • Social transformations, including the incorporation of women into employment in positions previously held by men, the impoverishment of the middle classes, and the appearance of the veteran and their problems of adjustment to the civilian world after the end of the war.
  • Economic disaster for Europe, which lost its world hegemony to the U.S.

Territorial Changes

  • New map of Europe with the emergence of new states: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia.
  • Territories under United Nations mandate: Saar.
  • Repayment by Germany of Alsace-Lorraine and loss of its colonies.