 |
| Timeline of Events |
 Participating Nations
In the First World War, four Central Powers
nations fought twenty-four Allied nations. |
| Military Casualties by Nation |
 Europe in 1914
Although World War I did
not officially begin until July 28, 1914, the
fires that sparked it had been burning since the
early 1800's. Peoples controlled by rulers who
often did not even speak their language were
developing nationalist feelings. Powerful nations
were allied together to advance their own aims.
Competition for colonies, resources and access to
trade routes was often fierce. |
 The Western Front in
1914 On August 2,
1914, German troops moved into Luxembourg, and on
August 4 they invaded Belgium. The Allies sent
British and French troops to help the Belgians,
and the German advance was effectively stopped at
the First of the Marne (September 6-9), ending
Germany's chances for a quick victory. |
 The Eastern Front in
1914 In August 1914, Russian forces
moved in East Prussia, where they were met and
defeated by Germans under retired general Paul
von Hindenburg. In the south, Austria-Hungary
failed in three attempts to invade Serbia. |
 The Balkan Region in
1914 On
August 2, 1914, the Ottoman Empire signed a
secret treaty with Germany. In the last days of
October, Turkish warships bombarded Russian ports
on the Black Sea. France, Great Britain and
Russia then declared war on the Ottoman Empire. |
 The
Austro-Italian Front in the First World War
In 1915, Italy signed the
secret Treaty of London with France, Great
Britain and Russia, agreeing to joing the Allies
in exchange for land in Europe and Africa. Italy
declared war on Austria-Hungary that same year,
and on Germany in 1916. |
 The Rhineland After
Versailles The Treaty of Versailles
gave parts of the Rhineland to France and
Belgium, and granted some autonomy to the Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg. |
 Danzig and the
Polish Corridor Danzig was the natural port of Poland
and of the Vistula River Basin, and had been for
many centuries outside the political frontiers of
Germany. Claimed by Germany during World War I,
it was returned to Poland after the war. |
This page was last updated on 10/20/2011.