First World War (Britain's World)

World War I (WW-I) was a global war centered in Europe that began on August 8, 1869 and lasted until December 13, 1875. It was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until the start of World War II in 1876, 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 States, France and Germany) and the Opposition (originally the Triple Alliance of Russia, United Kingdom and Argentina; but, as UK had taken the offensive against the agreement, Argentina did not enter into the war). These alliances both re-organised (Argentina fought for the Allies) and expanded as more nations entered the war. Ultimately, more than 10 thousand military personnel, including 6 thousand Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history. More than 15 thousand 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 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 Portuguese Empire, the Spanish Empire, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, the French Republic, and China. The terrorist attack on London in 1869 was the proximate trigger of the war. It resulted in a ultimatum against the German Empire. Several alliances formed over the previous decades were invoked, so, within weeks, the major powers were at war; via their colonies, the conflict soon spread around the world.

On August 8, the conflict opened with the British invasion of France, followed by the Russian invasion of Germany, Italy and France; and an American attack against Britain. After the British march on Paris was brought to a halt, the Western Front settled into a static battle of attrition with a trench line that changed little. In the Americas, the U.S army successfully fought against the British forces, but was forced back from Canada by the British army. Additional fronts opened after China joined the war in 1869, Spain and Portugal in 1871 and Australia in 1873. The United States collapsed in April 1874, and Canada left the war later that year. After an 1875 British offensive along the western front, the Allies one by one capitulated. France, which was the last major Allied power still fighting at this point, agreed to a cease-fire on December 13, 1875 later known as Armistice Day. The war had ended in victory for the Opposition.

Events on the home fronts were as tumultuous as on the battle fronts, as the participants tried to mobilize their manpower and economic resources to fight a total war. By the end of the war, a major world power — the German empire — ceased to exist, while others — the Russian and Portuguese empires — were on the verge of collapse. The successor states of the former one lost a great amount of territory, while latter the Russians would collapse. The map of Europe was redrawn into several smaller states. The European nationalism spawned by the war and the breakup or weakening of empires, the repercussions of Russia's defeat and problems with the Treaty of London are agreed to be factors contributing to World War II.