2. Results of the First World War: clearing the field for the Anglo-Saxon project After the First World War, the center of global financial power moved to the United States, and it was here that institutions were formed that were designed to play a decisive role in creating a European “support” of the world

How the First World War took place (1914 - 1918): reasons, stages, results briefly. The years of the war, its beginning and end, the entire chronicle of events and who won and won. Let's look at the file of losses, how many died and what losses each country suffered. The table of calculations will help you understand the details and see the full picture. You will also find out which were the most famous heroes in Russia and their exploits.

The First World War began on August 1, 1914, and ended on November 11, 1918. During this period, 38 states took part in hostilities, which means that 62% of the world's population were at war at the same time.

The First World War is one of those wars that historians call ambiguous and extremely controversial. One of the reasons for the war was the overthrow of the autocracy in Russia, which the opponents managed to achieve. The Balkan countries played the most significant role in the course of events, but their decisions and actions were directly influenced by England. So, it was impossible to call these countries independent. Germany also had some influence (in particular on Bulgaria), but it quickly lost its authority in the region.

Who with whom?

Two groups of countries took part in the First World War. On one side there was the Entente, on the other - the Triple Alliance. Each group had its own leaders and allies.

The Entente included: Russian empire, Great Britain and France. On the side of these countries were the USA, Italy, and also Romania, New Zealand, Canada and Australia.

The Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire. During the hostilities, the Bulgarian kingdom also joined them, which is why the coalition was later called the Quadruple Alliance.

At the very beginning, Italy was part of the Triple Alliance, but as soon as the outbreak of the First World War was announced, this country declared its neutrality.

Causes

The main reason for the outbreak of the war was the claims of the leading (at that time) world powers to redistribute the world. England, France, Germany and Austria-Hungary planned to expand their spheres of influence in one way or another.

Already by the beginning of the 20th century colonial system, which fed the leading powers so well, suddenly failed. European countries had been stealing valuable resources from Africans and Indians for decades by exploiting their colonies. But the world has changed, now resources could not be obtained so easily - the powers decided to take them from each other by force.

Against this background, contradictions grew stronger and stronger:

• England and Germany: the first power did everything possible to prevent the second from strengthening its position in the Balkans. At the same time, Germany not only sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, but also made efforts to deprive England of its naval supremacy on the world stage.
• Germany and France: the French dreamed of returning Alsace and Lorraine - lands lost during the war of 1870 - 1871. France was also interested in the Saar coal basin, which at that time belonged to Germany.
• Germany and Russia: The Germans were hunting for Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states, which at that time belonged to the Russian Empire.
• Russia and Austria-Hungary: For these two powers, the main contradictions centered on the desire to influence the Balkans. And Russia also wanted to take the Bosporus and Dardanelles for itself.

Reason for starting the war

The impetus that triggered the First World War occurred in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina): nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist from the Young Bosnia movement, assassinated Franz Ferdinand, the Archduke and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.

“Young Bosnia”, within which Gavrilo Princip acted, being a member of the “Black Hand” organization, fought for the liberation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the rule of Austria-Hungary. The murder of the heir to the throne was that very step on the path to liberation, but the resonance received on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo was greater than the participants in those events probably expected.

Austria-Hungary received a reason to attack Serbia, but at the same time it could not start a war on its own. She needed the help of England, which, in turn, acted aggressively, trying to manipulate Austria-Hungary, Russia and Germany. On the one hand, the British insisted that Nicholas II and the Russian Empire help Serbia in case of aggression. On the other hand, the English press exposed the Serbs as real barbarians who could not be left unpunished, thereby pushing Austria-Hungary to take active action.

Thus, the resulting conflict turned into the raging flames of a world war. And England played no small role in this as the leading power of that time.

In textbooks we stick to only the most common facts - the casus belli is the assassination of the Archduke on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo. But you need to understand that behind the scenes fertile ground was being prepared for the ignition of a full-fledged world conflict:

• Influential French politician Jean Jaurès was killed on June 29, the day after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Jean Jaurès opposed the war.
• A few weeks before these two murders mentioned above, an attempt was made on the life of Rasputin, an ardent opponent of the war, who had serious influence on Nicholas II, Emperor of the Russian Empire.
• Russian Ambassador Hartley died in the Austrian embassy in Serbia in 1914. By the way, in 1917 his correspondence with Sozonov - next ambassador Russia in Serbia - mysteriously disappeared.

British diplomats acted “on two fronts”: they egged on Germany, promising to take Germany’s side in the war with the Russian Empire or, as a last resort, to maintain neutrality; and at the same time, Nicholas II received confirmation that England’s assistance was being prepared for him in a potential war against Germany.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the powers of Russia and Germany were approximately equal in their global influence. Even after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, these two powers took a wait-and-see attitude, not daring to open military action. If England had made it clear to both Russia and Germany that it would not allow war in Europe, none of these countries would have decided to go to war. Austria-Hungary would also not go to war with Serbia, despite the murder. But England did everything so that each country prepared to fight, promising each side its help behind the backs of the others.

When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, it was not yet the First World War. To grow from a small war between two states over murder into a world war, all the major powers of the time had to be drawn into the conflict. Each of them was on at different levels readiness for war.

Nicholas II understood perfectly well that the Russian Empire was not ready for military action, but could not remain on the sidelines, given that its authority in the Balkans, which had been so hard won earlier, was at stake. As a result, the emperor signs a decree on mobilization. And despite the fact that all-Russian mobilization is not yet a declaration of war, Germany and Austria-Hungary took the Russian mobilization as a signal for active action. These two powers even demanded that Russia stop mobilization, but there was no answer. On August 1, the German ambassador Count Pourtales arrived in Russian Ministry Foreign Affairs with a note declaring war.

Military power of powers

Let's look at the balance of forces and military weapons of key countries in the First World War:

Germany and Austria-Hungary turned out to have significantly more heavy guns, but at the same time Germany developed its military industry even more actively. For comparison, England produced up to 10 thousand shells per month, and Germany produced more than 250 thousand per day alone.

Now let's compare the weapons and equipment availability of the leading powers of the First World War:

It is obvious that the military power of the Russian Empire was greatly inferior not only to Germany, but also to France and England. This could not but affect the course of military operations and losses as a result of the war.

It remains to analyze the number of fighting infantry at the beginning and end of the war, as well as the losses of each side:

What conclusion can we draw from this summary? England suffered the least human losses, which was not a surprise, because this country almost did not take part in major battles.

As a result of the war, it turned out that those countries that invested the most in this war lost the most. While Russia and Germany were losing 4.3 million people between them, France, Austria-Hungary and England together lost 3.5 million. In fact, the war was fought between Russia and Germany and it was these two powers that were left with nothing: Russia lost lands and signed shameful Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and Germany lost its independence as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Chronicle of events

July 28, 1914. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The countries of the Triple Alliance and the Entente were drawn into the conflict.

August 1, 1914. The Russian Empire entered the war. Supreme Commander Nikolai Romanov, the uncle of Nicholas II, was appointed.

As soon as the First World War began, St. Petersburg was immediately renamed Petrograd: the capital of the Russian Empire could not have a name with German origin.

Military operations in 1914

What happened on the fronts:

• North Western Front . Military operations took place from August to September 1914. Russian troops carried out the East Prussian operation, which ended complete defeat the first and second Russian armies.
• Southwestern Front. Military operations during the Galician operation also lasted from August to September 1914 against the Austro-Hungarian troops. The latter received reinforcements from Germany, which saved them.
• Caucasian Front. From December 1914 to January 1915, the Sarykamysh operation against Turkish troops took place, as a result of which most of Transcaucasia was occupied.

Military operations on the Eastern Front in 1914

The Russian Empire opposes Germany and Austria-Hungary. Türkiye also joined the latter.

📌 Military operations on the Eastern Front were not successful for either side - no one achieved a tangible victory.

Germany developed a plan to defeat France, then Russia, with lightning speed, but this plan failed miserably. It was called the Schlieffen plan and its essence was to destroy France from the Western Front in 40 days, and then fight Russia on the Eastern Front. The Germans focused on 40 days because they believed that this was the time the Russian Empire needed to mobilize.

The advance of German troops started successfully - on August 2, 1914 they captured Luxembourg, and on August 4 the Germans had already invaded Belgium, which at that time was a neutral country. On August 20, Germany moved towards France, but on September 5 it was stopped at the Marne River. A battle took place there with a total of 2 million people fighting.

Germany thought that it could cope with France while Russia mobilized its troops, but Nicholas II entered the war without a full mobilization of the army. Russian troops attacked East Prussia on August 4, which the Germans did not expect and even retreated at first. But in the end, Germany repulsed the attack, since the Russian Empire did not have full resources or proper organization. Russia lost the battle, but also prevented Germany from implementing Schlieffen’s lightning plan: while the Russian Empire was losing the first and second armies, France saved Paris.

Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1914

In parallel with the offensive in the East, the Russian Empire went to Galicia, where the Austro-Hungarian troops were located. Despite assistance from Germany, which sent additional divisions to the allied Austria-Hungary, this operation was more successful for the Russian army: Austria-Hungary lost 400 thousand soldiers, another 100 thousand were captured. At the same time, Russia lost 150 thousand.

📌 After the Galician operation, Austria-Hungary left the war, no longer able to fight on its own.

Results of 1914:

1. The German Schlieffen plan to capture the French and Russian armies at lightning speed failed miserably.
2. None of the powers gained a significant advantage during the war.
3. As a result of 1914, the First World War became a positional war.

Military operations in 1915

When it became clear that the Schlieffen Plan had failed, Germany sent all its forces to the Eastern Front to fight Russia. At that moment, it seemed to Germany that the Russian Empire was the weakest country of the Entente and was much easier to deal with than the others.

The strategic plan for command on the Eastern Front was developed by General von Hindenburg. The Russian Empire thwarted this plan too, but spent enormous forces and got out only at the cost of incredible losses.

What happened on the fronts:

• Northwestern Front. Military operations took place from January to October 1915. As a result of the German offensive, Russia loses Poland, Western Belarus, Ukraine and part of the Baltic states. The Russians take a defensive position.
• Southwestern Front. Military operations lasted from January to March 1915. During the Carpathian operation against the Austro-Hungarian troops, the Russian army loses Galicia and goes on the defensive.
• Caucasian Front. From June to July 1915, the Alashkert operation lasted near lakes Van and Urmia against the Turkish army. In December 1915, the Erzurum operation began.

Military operations on the Northwestern Front in 1915

From the beginning of 1915 until October, Germany was actively attacking Russia, as a result of which the latter lost Poland, Western Ukraine, partly the Baltic states and Western Belarus. During this German offensive, the Russian Empire lost 850 thousand people and 900 thousand soldiers were captured.

Despite the fact that the Russian Empire did not capitulate after these military actions, but went on the defensive, the countries of the Triple Alliance were convinced that Russia would not recover from its losses.

📌 After a successful attack for Germany and the defeat of the Russian army, Bulgaria joined this side - from October 14, 1915.

Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1915

The German army with the remnants of the surviving Austro-Hungarian army in the spring of 1915 makes the Gorlitsky breakthrough. Russia retreats along the Southwestern Front and loses Galicia, which it only conquered in 1914. On the German side there was not only a significant technical advantage, but also strategic mistakes of the Russian command.

📌 At that time, Germany had 2.5 times more machine guns, 4.5 times more light artillery, and the number of heavy artillery was 40 times greater.

Military operations on the Western Front in 1915

On the Western Front, war broke out between Germany and France. Actions on both sides were sluggish and lack of initiative. Germany focused more on the Eastern Front, while England and France at that time were mobilizing armies in preparation for further actions.

Nicholas II repeatedly turned to France for help, at least to make it more active on the Western Front, but in vain.

Results of 1915:

1. The German plan to destroy the Russian army failed, but the losses of the Russian Empire were colossal, although not huge enough to take Russia out of the war.
2. After 1.5 years of hostilities, neither side has gained a strategic advantage or superiority. The war dragged on.

Military operations in 1916

The 16th year of the 20th century began with Germany losing the strategic initiative. The successful Russian offensive once again plays into the hands of allied France - the Verdun fortress is saved. At this stage, Romania joins the Entente.

Let's take a brief look at what happened in the third year of the war:

• Northwestern Front. From spring to autumn, defensive battles are fought on the western border.
• Southwestern Front. From May to July 1916, the Russian army advances and makes the Brusilov breakthrough. During these actions, Russia recaptures Bukovina and Southern Galicia, destroying the Austro-Hungarian troops.
• Caucasian Front. The Erzurum operation comes to an end and the Trebizond operation begins, as a result of which Erzurum and Trebizond are captured.

Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1916

In February 1916 German troops decisively advance on France to capture Paris. Defended the capital Verdun - a fortress on the outskirts of Paris. It was to Verdun that Germany went. 2 million people died in that battle, and it lasted until the very end of 1916.

📌 Considering how much time was spent capturing the Verdun fortress, and how many people died, those battles were called the “Verdun Meat Grinder”. France managed to survive, but only because Russia came to its aid.

Russian troops had been actively advancing along the Southwestern Front since May 1916. This offensive went down in history as the Brusilov breakthrough, since General Brusilov was in command. The offensive lasted for 2 months.

The actual breakthrough occurred on June 5 in Bukovina. The Russian army not only broke through the defenses, but also advanced 120 km inland. The losses of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies in that breakthrough amounted to 1.5 million people - wounded and prisoners in total. The Russian offensive was stopped only after the transfer of additional German divisions, which at that time were located near Verdun and in Italy.

Having entered the war on the side of the Entente, Romania was unable to resist the German army. Germany quickly dealt with the Romanian troops, inflicting a serious defeat on them. As a result, Russia has 2 thousand km of additional front, which means additional losses.

Results of 1916:

1. The strategic initiative was on the side of the Entente.
2. France re-defended Paris from attack, retaining the fortress of Verdun. But, like the first time, this happened thanks to the help of the Russian Empire.
3. In the third year of the war, Romania joined the Entente, but Germany quickly destroyed its army.
4. A significant achievement of the Russian Empire this year was the Brusilov breakthrough.

Military operations in 1917

The year 1917 was fatal for the Russian Empire. On all fronts, Russian troops carry out unsuccessful operations: Germany captures Riga, and then the Moonsund archipelago in the Baltic. The Russian army is demoralized, and popular unrest is directed towards peace. Changes are ripe within the country - on November 20 (December 3) the Bolsheviks seize power and negotiate for peace. As a result of these negotiations, the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty was signed on March 3, 1918.

In both Germany and Russia, the economic situation worsened due to the war in 1917. For example, in the Russian Empire, during the first 3 years of the war, food prices increased 4–5 times. A dissatisfied people, a grueling war, great human losses - all this served as fertile ground for the revolutionaries, who hastened to take advantage of the moment to seize power. A similar picture emerged in Germany.

As for the balance of power in the First World War, the position of the Triple Alliance was seriously weakened: Germany could no longer fight on two fronts, and then the United States entered the war.

The end of the First World War for the Russian Empire

In the spring of 1917, Germany tried to carry out an offensive on the Western Front, but the Provisional Government in Russia, trying to fulfill the agreements signed by the Russian Empire, sent its troops to Lvov on the offensive.

Once again, the allies are saved, but the Russian army is suffering crushing losses step by step - the provisions are meager, the uniforms and provisions for the soldiers leave much to be desired, but even in such circumstances, the Russian troops are trying to move forward. Meanwhile, Russia's allies are not actively participating or providing the necessary assistance.

On July 6, when Germany launched a counteroffensive, 150 thousand Russian soldiers died. The front collapsed, and the Russian army ceased to exist. Russia had nothing and no one else to fight with.

In such conditions, the Bolsheviks, having seized power in the country in October 1917, signed the decree “On Peace”, thereby leaving the war, and already in 1918, on March 3, the Brest-Litovsk Treaty was signed, according to which Russia:

• makes peace with Austria-Hungary, Germany and Turkey;
• renounces claims to Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic states, Finland and part of Belarus;
• inferior to Batum, Ardahan and Kars to Turkey.

Having entered the First World War, the Russian Empire:

• ceased to exist as a power, giving power to the Bolsheviks;
• lost 1 million sq. m of territory;
• lost a quarter of the population;
• seriously weakened in the agricultural sector and in the coal/metallurgical industry.

Military operations in 1918

With the Eastern Front gone, Germany could no longer be split into two directions. In the spring, she headed to the Western Front, but achieved no success there. It became obvious that she needed a break.

Decisive events occurred in the fall of 1918, when the United States and the Entente countries attacked the German army, displacing it from the territories of France and Belgium. Already in October, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey concluded a truce with the Entente powers and now Germany found itself in complete isolation. The Triple Alliance capitulated and, like the events in Russia, fertile ground for revolution was formed in Germany, which occurred on November 9, 1918 - Emperor Wilhelm II was overthrown.

War heroes and their exploits

A.A. Brusilov (1853-1926). He commanded the Southwestern Front and carried out a successful operation, which was later called the Brusilov breakthrough. The army of military leader Brusilov forced the enemy to think from which side the main blow was being delivered. The tactic of simultaneous attacks in several directions worked in four cases at once. In 3 days, more than 100 thousand people were captured. Over the entire summer, the Russian army took territory from the Germans and Austro-Hungarians all the way to the Carpathians.

M.V. Alekseev (1857 – 1918). Infantry general and chief of staff of the Russian army on the Southwestern Front. He led the largest operations, leading the Russian army.

Kozma Kryuchkov- the first person to receive the St. George Cross in the First World War. He served in the Don Cossack Regiment and with other comrades he once met a patrol German cavalrymen. Of the 22 enemies, he personally killed ten, among whom was an officer. He himself received 16 wounds. His name is not so well known, because in 1919 Kryuchkov gave his life in battles with the Bolsheviks, serving in the ranks of the White Army.

The St. George Cross was also received by Vasily Chapaev, Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky, Rodion Malinovsky.

A.I. Denikin (1872 – 1947). Military leader and general of the First World War. He was the commander of the “iron brigade”, which distinguished itself in battles more than once.

P.N. Nesterov (1887 – 1914). Russian pilot who invented the aerial loop named after him. He died in 1914, in battle, after ramming an enemy airplane.

End of the First World War

The First World War ended on November 11, 1918, when Germany signed its surrender. In the Compiègne forest at the Retord station, near Paris, the French Marshal Foch accepted the surrender of the defeated power. As a result, Germany:

• admitted defeat in the war;
• pledged to return Alsace and Lorraine, as well as the Saar coal basin to France;
• abandoned all her colonies;
• transferred an eighth of its territories to its neighbors.

In addition, the signed surrender required that:

• Entente troops were stationed on the left bank of the Rhine for 15 years;
• until May 1921, Germany had to pay the Entente powers (except Russia) 20 billion marks;
• for 30 years, Germany was obliged to pay reparations, the amount of which the victorious countries could change during these 30 years;
• Germany did not have the right to form an army of more than 100 thousand people, while the army itself must be voluntary for citizens.

All these conditions were so humiliating for Germany that they actually deprived it of its independence, making it an obedient puppet in the hands of other powers.

Results of the First World War

World War I involved 14 major countries and a total of 38 powers in total. This meant that during the 4 years of the war, 1 billion people or 62% of the planet's population were involved. During the entire war, 74 million people were mobilized, of whom 10 million were killed and 20 million were injured.

The political map of Europe has been redrawn:

• New states appeared, such as: Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Albania.
• Austria-Hungary ceased to exist, splitting into 3 independent states: Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
• The borders of France, Italy, Greece and Romania expanded.

The losing countries that lost land were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Bulgaria and Turkey. During the war, 4 empires ceased to exist: Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman.

So, it was the First World War 1914 - 1918: causes, stages, results briefly and in pictures. We looked at the years - the beginning and end of the battles (including separately for Russia), who won and how many people died (a card index of countries' losses in the table), and also found out who the war heroes were and their exploits. Do you have any questions? Ask them in the comments.

Sources

• Ardashev A.N. The Great Trench War. Positional massacre of the First World War
• Pereslegin S.B. First World War. War between Realities
• Basil Liddell Hart. History of the First World War
• Evgeniy Belash. Myths of the First World War
• Anatoly Utkin. World War I
• Badak A.N. The World History. Volume 19

The First World War is an event of world historical significance. The scale of the First World War was unparalleled in human history. The war lasted 4 years and 3 months (from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918).

33 states took part in it (with dominions and India - 38) with a population of 62% of the world. During the war, approximately 9.5 million people were killed or died from wounds, civilian casualties ranged from 7 to 12 million people, and about 55 million people were wounded.

Causes of the First World War

The main reason for the outbreak of World War I was 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 states, which had previously prospered through the exploitation of the colonies, could no longer simply obtain resources by taking them away from Indians, Africans and South Americans. Now resources only had to be conquered from each other. That is why the contradictions grew:

Between England and Germany:

England did not want to allow Germany to increase its influence in the Balkans. The Germans sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, and also sought to deprive the British of naval dominance.

Between Germany and France:

The French wanted to regain the lands of Alsace and Lorraine, lost in the war of 1870-1871. France also wanted to seize the German Saar coal basin.

Between Germany and Russia:

The Germans sought to take Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states from the Russian Empire.

Between Russia and Austria-Hungary:

The conflict arose due to the desire of both states to exert influence in the Balkans, as well as the desire of the Russians to subjugate the Bosporus and Dardanelles.

Reason for the First World War

The reason for the war was the murder of the heir to the Austrian and Hungarian thrones, Archduke Franz Ferdinand (). Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia. Serbia was unable to fulfill all its points and on July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The Russian Empire could not stand aside, since giving Serbia to Austria-Hungary meant allowing the Austro-German bloc to establish dominance over the entire Balkan Peninsula.

On July 31, mobilization began in Russia to provide assistance to Serbia. Germany began to demand that the Russians stop mobilization. The Russian Empire did not do this, and then the Germans, as allies of Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia on August 1.

Goals and plans of the participants

Russia

1) Control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits; 2) Strengthening influence in the Balkans; 3) An attempt to stop the brewing revolution.

England

1) Preservation of their colonies; 2) Increasing influence on the global economy.

France

1) Strengthening colonial possessions; 2) Return of the region of Alsace and Lorraine.

Germany

1) The destruction of France and Russia; 2) Annexation of the Baltic and Polish lands; 3) Annexation of part of the French colonies in Africa; 4) Settle in Turkey and the Balkans.

Austria-Hungary

1) Subordination of the Balkan states.

Progress of the First World War

1914 Campaign

August 2 - the Germans completely occupied Luxembourg, and Belgium was given an ultimatum to allow German troops to enter the border with France;

1915 Campaign

In the winter of 1914-1915 there was a battle between the Russians and the Austrians for the passes in the Carpathians. On March 10 (23), the Siege of Przemysl ended
Battle of Ypres, Dardanelles Operation February 19, 1915

1916 campaign

1917 campaign

1918 Campaign

Russia's exit from the war;

In July-August the second Battle of the Marne took place;

Results of the First World War

The Treaty of Versailles, signed by Germany, officially ended the First World War.

The Civil War, and the October Revolution in Russia, the November Revolution in Germany were the consequences of the First World War;

New states emerged: Soviet Russia, Finland, Poland, Hungary. Austria, Czechoslavakia, Yugoslavia, Baltic countries;

Germany ceased to be a monarchy, lost most of its territories, and was weakened economically. Also, she needed to pay reparations European countries Moreover, she was forced to refuse modern species weapons;

The empire of the Romanovs, Habsburgs, Hogetzollerns and Turkish sultans collapsed;

Has developed new system international relations;

Before May 1, 1921, Germany pledged to pay the Allies 20 billion marks in gold, goods, ships and securities;

Kars and Batum went to Turkey;

America began to play a leading role in the world;

The influence of Japan and China has increased;

The main contradictions in the international arena remain, which will lead to a new world war.

The First World War became the largest military conflict of the first third of the twentieth century and all the wars that took place before that. So when did World War I start and what year did it end? The date July 28, 1914 is the beginning of the war, and its end is November 11, 1918.

When did the first world war start?

The beginning of the First World War was the declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia. The reason for the war was the murder of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown by the nationalist Gavrilo Princip.

Speaking briefly about the First World War, it should be noted that the main reason for the hostilities that arose was the conquest of a place in the sun, the desire to rule the world with the emerging balance of power, the emergence of Anglo-German trade barriers, the absolute phenomenon in the development of the state as economic imperialism and territorial claims one state to another.

On June 28, 1914, Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, starting main war first third of the twentieth century.

Rice. 1. Gavrilo Princip.

Russia in the First World War

Russia announced mobilization, preparing to defend the fraternal people, which brought upon itself an ultimatum from Germany to stop the formation of new divisions. On August 1, 1914, Germany declared an official declaration of war on Russia.

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In 1914, military operations on the Eastern Front took place in Prussia, where a rapid advance Russian troops was thrown back by the German counteroffensive and the defeat of Samsonov's army. The offensive in Galicia was more effective. On the Western Front, the course of military operations was more pragmatic. The Germans invaded France through Belgium and moved at an accelerated pace to Paris. Only at the Battle of the Marne was the offensive stopped by Allied forces and the parties moved on to a long trench war that lasted until 1915.

In 1915, Germany's former ally, Italy, entered the war on the side of the Entente. This is how the southwestern front was formed. The fighting took place in the Alps, giving rise to a mountain war.

On April 22, 1915, during the Battle of Ypres, German soldiers used chlorine poison gas against Entente forces, which became the first gas attack in history.

A similar meat grinder happened on the Eastern Front. The defenders of the Osovets fortress in 1916 covered themselves with unfading glory. Several times larger than the Russian garrison German forces They were never able to take the fortress after mortar and artillery fire and several assaults. After this, a chemical attack was used. When the Germans, walking in gas masks through the smoke, believed that there were no survivors left in the fortress, Russian soldiers ran out at them, coughing blood and wrapped in various rags. Bayonet attack turned out to be unexpected. The enemy, many times superior in number, was finally driven back.

Rice. 2. Defenders of Osovets.

At the Battle of the Somme in 1916, tanks were used for the first time by the British during an attack. Despite frequent breakdowns and low accuracy, the attack had a more psychological effect.

Rice. 3. Tanks on the Somme.

In order to distract the Germans from the breakthrough and pull forces away from Verdun, Russian troops planned an offensive in Galicia, the result of which was to be the surrender of Austria-Hungary. This is how the “Brusilovsky breakthrough” occurred, which, although it moved the front line tens of kilometers to the west, did not solve the main problem.

At sea, a major battle took place between the British and Germans near the Jutland Peninsula in 1916. The German fleet intended to break the naval blockade. More than 200 ships took part in the battle, with the British outnumbering them, but during the course of the battle there was no winner, and the blockade continued.

The United States joined the Entente in 1917, for which entering a world war on the winning side at the very last moment became a classic. The German command erected a reinforced concrete “Hindenburg Line” from Lens to the Aisne River, behind which the Germans retreated and switched to a defensive war.

French General Nivelle developed a plan for a counteroffensive on the Western Front. Massive artillery bombardment and attacks on different sectors of the front did not produce the desired effect.

In 1917, in Russia, during two revolutions, the Bolsheviks came to power and concluded the shameful separate Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. On March 3, 1918, Russia left the war.
In the spring of 1918, the Germans launched their last, “spring offensive.” They intended to break through the front and take France out of the war, however, the numerical superiority of the Allies prevented them from doing this.

Economic exhaustion and growing dissatisfaction with the war forced Germany to the negotiating table, during which a peace treaty was concluded at Versailles.

What have we learned?

Regardless of who fought whom and who won, history has shown that the end of the First World War did not solve all of humanity's problems. The battle for the redivision of the world did not end; the allies did not finish off Germany and its allies completely, but only depleted them economically, which led to the signing of peace. World War II was only a matter of time.

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Beginning of the 20th century characterized by an intensification of the struggle between countries for markets for raw materials and sales of goods, for dominance in the international arena. In connection with the expansion of German expansion, Russia and Great Britain signed an agreement in 1907 on the division of spheres of influence in Iran, Afghanistan and Tibet. Following the “cordial agreement” of France and England in 1904, the Russian-English agreement led to the formation of the Russian-French-English union, which finally took shape in 1907 and received the name Entente. Europe split into two hostile camps - the Triple Alliance (Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary) and the Entente (France, England, Russia). The First World War began.

Causes of the First World War

• Exacerbation of contradictions between industrial powers over markets for sources of raw materials and spheres of influence.
• The struggle for the redivision of the world between Triple Alliance and the Entente.
• The desire of developed countries for expansion - territorial, military-political, financial-economic, socio-cultural expansion.

Russia's goals in the war

• Strengthening Russia's position in the Balkans while providing assistance to the Slavic peoples.
• The fight for control of the Black Sea! straits.
• Countering the aggression of Austria-Hungary against Serbia.

Reason for war

June 28, 1914. The assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Era-Duke Franz Ferdinand, was committed in Sarajevo by Bosnian high school student Gavrilo Princip, a Serb by nationality.

World War I.
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Results of the war for Russia

• The Russian Empire lost Poland, Finland, the Baltic states, Ukraine and part of Belarus (the territories went to Germany, some of them were formally declared independent).
• Russia lost Kars, Ardahan, and Batum to Turkey.
• Germany was paid 6 billion marks in indemnity.

The impact of the war on Russian society

At the beginning of hostilities, the country was captured by a wave of patriotism. But after the first defeats of the Russian army, a significant part of society realized the futility of the war for Russia.

The First World War made life very difficult for people. The industry's focus on military orders led to a shortage of consumer goods, which caused a significant increase in their prices. In addition, workload railways military transportation led to interruptions in the supply of food to large cities.

By 1916, the strike movement had gained strength again, and along with economic demands, political ones were also heard. Because of the heavy economic situation peasants did not want to sell their products Agriculture, preferring to wait for better times. By the end of 1916, in 31 provinces the government was forced to introduce surplus appropriation- forced delivery of bread at fixed prices.

Unrest in the rear also led to a breakdown in discipline at the front. Huge and often unjustified losses negatively affected the morale of the army and public opinion about the war. Losses at the front and instability in the economy also led to a decline in the authority of the imperial power. It came to the point of open criticism of the actions of Nicholas II from various parties. A flurry of discontent was caused by the figure of G. Rasputin, who was close to the emperor’s family and, using his influence on the empress, interfered in matters relating to government. In Russia gradually