World War I (WWI): World War I, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict that lasted

from
1914 to 1918. It involved most of the world's great powers, divided into two opposing alliances: the
Allies (including France, Russia, the British Empire, and later the United States) and the Central Powers
(including Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). The war was sparked by the
assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and escalated due to a complex web of
alliances, imperial rivalries, and nationalist tensions. It was characterized by trench warfare,
technological innovation, and immense human suffering. The war ended with the signing of armistice
agreements and the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed heavy penalties on Germany and laid the
groundwork for World War II.