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World War I
World War I
World War I
Europe, along with conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The war started with the
assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, leading to a chain of military
alliances being activated. The Central Powers, led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, the
Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria, opposed the Allies, primarily composed of France, Britain,
Russia, and later Italy and the United States. The war was characterized by trench warfare on
the Western Front, leading to enormous casualties with little territorial change. Technological
innovations such as tanks, airplanes, and chemical weapons were widely used.
The war saw a turning point with the entry of the United States in 1917, bolstering the Allied
forces. The conflict ended with the Armistice on November 11, 1918, as the Central Powers
faced defeat amidst internal upheavals. The subsequent Treaty of Versailles in 1919 imposed
severe penalties on Germany, sowing seeds of discontent that would later contribute to World
War II.