FIRST

WORLD
WAR
(1914-1918)

NAME=AVINASH JENA
CLASS=XI SCIENCE
ROLL NO=06
 INTRODUCTION
World War I (WW I), also known as the
Great War, lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11
November 1918.
The main members of the Allied Powers
were France, Russia, and Britain. The United
States also fought on the side of the Allies
after 1917.
The main members of the Allied Powers
were France, Russia, and Britain. The United
States also fought on the side of the Allies
after 1917.
The main members of the Central Powers
were Germany Austria-Hungary, the
Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria.
 CAUSES
OF THE WAR
There was no single event that led to World War I. The war
happened because of several different events that took place
in the years building up to 1914:-

The new international

expansionist policy of Germany:
In 1890 the new emperor of Germany, Wilhelm
II, began an international policy that sought to
turn his country into a world power. Germany
was seen as a threat by the other powers and
destabilized the international situation.

Mutual Defence Alliances:

Countries throughout Europe made mutual
defence agreements. These treaties meant that
if one country was attacked, allied countries
were bound to defend them.
The Triple Alliance-1882 linking Germany with
Austria-Hungary and Italy.
 The Triple Entente, which was made up of Britain,
France, and Russia, concluded by 1907.
Thus, there were two rival groups in Europe.

Imperialism:
Before World War I, Africa and parts of Asia
were points of contention among the European
countries because of their raw materials. The
increasing competition and desire for greater
empires led to an increase in the confrontation
that helped push the world into World War I.

Militarism:
As the world entered the 20th century, an arms
race had begun. By 1914, Germany had the
greatest increase in military build-up. Great
Britain and Germany both greatly increased
their navies in this time period. This increase
in militarism helped push the countries
involved into war.

Nationalism:
Much of the origin of the war was based on
the desire of the Slavic peoples in Bosnia and
Herzegovina to no longer be part of Austria
Hungary but instead be part of Serbia. In this
way, nationalism led to the War.
ALLIANCES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE

WAR
GERMANY AND
NEIGHBOURING
COUNTRIES
 PHASES
OF THE WAR
The conflict developed on several
fronts in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The two main scenarios were the
Western front, where the
Germans confronted Britain,
France and, after 1917, the
Americans. The second front was
the Eastern front in which the
Russians fought against Germans
and Austro-Hungarians.

After a brief German advance in

1914, the western front was
stabilized and a long and brutal
trench warfare started: it was a
 "war of attrition" (the western
front remained immovable).
Eastern Front the Germans
advanced but not decisively.

In 1917, two events changed the course of

the war: the United States joined the Allies
and Russia, after the Russian revolution,
abandoned the conflict and signed a separate
peace.

Finally after the German offensive

in the spring of 1918, the Allied
counterattack managed to force a
decisive retreat of the German
army. The defeat of its Germany’s
allies and the revolution in
Germany that dethroned Wilhelm II
(German Emperor), brought about
the signing of the armistice on
November 11, 1918. The Great War
was over.
 CONSEQUENCES
OF THE WAR

Economic consequences:
World War I cost the participating countries a lot
of money. Germany and Great Britain spent
about 60% of the money their economy
produced. Countries had to raise taxes and
borrow money from their citizens. They also
printed money in order to buy weapons and other
things they needed for war. This led to inflation
after the war.

Political Consequences:
World War I brought an end to four
monarchies: Czar Nicholas II of Russia,
Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany, Emperor
Charles of Austria and the sultan of the
Ottoman Empire had to step down.
New countries were created out of old
empires. Austria- Hungary was carved up
into a number of independent states.
Russia and Germany gave land to Poland.
Countries in the Middle East were put
under the control of Great Britain and
France.

Social Consequences:
World war changed society completely. Birth
rates declined because millions of young men
died (eight million died, millions wounded,
maimed, widows and orphans). Civilians lost
their land and fled to other countries.
The role of women also changed. They played
a major part in replacing men in factories
and offices. Many countries gave women
more rights after the war had ended,
including the right to vote.
The upper classes lost their leading role
in society. Young middle and lower class
men and women demanded a say in
forming their country after the war.
TREATY OF VERSAILLES
On June 28, 1919, World War I
officially ended with the signing of
the Treaty of Versailles. The
Treaty of Versailles was an
attempt to prevent the world from
going into another war.

It is organized in several
chapters each having different
clauses:-
Territorial clauses:
France regained Alsace and Lorraine
Eupen and Malmedy passed into the
hands of Belgium Eastern territories were
annexed by Poland which caused East
Prussia to become territorially isolated.
Danzig and Memel, former Baltic German
cities were declared free cities Denmark
annexed northern Schleswig-Holstein
Military clauses:
Drastic limitation of the German navy.
Dramatic reduction of the Army (only
100,000 troops, prohibition of having
tanks, aircraft and heavy artillery).

WAR REPARATIONS:
The treaty declared Germany and its
allies responsible for all 'loss and
damage' suffered by the Allies and as a
consequence they were forced to pay
war reparations to the victors.
TREATY OF VERSAILLES

TREATY OF
NEUILLY
The small Balkan country suffered
several territorial losses, in the
benefit of Romania, Greece and a
brand-new country: Yugoslavia.
Signed by Bulgaria

Treaty of Neuilly
(November 27, 1919)
peace treaty between Bulgaria and
the victorious Allied
powers after World War I that
became effective Aug. 9, 1920.
Under its terms Bulgaria was forced
to cede lands to Yugoslavia and
Greece (thus depriving it of an outlet
to the Aegean) involving the transfer
of some 300,000 people; to reduce
its army to 20,000 men; and to pay
reparations, 75 percent of which
were later remitted.
TREATY OF NEUILLY

TREATY OF
SERVES
The Treaty of Sevres was extremely
hard and led to the Turkish national
rebellion, which was led by Kemal
Ataturk. This also led to the war
against Greece, which occupied
large areas of Anatolia.

Treaty of Sèvres,
(August 10, 1920)
post-World War I pact between the
victorious Allied powers and
representatives of the government of
Ottoman Turkey.
The treaty abolished the Ottoman
Empire and obliged Turkey to
renounce all rights over Arab Asia
and North Africa. The pact also
provided for an
independent Armenia, for
an autonomous Kurdistan, and for a
Greek presence in
eastern Thrace and on the Anatolian
west coast, as well as Greek control
over the Aegean islands
commanding the Dardanelles.
Rejected by the new Turkish
nationalist regime, the Treaty
of Sèvres was replaced by
the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
TREATY OF SERVES
The war also brought other
important social and
ideological changes:-

The U.S., which had won the war but

had not experienced the conflict on its
territory, became a first world power.

The mass mobilization of men led to

the incorporation of women into the
workforce, which was a major step
forward for women's rights.

The triumph of the Soviet Revolution

(Russian Revolution) and the social
crisis that followed the war
encouraged workers in many
countries to protest, creating a pre-
revolutionary climate.

The extreme nationalism

experienced during the war, coupled
with fear of a Communist revolution,
encouraged the middle-class
populations of some countries to
move to the extreme right. This
created a hotbed of fascist
movements.

Creation of the League of Nations:

The League of Nations was an
international diplomatic group
developed after World War I as a
way to solve disputes between
countries before they erupted into
open warfare. A precursor to the
United Nations,
 INDIA AND
WWΙ
India being a former British
colony played a vital role in
helping Britain and its allies win
over Germany and allies, a role
that is often overlooked.

Being a British colony, the Indian

Army contributed a large number
of soldiers to the European,
Mediterranean and the Middle
East conflicts of war in World
War I.

The Indian Army fought against

the German Empire in East Africa
and also on the Western Front.

They served in places as

diverse as France and Belgium,
Mesopotamia, Egypt, Gallipoli,
Palestine and Sinai.

More than 70 thousand of the

Indian soldiers who served
British in World War I lost their
lives. Sir Claude Auchinleck,
Commander-in-Chief of the
Indian Army once said: "
Britain couldn't have come
through the wars if they hadn't
had the Indian Army."

As high as 100 million British

Pounds was given by India to
Britain to fund their war
anticipating dominion status and
home rule in return.

The British raised men and

money from India, as well as
large supplies of food, cash, and
ammunition, collected by British
taxation policies. In return, the
British promised to award self-
rule to India at the end of the
war which eventually was not
delivered.