Contemporaries said that this would be a war that would put an end to all wars, and they were greatly mistaken. World War I began on August 1, 1914 with a provocation and regicide and ended with the first Compiègne truce on November 11, 1918. The influence on the territories and countries that participated in the war was so great that it became possible to sum up its results and conclude the Treaty of Versailles only in the middle of the next, 1919 of the year. Six out of ten people across the planet have experienced this war in one way or another. This is one of the dark pages in the history of mankind.

They say she was inevitable. The disagreements between the future participants were too strong, leading to constantly creating and collapsing alliances. The most inconsistent was precisely Germany, which almost at the same time tried to turn Great Britain against France and organize a continental blockade of Britain itself.

Prerequisites for World War I

If you look at the positions from which the countries were involved in the First World War of 1914-1918, the reasons, in fact, will lie on the surface. England, France and Austria-Hungary at the beginning of the twentieth century sought to redistribute the world map. The main reason for this was the collapse of colonialism and prosperity only at the expense of its own satellites. The main European powers were faced with a difficult choice, since the resources important for the economy and prosperity of the country (primarily its elite) could no longer be taken away from India or Africa.

The only possible solution lay precisely in military conflicts over raw materials, labor and territories for life. Major conflicts that flared up on the basis of territorial claims were as follows:

What started the war

It is very clear to say when World War I (WWI) started. At the end of June 1914, on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the city of Sarajevo, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire Franz Ferdinand was killed. It was a provocation on the part of the Austrians and, with the active participation of British diplomats and the press, a reason for the escalation of the conflict in the Balkans.

The killer was a Serbian terrorist, a member of the extremist organization "Black Hand" (otherwise called "Unity or Death") Gavrilo Princip. This organization, along with other similar underground movements, attempted to spread nationalist sentiment throughout the Balkan Peninsula in response to the 1908 annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary, setting off the Bosnian crisis.

There have already been several assassination attempts on the account of such formations. both successful and unsuccessful, to prominent political figures of the empire and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The day of the assassination attempt on the Archduke was not chosen by chance, because on June 28 he was supposed to participate in events dedicated to the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in 1389. Such events on this date were considered by many Bosnians a direct insult to their national pride.

In addition to the assassination of the Archduke, these days there were several attempts to liquidate public figures who opposed the outbreak of hostilities. So, a few days before June 28, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of Grigory Rasputin, known, among other things, for his anti-war sentiments and great influence at the court of Emperor Nicholas II. And the next day, June 29, Jean Jaures was killed. He was an influential French politician and public figure who fought against imperialist sentiments, colonialism and, like Rasputin, was an ardent opponent of the war.

British influence

After the tragic events in Sarajevo, the two largest powers in Europe - Germany and the Russian Empire - tried to avoid an open military confrontation. But this situation did not suit the British at all and diplomatic levers were put into play. So, after the murder of Franz Ferdinand by Princip, the English press openly began to call the Serbs barbarians and call on the top of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to give them a decisive and tough answer. At the same time, through the ambassador, they created pressure on the Russian emperor, calling for Serbia to provide all possible assistance if Austria-Hungary decides on any provocations.

And she made up her mind. Almost a month after the successful assassination attempt on the heir, Serbia was presented with demands that were impossible to fulfill. For example, one of its points was the admission of police officers to the territory of a foreign state. The Serbs did not accept only this point, which, as expected, served as a declaration of war. Moreover, the first bombs fell on its capital the very next morning, which clearly indicated the readiness of the Austro-Hungarians to fight immediately.

The Russian Empire, which has always been considered a shield of Orthodoxy and Slavism, had, after unsuccessful attempts at a diplomatic ceasefire, to declare the mobilization of the entire country. Thus, Russia's participation in the First World War was inevitable.

The course of the war

After a series of provocations, hotbed of military conflict began to flare up even faster. In about six months, two main military alliances were formed that took part in the confrontation:

Events of 1914

There were several major theaters of war- the war blazed in France, in Russia, in the Balkans, the Middle East and the Caucasus and in the former colonies of Europe. The German Schlieffen plan, which included a blitzkrieg, lunch in Paris and dinner in St. Petersburg, failed due to Germany's systematic underestimation of its rivals and repeated revision of strategic tables. In general, the vast majority of the participants in the war were absolutely sure of its imminent end, confidently speaking about the possibility of winning in a few months. No one expected the conflict to take on such proportions, especially on the Western Front.

First, Germany occupied Luxembourg and Belgium. At the same time, the French invaded Alsace and Lorraine, which were important to them, where, after the successful actions of the German army, which held back and then reversed the offensive, the situation changed dramatically. The French, instead of capturing their historical territories, ceded part of their land without putting up a strong enough resistance. After the events called by historians the "Run to the Sea" and the holding by France of its most important ports, a period of trench warfare followed. The confrontation severely exhausted both sides.

Eastern front was opened by an offensive on the territory of Prussia by Russian troops on August 17, and the very next day a major victory was won over the Austro-Hungarians in the Battle of Galicia. This made it possible to withdraw the empire from the confrontation with Russia for a long time.

Serbia this year drove the Austrians out of Belgrade and firmly occupied it. Japan declared war on the Triple Alliance and launched a campaign to take control of the German island colonies. At the same time, in the Caucasus, Turkey entered the war with Russia, entering into a coalition with the Austrians and Germans. Thus, she cut off the country from the allies and involved in hostilities on the Caucasian front.

The failure of Russia in 1915

On the Russian front, the situation worsened. The army was poorly prepared for an offensive in the winter, failed it and received a counter-offensive operation from the Germans in the middle of the year. Poorly organized supply of troops led to a large-scale retreat, the Germans carried out the Gorlitsky breakthrough and, as a result, first received Galicia, and then a significant part of Polish territory. After that, the stage of trench warfare began, largely due to the same reasons as in the west.

In the same year, on May 23, Italy entered the war with Austria-Hungary, which led to the collapse of the coalition. However, Bulgaria, which took part in the confrontation on its side in the same year, not only marked the rapid formation of a new union, but also accelerated the fall of Serbia.

Key moments in 1916

During this year of the war, one of its largest battles continued - battle of verdun. Because of its scale, the nature of the collisions and the consequences, it was called the Verdun meat grinder. This is where the flamethrower was used for the first time. The losses of all troops amounted to over a million people. At the same time, the Russian army launched an offensive known as the Brusilovsky breakthrough, pulling significant German forces away from Verdun and easing the Entente's situation in the region.

The year was also marked by the largest naval battle - Jutland, after which the Entente fulfilled its main goal - to dominate the region. Some members of the enemy tried even then to agree on peace negotiations.

1917: Russia's exit from the war

1917 was rich in major events in the war. It was already obvious who would win. It is worth noting The 3 most important moments for understanding the situation:

• The United States, after waiting for time, joined the obvious winner - the Entente.
• The revolution in Russia actually brought her out of the war.
• Germany uses submarines, hoping thereby to turn the tide of battles.

1918: German capitulation

Russia's withdrawal from active hostilities made things easier for Germany, because without the Eastern Front, she could concentrate her forces on more important things. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was concluded, parts of the Baltic region and the territory of Poland were occupied. After that, active operations began on the Western Front, which were not crowned with success for her. Other participants began to withdraw from the Quarter Union and conclude peace treaties with the enemy. In Germany, a revolution began to flare up, forcing the emperor to leave the country. The end of the active phase of hostilities can be considered the signing of the act of surrender of Germany on November 11, 1918.

If we talk about the results of the First World, then for almost all participating countries they were with a minus sign. Briefly on points:

It is worth noting that even then the prerequisites for the Second World War began to take shape. It was only a matter of time before a leader emerged who would rally the revenge-hungry inhabitants of defeated Germany.

On July 28, 1914, the First World War began. Cause of the war served as an aggravation of the contradictions between the two military-political blocs: the Triple Alliance and the Entente. Both unions aspired to political hegemony in the world.

Reason for war served as the murder of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. The heir was killed in Sarajevo, in Bosnia, by a member of the Mlada Bosna organization (In 1908, during the revolution in the Turkish Empire, Austria-Hungary seized the region of Bosnia from the empire inhabited by Serbs). On June 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to Serbia. Serbia turned to Russia for help.

July 28, 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Soon Germany and its ally Italy, as well as their opponents: Great Britain, France, Russia and other countries of the Entente, entered the war. The war has become global.

Germany did not want to fight a war on two fronts. In 1914, she planned to launch the main attack on France. Having treacherously violated the neutrality of Belgium, German troops invaded Belgium. Troops from France and Britain came to the aid of Belgium. The Entente leadership turned to Russia for help. Without prior preparation, two Russian armies entered the territory of East Prussia. The German military command was forced to withdraw dozens of divisions from the Western Front and transfer them to the Eastern Front. Paris was saved. But at the cost of destroying two Russian armies in East Prussia.

In 1915. The German military command decided to defeat Russia, knowing about its military-technical problems (lack of officers and weapons). In the spring, the German army went on the offensive on the Eastern Front. Emperor Nicholas II turned to the allies for help. But they were silent. Then the country carried out a restructuring of industry for the production of military products, conducted new mobilizations for the army and trained new officers. In the autumn of 1915, the offensive of the German army was stopped.

On the Western Front in 1915, the German side committed a crime near the Belgian river Ypres, opening chlorine bottles. This gas attack cost the lives of thousands of French soldiers. In 1915, due to the intensified disagreements between Italy and Austria-Hungary, Italy withdrew from the Quadruple Alliance (which included Turkey) and joined the Entente. Then Bulgaria took the place in the Quadruple Alliance.

In 1916. the main hostilities took place on the Western Front. The German army again tried to defeat France. The battle began in February near the city of Verdun, which lasted 11 months and in which more than 900 thousand soldiers from both sides died. It was called the "Verdun meat grinder". On the Eastern Front, the Russian army launched an offensive against the Austro-Hungarian army in the summer of 1916, which ended in disaster for the latter. German troops came to the aid of the Austrians.

The three-year war undermined the military forces of Germany. The war was the impetus for the start of the revolution in Russia. Revolution of 1917. in Russia complicated the military confrontation of both sides. But the scales were leaning more and more clearly in the direction of the Entente. The US Army began to fight on its side. The offensive of the Entente troops in the second half of 1918 led to the surrender of Turkey, Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary and Germany. November 11, 1918 An armistice was signed and peace negotiations began.

It is always difficult to write articles about history, because, as historians say, no one knows the true history. Therefore, the best option would be to outline all the possible factors that led to the start of this world conflict.

Prerequisites for the start of the war

We will investigate the reasons for the outbreak of the First World War based on the situation in each of the participating countries before the start of the conflict, since each of the participating countries had good reasons for dissatisfaction with other powers, and some tried to expand the scope of their political and economic influence. The immediate reason for the opening of hostilities was, as you know, the assassination in Sarajevo of an influential nobleman - Archduke F. Ferdinand by Serbian nationalists. However, as many historians who carefully studied the situation before the conflict in European countries testify, this murder served only as a detonator for the outbreak of war, and in general, anything could become such an occasion. What national factors testified to the inevitable war? Let's go through individual countries.

Causes of World War I in Russia

The Russian Empire sought to ensure unhindered access for its fleet to the Mediterranean Sea, insisting on control over the Dardanelles. The Russian government also opposed Germany's construction of the Baghdad-Berlin railway, openly stating that the move would harm Russia's rights under an earlier Anglo-Russian agreement over the region in 1907. Also, the Russian leadership actively opposed the spread of Austrian influence in the Balkans and Germany in Europe, supporting anti-Austrian and anti-Turkish sentiments in Bulgaria and Serbia.

Causes of World War I in France

France feared a new aggression from Germany. The French also sought to preserve their North African possessions, and at any cost. However, even more important was the fact that France did not forgive Germany for the defeat inflicted on it by the Germans in the Franco-Prussian war, and also dreamed of returning the provinces taken from it in 1971 - Lorraine and Alsace. And, of course, the French were worried that German goods began to compete successfully in those markets that the French had long considered their own.

Causes of World War I in Great Britain

The British also had their own scores with the Germans. First, Germany actively supported the Boers in the Boer War at the beginning of the century. Secondly, the British, just like the French, could not come to terms with the increasing competition of German goods in European and world markets. Thirdly, the British actively opposed the colonial activity of the Germans in southwestern and eastern Africa. The above reasons led to the fact that it was the British who initiated the formation of an anti-German coalition - a bloc of states that were one way or another dissatisfied with German foreign policy. But what about the Germans themselves?

Causes of World War I in Germany

And Germany at that time sought to maximize the expansion of its possessions. The Germans demanded that their rights be recognized as equal in the African possessions belonging to France, England, as well as Portugal, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. In addition, the German government was worried about the formation of the so-called Entente - an anti-German coalition created to prevent the European and colonial ambitions of the Germans. Thus, Germany's desire for both economic and political dominance in the Old World signed the verdict on the Germans, because sooner or later the war would have started anyway.

Austria-Hungary

This multinational state, unlike Russia, was not so successful in coping with interethnic internal contradictions, and therefore was the main source of instability in all of Europe. In addition, the Austrians made desperate attempts to keep the Bosnia and Herzegovina they had captured and also claimed dominance in the original Russian territories - in the Balkans. Russia really did not like the attempts of the Austro-Hungarians to interfere in the life of the Slavic peoples.

Ottoman Empire

This state also had long-standing grievances - the Turks dreamed of regaining the territories taken from them in the Balkans. In addition, the war was the only possible option for the ruling layers of the Ottoman Empire to at least somehow preserve the once powerful state, which at that time had already practically collapsed. To preserve statehood, an external enemy was needed, in the face of which people would rally.

Brothers-Slavs

Specifically, this chapter will focus on Poland, Bulgaria and Serbia. The Poles, in fact, had only one reason to want this war to fall apart. The fact is that the seemingly indestructible Commonwealth fell apart and the Poles simply did not have their own state. Therefore, at any cost they sought to unite the Polish lands and regain independence. As for the Bulgarians and Serbs, it so happened that these countries turned out to be the main rivals in establishing themselves as the leader of the Balkan peoples. In addition, the recent Balkan war, in which these countries were rivals, also affected. The Serbs, on the other hand, sought to form Yugoslavia, leaving Austria-Hungary and created various nationalist organizations that fought against Turkish and Austrian influence.

Summary

Thus, the main causes of the First World War were the rivalry of the leading European powers for spheres of influence. In addition, the situation was also aggravated due to massive attempts by various peoples to leave the already crumbling empires and establish their own states, which subsequently came to fruition. A familiar situation, isn't it? Didn't we observe exactly the same things at the end of the last, 20th century in Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union? Fortunately, there was no mass bloodshed and the matter did not come to a war on a European and world scale. Apparently, the experience of the most terrible wars already experienced by mankind has affected.

As we have just seen, any war is always provoked by a combination of political, economic and nationalistic reasons, including the revanchist sentiments of some states, the struggle for the independence of certain peoples, trade and colonial expansion. Most of these reasons served as a pretext for the beginning of the Second World 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.

The reasons

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. 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 nineteen-year-old He, and he 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 union. 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. Therefore, 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 Bosphorus to the Mediterranean Sea. And, of course, increased influence in the Balkans. These are the goals of 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. Each 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 of the German troops 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.

Question 01. What was the cause and causes of the First World War? What is the difference between these concepts?

Answer. The reason for the war was the assassination on June 28, 1914, of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne with his wife Duchess Sophia of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo by a Serbian high school student Gavrila Princip, who was a member of the Serbian-Bosnian revolutionary organization Mlada Bosna. But the reasons accumulated much earlier than this murder. They are the following:

1) economic imperialism;

2) trade barriers;

3) militarism;

4) autocracy;

5) the balance of power between the European powers;

6) the local conflicts that took place the day before (the Balkan wars, the Italo-Turkish war);

7) territorial claims and allied obligations of the European powers.

Question 02. What was the nature of the war of 1914-1918? Is it possible to unambiguously determine who was its culprit? Who do you think is responsible for its occurrence?

Answer. There is a popular opinion about the imperialist nature of this war. In this case, the imperialism of all European countries is to blame. But on the other hand, one cannot deny the facts that it was Austria-Hungary, with the support of Germany, that presented an ultimatum, the chain reaction to which became the beginning of the war, and the fighting in the first months of the war went according to the plan of the General Staff of Germany.

Question 03. How did the crisis manifest itself in the opposing powers? What were his reasons?

Answer. Manifestations of the crisis:

1) trench warfare was going on in the main theaters of operations, neither side could break through the enemy’s defenses;

2) in many countries, interruptions in the supply of the population began (in Germany and Austria-Hungary, they were caused by a blockade led by the British fleet);

3) in almost all warring countries there were mass protests against the war;

4) the hardships of the war years in many countries caused revolutions or the emergence of a revolutionary situation.

All these negative phenomena are caused by the protracted nature of the war, since they were not observed in its first months. Apparently, the leaders of the future opposing states understood what negative consequences the prolongation of hostilities could lead to (perhaps that is why they all sought to win quickly), but when these consequences manifested themselves, they did not know how to deal with them.

Question 04. How did the mood in Russia change as the war dragged on?

Answer. The beginning of the war, Russia met with a rise in patriotism, like the rest of the powers that entered the war. But gradually patriotism gave way to apathy. Mostly bad news came from the front, and then a trench war began, which seemed endless, so apathy is quite understandable. At the same time, the front needed more and more replenishment. The use of almost all resources for the needs of the front caused problems with the supply of the population. The flow of refugees also did not improve the attitude of Russians to the war. The result of all this was the resulting sharply negative attitude towards the continuation of the war in Russian society.

Question 05. What patriotic initiatives did Russian society show during the war years?

Answer. Initiatives:

1) the creation of the Zemsky Union;

2) creation of the City Union;

3) the creation of the Main Committee for the supply of the army;

4) mass registration of volunteer troops at the beginning of the war;

5) the mass entry of women into the number of sisters of mercy (to care for the wounded).

Question 06. How can you explain the victory of the Entente countries?

Answer. The reasons:

1) Germany and Austria-Hungary failed to win in the first months of the war;

2) Germany and Austria-Hungary had to fight on several fronts each;

3) the Entente countries had more human resources;

4) the strategists of Germany and Austria-Hungary could not come up with any other tactics than a frontal attack on the trenches in the offensive and defense with the help of trenches in the defense, and in such a war leading to heavy losses, the lack of human resources of these countries played a large role;

5) Great Britain was able to organize a naval blockade, because of which its opponents lacked the necessary raw materials;

6) the German submarine fleet did not have time to cut off the naval supply of Great Britain before the entry into the war of the United States, which suppressed the actions of submarines;

7) the technical backwardness of the Ottoman Empire led to its defeat, albeit not quickly, by the relatively insignificant forces of the Entente (the disaster in Gallipoli was an exception to the general series of failures of the Turkish army);

8) at the final stage of the war, the United States, with its fresh troops and huge industrial potential, took the side of the Entente.

Question 07. Describe the role of the United States in World War II. Why did the US enter the World War?

Answer. The actions of the United States during the First World War can be described as a path to leadership in the world. The most important here is the first period of the war, when the United States did not fight, but supplied the warring countries with weapons. This further strengthened American industry and the economy, which, thanks to this, turned out to be the most prosperous in the world after the war, especially against the backdrop of the war-affected economies of the European powers. It was after the First World War that the dollar became the world currency, because all the victorious countries owed America. These debts became at one time the main reason for America's entry into the war. There was, of course, the steamship Louisitania, sunk by a German submarine, and German incitement by Mexico to attack America, but the main one was European debt. The United States traded with the Entente countries, since their ships could not reach their opponents due to the naval blockade. The Entente countries became heavily indebted to the United States; their loss in the war would have made it impossible to pay these debts.