World War One

World War One (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918) or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict that was characterized by unprecedented levels of violence and devastation through the combination of large-scale armies and powerful, new military weaponry.
Approximately 16 million people died.
Around 9.5 million military personnel died through wounds, disease or exposure.
Six million civilians died from disease, famine and genocide.
An estimated 21 million military personnel suffered injuries - many were life-changing!
World War One demanded total mobilization of all the nation's resources and infrastructure dedicated to supporting the war effort.
Every nation at war became a unified force focused with a common goal of beating the enemy.
Over thirty countries were involved in the war between 1914 and 1918 - the majority joined the Allied Powers.
The First World War was fought on three continents, Europe, Asia, and Africa as well as the Asia-Pacific region.
The war was fought on land, the sea and air.
Europe was the main center of the war.

Concert of Europe

The 19th century, Concert of Europe (1815 - 1914) was established between the Great Powers (Great Britain, Russia, Austria, Prussia, and later France) from 1814 to 1914 to maintain peace and stability following the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars which had plagued the continent since the 1790s.
They wanted to:
Maintain the European balance of power through shared agreements and alliances to prevent any single nation from dominating the continent.
Preserve existing political boundaries thereby preserving the European balance of power.
Prevent future revolutions or conflicts on the continent by maintaining the political status quo.
They established a set of principles and practices through diplomatic conferences, alliances and a shared commitment of active intervention when necessary.
The Concert of Europe began to weaken with the rise of nationalism, the unification of Italy and Germany as well as the increasing role of economic and social factors in international relations that began to form cracks amongst the Great Powers.
It ended with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary which set off a chain reaction of mobilizations and declarations of war that ultimately led to the outbreak of World War One in 1914.

Underlying Causes

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, is widely acknowledged as the starting point for World War One.
Long-term tensions between the Great Powers had also been festering as well as nationalism in the Balkans which reached a breaking point on 28 June 1914.
They included imperialistic rivalries, secret diplomacies and nationalism had been building-up in Europe for decades.
Alliances
A war between two countries could quickly draw in other nations to come to their aid due to their pledges to allies - creating a domino effect.
Alliances divided Europe into two main blocs:
1. Triple Entente (France, Russia, and Great Britain)
2. Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire).
Imperialism
Several European nations were imperial powers that sought to:
*Expand their empires which fuelled a naval and military arms race.
*Expand their colonial territory and resources for economic dominance, particularly in Africa and Asia.
Rivalries contributed to a climate of distrust.
Nationalism
Nationalism fostered a sense of national pride via power and prestige on the global stage which contributed to militarism.
Nationalist ideals often involved aspirations for territorial expansion.
Nations built up their armies and weaponry.
Nationalism, especially in the Balkans, created unrest and desire for independence from established empires.
Ethnic groups wanted unification under a single nation-state.

Outbreak of World War One

After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary, with German support, declared war on Serbia on 28 July, 1914.
Russia, an ally of Serbia, mobilized its troops to defend its interests in the Balkans which triggered a chain reaction from other nations to mobilize as well.
Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914 because of its alliance with Austria-Hungary.
It also declared war on France on August 3, 1914.
The Franco-Russian alliance that was formed in 1894 meant that Germany could be attacked on both the western (French) and eastern (Russian) fronts.
The Ottoman Empire aligned with the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary) to ensure its survival and potentially restore its former glory.
Germany's invasion of Belgium on August 4, 1914 brought Great Britain into the war on August 4, 1914, at 11.00 pm London time.
All these developments created a domino effect that quickly escalated to other nations.

The Allies (Entente)

France
France wanted to defend its borders against German invasion, cripple its military power and ultimately regain the Alsace-Lorraine region which it lost to Prussia in 1871.
Post-war, France wanted to create buffer states to strengthen its security against potential future German aggression which included redrawing the map of Europe to establish neutral or allied nations acting as a shield.
France's theater of operations in World War I was the Western Front in the regions of northern France and Belgium that was characterized by trench warfare.
Major battles included the Battle of the Marne, Battle of Verdun, and the Battle of the Somme.
Russia
Russia's goal was to weaken Germany and to gain control of the strategic Dardanelles Strait which linked the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
The Russian Empire was engaged on the Eastern Front during World War One.
British Empire
Great Britain wanted to restore Belgian sovereignty, defend France and prevent German domination of the European continent.
It also sought to protect its vast global empire and sea trade.
The British Empire played a crucial role in the naval war and in the Western Front.
British Patriotic Songs
Great Britain's patriotic songs during World War One were:
"It's a Long Way to Tipperary" which evoked a deep longing for home and the yearning soldiers felt for their families.
"We'll Never Let the Old Flag Fall" reinforced British national pride and as a symbol of unity and resilience.
"Pack Up Your Troubles" and "When Tommy Comes Marching Home" were also popular.
Belgium
Belgium's entry into World War I began on August 4, 1914, when Germany violated its neutrality by invading which triggered a chain of events that led to the involvement of other major powers, including Britain.
Italy
Italy switched sides in World War I from the Central Powers to the Allies by being offered the territories of Trentino, South Tyrol and Trieste if they joined the Allies against Austria-Hungary through the 1915 Treaty of London.
Greece
Greece, fueled by the "Μεγάλη Ιδέα" ("Megali Idea" - dream of a greater Greece) under the leadership of Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos joined the Allies in 1917.
In September 1918, Greece defeated Bulgaria during the Vardar Offensive of the Salonika Campaign which resulted in the collapse of the Bulgarian army.
This victory was a key step in the Allied forces' momentum towards ending World War One - Germany surrendered two months later on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 am.
Greek Patriotic Songs
Hymn to Liberty (Εθνικός Ύμνος), the Greek national anthem extols freedom and the human spirit that will always rise against tyranny and oppression.
High on the Front ("Ψηλά Στο Μέτωπο") was also a popular war song by the Greek Army.
Australia
Australia joined the war in 1914 along with other parts of the British Empire and offered both troops and resources.
They had a strong sense of loyalty to Great Britain, the "Mother Country".
Australian Patriotic Song
Australia Will Be There became the marching song of the Australian Expeditionary Forces to rally the troops as they marched away from home.
United States of America
The United States joined World War I on April 6, 1917, after the U.S. Congress voted to declare war on Germany following the publication of the Zimmermann Telegram and escalating German submarine attacks on American merchant vessels that violated international law and the "Sussex Pledge," which had temporarily suspended unrestricted submarine warfare.
President Wilson spoke about German spying inside the U.S. and the treachery of the Zimmermann Telegram, intercepted by British intelligence, which revealed Germany's proposal to Mexico to attack the United States.
The United States brought significant military and economic power to the Allied cause.
The American Expeditionary Force (AEF), led by General John J. Pershing, engaged in 13 official campaigns on the Western Front.
The U.S. Navy also played a vital role in the Allied convoy system and combating German submarines.
American Patriotic Song "Over There"
"Over There", written by George M. Cohan in 1917 was popular with the United States military and the American public during World War I.
The song is best remembered for a line in its chorus: "The Yanks are coming."
Silent Night
The Christmas Truce of World War One (December 24–25, 1914) was a brief, spontaneous cease-fire that spread along parts of the Western Front in France beginning on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1914.
The angelic benediction of Jesus' Birth refers to God's Good Will in providing a Savior, the Prince of Peace Who offers a well-ordered and balanced life to all people and nations.
It defined every soldier's collective Christian faith to sing Silent Night in their own language across "no mans land" celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ.
Freezing, home-sick men huddled in foul-smelling, mud trenches, mingled with rotting corpses and lingering gas in Northern France were realizing that the war would not be over by Christmas as many had believed.
Out of the violence, on that first Christmas Eve of 1914 along the Western Front, an extraordinary event unfolded.
Walter Kirchhoff (March 17, 1879 - March 26, 1951), a German officer who was a tenor with the Berlin Opera, began to sing, the beautiful and tranquil, Christmas Carol, “Stille Nacht,” (Silent Night) in German and in English as German troops began to light candles.
At that historic moment, Silent Night evoked the wonders of peace and goodwill.
Walter Kirchhoff's beautiful, tenor voice made history on that Christmas Eve of 1914 and is credited with stopping the fighting, even though it was just for a little while.

Central Powers

German Empire
The German Empire was a major military and industrial power, leading the Central Powers.
It was actively engaged in significant battles on both the Western and Eastern Front.
It was involved in various battles in Africa and the Middle East where they maintained colonial territories.
And, they were also engaged in naval war against Great Britain.
The Schlieffen Plan
Germany's pre-war military strategy, the Schlieffen Plan aimed for a swift attack on France through neutral Belgium to avoid a two-front war with France and Russia.
Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality led to Great Britain declaring war on Germany.
The plan failed because Russia mobilized faster than expected, Belgium's resistance to invasion, and the French army's ability to hold their ground.
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary fought in Eastern and Southern Europe.
The Eastern Front (against Russia and Romania) included Galicia and Russian Poland.
The Italian Front in the Alpine region.
The Serbian Front
The Romanian Campaign
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was a large empire with significant territories in the Middle East and Balkans.
Their entry into World War One began on October 29, 1914, with the Black Sea Raid, a naval attack against Russian ports.
They fought in various theaters of war which included:
The Eastern Front (Caucasus)
The Mesopotamian Front (Iraq)
The Gallipoli Campaign
The Gallipoli Campaign saw Allied forces, including Australian and New Zealand troops (ANZAC), land on the Gallipoli Peninsula on April 25, 1915 with the goal to secure the Dardanelles Strait and capture Constantinople.
Anzac Cove, located on the western side of the Gallipoli Peninsula where Australian and New Zealand soldiers (ANZACs) landed, were facing steep cliffs and a Turkish defence utilizing the high ground, including hilltops and ridges that became a major stalemate of the Gallipoli Campaign and resulting in a heavy loss of life for both sides.
Gallipoli is remembered as a defining moment in Australian and New Zealand history, symbolizing the courage, resilience, and mateship of the ANZAC troops.
The Gallipoli Campaign ultimately failed, with the Allies withdrawing in January 1916.
The battlefields are now part of the Gallipoli Peninsula Historical National Park.

World War One

Trench Warfare
Trench warfare created a wasteland of cratered, muddy, terrain littered with debris, tree stumps, barbed wire and even human remains - the area between opposing trenches became known as "No Man's Land".
Trench warfare, characterized by an elaborate system of long trenches on the Western Front, created a stalemate and forced soldiers to endure squalid, damp and cold conditions that exposed them to infectious diseases and psychological fatigue.
The unsanitary trenches often led to a condition known as "trenchfoot" which if left untreated, could lead to potential amputation.
British Mark 1 Tank
The Mark I tank, developed in 1915 to break the stalemate of trench warfare brought a breakthrough of trench warfare that overcame machine gun and small-arms fire and could travel over difficult terrain, crush barbed wire and to break through fortified enemy positions.
It carried its own crew, ammunition and fuel and could also be used to deliver supplies.
Land
World War One was fought on land with the majority of the battles taking place in Europe along two fronts:
1. The Western Front was a long line of trenches that ran from France and along the coast of Belgium to Switzerland.
2. The Eastern Front stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, where Russia fought against Germany and Austria-Hungary with extensive fighting in regions like East Prussia, Austrian Galicia, and the Russian-held Polish salient.
Artillery
World War One saw the introduction of powerful, new weapons such as machine guns, flamethrowers and quick-firing artillery, heavy guns were used to bombard enemy positions, chemical weapons (poison gas) caused devastating effects on soldiers, including lung damage, blindness, and even death, tanks, air warfare and radio communications all significantly increased the loss of life than in any previous war in history.
Naval Warfare
At sea, naval blockades and submarine warfare were significant.
The British Royal Navy used naval blockades to restrict the flow of goods to and from Germany.
Submarine Warfare
German U-boats (submarines) launched attacks on Allied shipping, including merchant ships, and even passenger liners.
Naval war battles included the 1916 Battle of Jutland involving the British Royal Navy and the German High Seas Fleet - it resulted in a British strategic victory and control of the North Sea.
Air Warfare
Aircraft were initially used for reconnaissance, gathering information about enemy troop positions and artillery locations behind the lines.
As the war progressed, aircraft were used to bomb military targets and strategic infrastructure like railways.
Aerial Combat
The Red Baron
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force.
He is famous as the ace-of-aces of World War One and is officially credited with 80 air combat victories.
The Red Baron was shot down and killed over France near Vaux-sur-Somme on 21 April 1918.
Major Battles of World War One
World War I saw numerous major battles which included the:
Battle of the Marne - their were two Battles of the Marne during World War One.
The first took place in September 1914.
The second in the summer of 1918.
Battle of Verdun (February 21 – December 18, 1916) in which the French repulsed a major German offensive.
Battle of the Somme (1 July - 18 November 1916) the British army suffered 420,000 casualties, including 125,000 deaths.
The French casualties were around 200,000.
The Germans had 500,000 casualties.
Battle of Gallipoli
Around 8,700 Australians were killed.
Allied forces (British, French, New Zealand, etc) had over 58,000 deaths.
The Ottoman Empire suffered over 87,000 deaths.
Brusilov Offensive (June to September 1916) the largest and most successful Allied offensive of World War I and also one of the deadliest in history resulting in an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Russian casualties, including killed, wounded, and captured.
Austro-Hungarian losses were around 1,000,000 to 1,500,000.
German losses were estimated at 350,000
Third Ypres Campaign (July to November, 1917)
The British suffered around 300,000 casualties.
Germans around 260,000.
German Spring Offensive (21 Mar 1918 – 18 July 1918)
Using troops released from the Eastern Front, following the Russian Revolution and collapse of the Russian Armies in late 1917, the German General Staff attempted to win the war before the Americans arrived in sufficient force to tip the strategic balance firmly in favour of the Allies.
The British lost 236, 000.
French 92, 000.
German losses estimated at 348, 000.
Battle of Amiens (August 8 to 11, 1918)
The Battle of Amiens was a major turning point in World War I, marking the start of the Hundred Days Offensive that ultimately led to the collapse of the German army and the end of the World War One.
Battle of Megiddo (19-25 September 1918)
General Sir Edmund Allenby led the British Empire to victory in the Middle East in 1918.
He successfully combined the use of infantry, cavalry and aeroplanes at the Battle of Megiddo.

Aftermath of World War One

World War One led to major changes in the political landscape of Europe:
Four imperial empires collapsed:
1. The Habsburgs of Austria-Hungary
2. The Hohenzollerns of Germany
3. The sultanate of the Ottoman Empire
4. The Romanovs of Russia
These empires were replaced by new republics or national states.
Russia became the Soviet Union and ushered in the Bolshevik communism revolution (8 March 1917 – 16 June 1923) and the Stalinization of Europe between 1943 and 1948).
The Ottoman Empire became Turkey and many of its territories became mandates under British or French rule.
Nationalism significantly accelerated the decline of the British Empire with rise of anti-imperialist sentiments within the colonies after World War One.
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, was the primary treaty that formally ended World War I.
Germany was blamed for the atrocities of the war and forced to pay harsh reparations which also contained Article 231, commonly known as the “war guilt clause”.
The reparations caused great poverty throughout Germany.
It included territorial losses and disarmament.
The humiliating terms were a major factor contributing to the rise of extremist ideologies in Germany and the eventual outbreak of World War II.
United States
The aftermath of World War One propelled the United States into a position of global power.
It became a superpower after World War II (1939 - 1945).

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