Introduction
World War I (WWI) was a global war centered in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until the start of World War II in 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter. It involved all the world 's great powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (based on the Triple Entente of the United Kingdom, France and Russia) and the Central Powers (originally the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy; but, as Austria–Hungary had taken the offensive against the agreement; Italy did not enter into the war). These alliances both reorganized (Italy fought for the Allies) and expanded as more nations entered the war. Ultimately, more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilized in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of technological advancements that led to enormous increases in the lethality of weapons without corresponding improvements in protection or mobility. It was the sixth-deadliest conflict in world history, subsequently paving the way for various political changes, such as revolutions in many of the nations involved.
Long-term causes of the war included the imperialistic foreign policies of the great powers of Europe, including the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, the French Republic, and Italy.
• Back Ground:-
In the 19th century, the major European powers had gone to great lengths to maintain a balance of power throughout Europe, resulting in the existence of a complex network of political and military alliances throughout the continent by 1900.
These had started in 1815, with the Holy Alliance between Prussia, Russia, and Austria.
Then, in October 1873, German Chancellor Bismarck negotiated the League
References: 15. ^ Keegan 1988, p. 11 16. ^ See "great, adj., adv., and n." in Oxford English Dictionary (Second edition, 1989; online version March 2012) 17. ^ Baldwin, Elbert Francis. The World War: How It Looks to the Nations Involved and What It Means to Us (New York: MacMillan Company, 1914). This book covers the war up to 20 November 1914. 18. ^ Shapiro 2006, p