28 July - The First World War, also known as World War started in 1914

 

The First World War, also known as World War I, was a global conflict that took place from July 28, 1914, to November 11, 1918. It involved many of the world's great powers divided into two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Central Powers.

The immediate cause of the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, by a Bosnian Serb nationalist. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, leading to a series of events and cascading alliances that eventually drew numerous countries into the conflict.

The main belligerents in the war were:

Allied Powers:

1. France
2. United Kingdom
3. Russia (later replaced by the Soviet Union after the Russian Revolution)
4. Italy (joined the Allies in 1915)
5. United States (joined the Allies in 1917)
6. Japan
7. Serbia
8. Belgium
9. Greece
10. Romania

Central Powers:

1. Germany
2. Austria-Hungary
3. Ottoman Empire
4. Bulgaria

The First World War was characterized by trench warfare on the Western Front, where soldiers fought in elaborate systems of trenches that stretched from the English Channel to Switzerland. The war was marked by heavy casualties, including millions of deaths and wounded soldiers, as well as significant social, political, and economic upheavals.

Numerous battles and offensives occurred during the war, including the Battle of the Marne, Battle of Verdun, Battle of the Somme, and the Battle of Passchendaele, among others.

In 1917, the United States entered the war, which eventually tipped the balance in favor of the Allies. The Central Powers began to collapse, and on November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed, effectively ending the fighting.

The First World War had profound and far-reaching consequences. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, imposed heavy reparations and territorial losses on Germany, leading to bitterness and economic hardships in the country. The war also contributed to the rise of extremist ideologies and ultimately set the stage for World War II.

The war's impact on societies and the human toll it took made it one of the most significant events of the 20th century, shaping the course of history in various ways.