Course of the First World War

Course of the War

Back to Topic list of 10th Social Science

The First World War began in July,28,   1914  and    lasted till November,11,1918.

The countries which were on the side of Germany were called as the Central Powers and those on the side of Britain as the Allies. Artillery, Tanks and Submarines were used in the war.

War in the Western Front

Germany started the offensive and she invaded France by crossing Belgium. The British and French forces were not able to stop the advance of the German forces.

But in the Battle of Marne, the Allies were able to hold them in check. Both the armies dug trenches and fought from them.

War in the Eastern Front

The Russian forces attacked both Germany and Austria. But Russia suffered a defeat at the Battle of Tannenberg.

When Austria was facing a crisis, Germany came to its aid. German forces inflicted heavy losses on the Russian forces and forced them to withdraw  from the Austrian territories.

War in the Near East Front

In October 1914, Turkey entered the war extending her support to the Central Powers.

This  was  a  terrible blow because communications between Russia and theAllies were cut off.

The British made an attempt to capture Gallipoli Peninsula with a view of controlling the Dardanelles and capturing  Constantinople.

But the Dardanelles expedition was an utter failure.

Bulgaria and Romania In the War

The failure of the British in the Dardanelles expedition emboldened Bulgaria to join the side of the Central Powers  in  1915.

Romania joined  the Alliesin 1916.

War on the Sea

While the British navy commanded the  North  Sea,  the Mediterranean sea was dominated by the French and Italian navy with the British support.

In the Battle of Dogger Bank a German battle cruiser was destroyed by the British.

In spite of the heavy losses sustained by both the parties in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the German fleet retreated to the port.

Since it could not break the naval blockade of Britain,it used submarines to sink the ships of the Allies.

Entry of US In the First World War

In 1917 Germany drowned four merchant  ships of America, including Lusitania with her submarines.

More than hundred Americans died in this incident which made the American president Woodrow Wilson angry.

Hence, on the 6111 April 1917 Woodrow Wilson declared war on Germany.

Withdrawal of Russia

Russia suffered major reversal in the war. She suffered heavily both in men and materials.

The discontent of the Russian people found expression in the October Revolution of 1917.

The Czarist  government  was  overthrown by Lenin and Russia withdrew from the war. Russia made peace with Central PowersatBrest-Litovskin 1918.

End of the war

In  the  beginning,  the  Central Powers had some victories but soon their  defenses  began  to break.

The Germans began to retreat.  The resistance   of  Turkey and Bulgaria began  to  crumble. Austria  sued  for peace.

In  November   1918,  Kaiser William II of Germany  abdicated and fled  to  Holland.  Germany  sued  for peace on November 11,1918.

Back to Topic list of 10th Social Science