Results and implications of World War I. The meaning of the First World War is brief. Who with whom

The First World War was the largest military conflict of the first third of the twentieth century and all the wars that took place before that. So when did World War I start and in what year did it end? The date July 28, 1914 is the beginning of the war, and its end is November 11, 1918.

When did World War I start?

The beginning of World War I was the declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia. The reason for the war was the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown by the nationalist Gavrilo Princip.

Speaking briefly about the First World War, it should be noted that the main reason for the outbreak of hostilities was the conquest of a place in the sun, the desire to rule the world with a balance of power, the emergence of Anglo-German trade barriers, such a phenomenon in the development of the state as economic imperialism and territorial claims that reached the absolute. one state to another.

On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a Serb of Bosnian origin, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, starting the main war of the first third of the 20th century.

Rice. 1. Gavrilo Princip.

Russia in the First World

Russia announced mobilization, preparing to defend the fraternal people, thereby incurring an ultimatum from Germany to stop the formation of new divisions. On August 1, 1914, Germany officially declared war on Russia.

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In 1914, military operations on the Eastern Front were conducted in Prussia, where the rapid advance of the Russian troops was driven back by the German counteroffensive and the defeat of Samsonov's army. The offensive in Galicia was more effective. On the Western Front, the course of hostilities was more pragmatic. The Germans invaded France through Belgium and moved at an accelerated pace to Paris. Only in the Battle of the Marne was the offensive stopped by the Allied forces and the parties switched to a long trench war, which dragged on until 1915.

In 1915, Germany's former ally, Italy, entered the war on the side of the Entente. Thus was formed the southwestern front. Fighting unfolded in the Alps, giving rise to mountain warfare.

On April 22, 1915, during the Battle of Ypres, German soldiers used chlorine poison gas against the Entente forces, which was the first gas attack in history.

A similar meat grinder happened on the Eastern Front. The defenders of the Osovets fortress in 1916 covered themselves with unfading glory. The German forces, several times superior to the Russian garrison, could not take the fortress after mortar and artillery fire and several assaults. After that, a chemical attack was applied. When the Germans, walking in gas masks through the smoke, believed that there were no survivors left in the fortress, Russian soldiers ran out to them, coughing up blood and wrapped in various rags. The bayonet attack was unexpected. The enemy, many times superior in number, was finally driven back.

Rice. 2. Defenders of Osovets.

In the Battle of the Somme in 1916, tanks were used for the first time by the British during an attack. Despite frequent breakdowns and low accuracy, the attack had more of a psychological effect.

Rice. 3. Tanks on the Somme.

In order to distract the Germans from the breakthrough and draw forces away from Verdun, the Russian troops planned an offensive in Galicia, the result of which was to be the surrender of Austria-Hungary. This is how the “Brusilovsky breakthrough” occurred, which, although it moved the front line tens of kilometers to the west, did not solve the main task.

At sea, a pitched battle took place between the British and the Germans in 1916 near the Jutland peninsula. German Navy intended to break the naval blockade. More than 200 ships took part in the battle, with a majority of the British, but during the battle there was no winner, and the blockade continued.

On the side of the Entente in 1917, the United States entered, for which entry into the world war on the side of the winner at the very last moment became a classic. The German command from Lans to the River Aisne erected a reinforced concrete "Hindenburg Line", behind which the Germans retreated and switched to a defensive war.

The French General Nivel developed a plan for a counteroffensive on the Western Front. Massive artillery preparation and attacks on different sectors of the front did not give the desired effect.

In 1917, in Russia, during two revolutions, the Bolsheviks came to power, by which the shameful separate Brest peace was concluded. On March 3, 1918, Russia withdrew from the war.
In the spring of 1918, the Germans launched their last "spring offensive". They intended to break through the front and withdraw France from the war, however, the numerical superiority of the Allies did not allow them to do so.

Economic exhaustion and growing dissatisfaction with the war forced Germany to sit down at the negotiating table, during which a peace treaty was concluded at Versailles.

What have we learned?

Despite who fought with whom and who won, history has shown that the end of the First World War did not solve all the problems of mankind. The battle for the redivision of the world did not end, the allies did not finish off Germany and its allies completely, but only economically exhausted, which led to the signing of peace. The Second World War was only a matter of time.

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Fin de siècle (French - "end of the century")- phenomena that took place in the history of European culture at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries

According to the British historian Eric Hobsbawm, the 19th century begins in content in 1789, that is, with the French Revolution, and ends in 1913. In turn, the 20th century - not a calendar, but a historical 20th century - begins in 1914, with the First World War, and continues until 1991, when global changes took place in the world, primarily the unification of Germany in 1990 and the collapse of the USSR in 1991 -m. Such a chronology allowed Hobsbawm, and after him many other historians, to speak of a "long 19th century" and a "short 20th century."

Thus, the First World War is a kind of prologue to the short twentieth century. It was here that the key themes of the century were identified: social disagreements, geopolitical contradictions, ideological struggle, economic confrontation. This is despite the fact that at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries it seemed to many that the wars in Europe had sunk into oblivion. If there are collisions, then only on the periphery, in the colonies. The development of science and technology, the refined culture of the Fin de siècle, according to many contemporaries, did not imply a "carnage" that cost millions of lives and buried four great empires. This is the first war in the world that has a total character: all social strata of the population, all spheres of life were affected. There was nothing left that was not involved in this war.

Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia // europeana1914-1918

balance of power

The main participants: the countries of the Entente, which included the Russian Empire, the French Republic and Great Britain, and the Central Powers, represented by Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria.

Vae victis

(Russian "woe to the vanquished") a Latin catch phrase that implies that the winners always dictate the terms

The question arises: what united each of these countries? What were the aims of each of the parties to the conflict? These questions are all the more important because after the signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty on June 28, 1919, all responsibility for unleashing the war will fall on Germany (Article 231). Of course, all this can be justified on the basis of the universal principle of Vae victis. But is Germany alone to blame for this war? Was it only she and her allies who wanted this war? Of course not.

Germany wanted war just as much as France and Great Britain wanted war. Slightly less interested in this were Russia, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire, which turned out to be the weakest links in this conflict.

World War I // British Library

5 billion francs

This amount of indemnity was paid by France after the defeat in the Franco-Prussian War

Interests of participating countries

In 1871, the triumphant unification of Germany took place in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. A second empire was formed. The proclamation took place against the backdrop of the Franco-Prussian War, when France was suffering a catastrophic defeat. This became a national disgrace: not only was Napoleon III, emperor of all the French, captured almost immediately, only ruins remained of the second empire in France. The Paris Commune arises, another revolution, as often happens in France.

The war ends with France accepting Germany's defeat by signing the Frankfurt Treaty of 1871, according to which Alsace and Lorraine are alienated in favor of Germany and become imperial territories.

Third French Republic

(French Troisième République) - the political regime that existed in France from September 1870 to June 1940

In addition, France undertakes to pay Germany an indemnity of 5 billion francs. To a large extent, this money went to the development of the German economy, which subsequently led to its unprecedented rise by the 1890s. But the point is not even in the financial side of the issue, but in the national humiliation experienced by the French. And more than one generation will remember him from 1871 until 1914.

It was then that the ideas of revanchism arise, which unite the entire Third Republic, born in the crucibles of the Franco-Prussian War. It becomes unimportant who you are: a socialist, a monarchist, a centrist - everyone is united by the idea of ​​revenge on Germany and the return of Alsace and Lorraine.

Russo-Turkish War

the war of 1877 - 178, caused by the rise of the national self-consciousness of the Slavic population in the Balkans

Britannia

Britain was preoccupied with German economic dominance in Europe and the world. By the 1890s, Germany ranks first in terms of GDP in Europe, pushing Britain into second place. The British government cannot accept this fact, given that for many centuries Britain was the "workshop of the world", the most economically developed country. Now Britain is seeking some sort of revenge, but economic.

Russia

For Russia, the key topic was the question of the Slavs, that is, the Slavic peoples living in the Balkans. The ideas of pan-Slavism, which gain momentum in the 1860s, lead to the Russian-Turkish war in the 1870s, this idea remains in the 1880s–1890s, and so it passes into the 20th century, and finally embodied by 1915. The main idea was the return of Constantinople, to put a cross over Hagia Sophia. In addition, the return of Constantinople was supposed to solve all the problems with the straits, with the transition from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. This was one of the main geopolitical goals of Russia. And plus everything, of course, to push the Germans out of the Balkans.

As we can see, several interests of the main participating countries intersect here at once. Thus, in consideration this issue equally important is the political level, and geopolitical, and economic, and cultural. Do not forget that during the war, at least in its first years, culture becomes the basic part of the ideology. The anthropological level is no less important. War affects a person from different sides, and he begins to exist in this war. Another question is whether he was ready for this war? Did he imagine what kind of war it would be? People who went through the First World War, lived in the conditions of this war, after its end became completely different. Not a trace will remain of beautiful Europe. Everything will change: social relations, domestic policy, social policy. No country will ever be the same as it was in 1913.

World War I // wikipedia.org

Franz Ferdinand - Archduke of Austria

Formal cause for conflict

The formal reason for the start of the war was the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, and his wife were shot dead in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. The killer turned out to be a terrorist from the Serbian nationalist organization Mlada Bosna. The Sarajevo assassination caused an unprecedented scandal, in which all the main participants in the conflict were involved and to some extent interested.

Austria-Hungary protests Serbia and asks for an investigation with the participation of the Austrian police in order to identify terrorist organizations directed against Austria-Hungary. Parallel to this, tense diplomatic secret consultations are taking place between Serbia and Russian Empire on the one hand and between Austria-Hungary and the German Empire on the other.

Was there a way out of the current impasse or not? It turned out that no. On July 23, Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to Serbia, giving it 48 hours to respond. In turn, Serbia agreed to all the conditions, except for one related to the fact that the secret services of Austria-Hungary would begin to make arrests and take out terrorists and suspicious persons to Austria-Hungary without notifying the Serbian side. Austria, reinforced by the support of Germany, declares war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. In response to this, the Russian Empire announces mobilization, to which the German Empire protests and demands to stop the mobilization, in case of non-cessation, the German side reserves the right to start its own mobilization. On July 31, a general mobilization was announced in the Russian Empire. In response, on August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia. The war has begun. On August 3, France joins it, on August 4 - Great Britain, and all the main participants begin hostilities.

July 31, 1914

mobilization of Russian soldiers to participate in the First World War

It is important to note that when announcing mobilization, no one talks about their selfish interests. Everyone proclaims the lofty ideals behind this war. For example, help to the fraternal Slavic peoples, help to the fraternal German peoples and the empire. Accordingly, France and Russia are bound by allied treaties, this is allied assistance. This also applies to Britain. It is interesting to note that already in September 1914, another protocol was signed between the Entente countries, that is, between Great Britain, Russia and France - a declaration on the non-conclusion of a separate peace. The same document will be signed by the Entente countries in November 1915. Thus, we can say that among the allies there were suspicions and significant fears in matters of trust in each other: what if someone breaks loose and concludes a separate peace with the enemy side.

Propaganda Karten // wikipedia.org

Schlieffen Plan

the strategic plan of the military command of the German Empire, developed at the beginning of the 20th century by Alfred von Schlieffen to achieve a quick victory in the First World War

World War I as a new type of war

Germany waged war in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan, developed by the Prussian Field Marshal General and member of the German General Staff von Schlieffen. It was supposed to concentrate all forces on the right flank, inflict a lightning strike on France, and only after that switch to the Russian front.

So, Schlieffen develops this plan just in late XIX century. As we can see, his tactics were based on blitzkrieg - delivering lightning strikes that stun the enemy, bring chaos and sow panic among the enemy troops.

Wilhelm II was sure that Germany would have time to defeat France before the general mobilization in Russia ended. After that, it was planned to transfer the main contingent of German troops to the East, that is, to Prussia, and organize offensive operation already in the Russian Empire. This is exactly what Wilhelm II meant when he declared that he would have breakfast in Paris and dinner in St. Petersburg.

Treaty of Versailles

Treaty signed on June 28, 1919 at the Palace of Versailles in France, officially ending the First World War

Forced deviations from this plan began already from the first days of the war. So, the German troops moved too slowly through the territory of neutral Belgium. The main blow to France came from Belgium. AT this case Germany grossly violated international agreements and neglected the concept of neutrality. What will then be reflected in the Versailles Peace Treaty, as well as those crimes, primarily the export of cultural property from Belgian cities, and is regarded by the world community as nothing more than "German barbarism" and savagery.

To repel the German offensive, France asked the Russian Empire to hastily launch a counteroffensive in East Prussia in order to pull part of the troops from the Western Front to the Eastern. Russia successfully carried out this operation, which largely saved France from the surrender of Paris.

Kingdom of Poland

Territory in Europe that was part of the Russian Empire from 1815 to 1917

Retreat in Russia

In 1914, Russia won a number of victories, primarily on the Southwestern Front. In fact, Russia inflicts a crushing defeat on Austria-Hungary, occupies Lviv (then it was the Austrian city of Lemberg), occupies Bukovina, that is, Chernivtsi, Galicia and approaches the Carpathians.

But already in 1915, a great retreat began, tragic for the Russian army. It turned out that there was a catastrophic lack of ammunition, according to the documents they should have been, but in fact they were not. In 1915, Russian Poland, that is, the Kingdom of Poland (Privislinsky region), was lost, the conquered Galicia, Vilna, modern western Belarus were lost. The Germans are actually approaching Riga, leaving Courland - for the Russian front it will be a disaster. And since 1916, in the army, especially among the soldiers, there has been a general fatigue from the war. Discontent begins on the Russian front, of course, this will affect the disintegration of the army and play its tragic role in the revolutionary events of 1917. According to archival documents, we see that the censors, through whom the soldiers' letters passed, note decadent moods, the lack of fighting spirit in the Russian army since 1916. It is interesting that the Russian soldiers, who for the most part were peasants, begin to engage in self-mutilation - shoot themselves in the foot, in the hand in order to leave the front as soon as possible and end up in their native village.

Anti-Serb uprisings in Sarajevo. 1914 // wikipedia.org

5000 people

Died as a result of the use of chlorine as a weapon by German troops

The total nature of war

One of the main tragedies of the war will be the use of poisonous gases in 1915. On the Western Front, at the Battle of Ypres, for the first time in history, chlorine was used by German troops, resulting in the death of 5,000 people. The First World War is technological, it is a war of engineering systems, inventions, high technologies. This war is not only on land, it is under water. So, German submarines dealt crushing blows to the British fleet. This is a war in the air: aviation was used both as a means of finding out the positions of the enemy (reconnaissance function), and for delivering strikes, that is, bombing.

The First World War is a war where there is no longer much room for valor and courage. Due to the fact that the war already in 1915 took on a positional character, there were no direct clashes when one could see the face of the enemy, look into his eyes. There is no enemy in sight. Death begins to be perceived in a completely different way, because it appears out of nowhere. In this sense, the gas attack is a symbol of this desacralized and demystified death.

"Verdun meat grinder"

Battle of Verdun - fighting on the Western Front, carried out from February 21 to December 18, 1916

The First World War is a colossal number of victims, unprecedented before. We can recall the so-called "Verdun meat grinder", where there were 750 thousand killed by France and England, by Germany - 450 thousand, that is, the total losses of the parties amounted to more than a million people! Bloodshed on this scale history has not yet known. The horror of what is happening, the presence of death from nowhere cause aggression and frustration. That is why, in the end, all this causes such bitterness, which will result in outbreaks of aggression and violence already in peacetime after the First World War. Compared with 1913, there is an increase in cases of domestic violence: fights in the streets, domestic violence, conflicts at work, etc.

In many ways, this allows researchers to talk about the readiness of the population for totalitarianism and violent, repressive practices. Here we can recall, first of all, the experience of Germany, where in 1933 National Socialism was victorious. This is also a kind of continuation of the First World War.

That is why there is an opinion that it is impossible to separate the First and Second World Wars. That it was one war that began in 1914 and ended only in 1945. And what happened from 1919 to 1939 was just a truce, because the population was still living with the ideas of war and was ready to fight further.

Map of Germany in 1919 // Alisa Serbinenko for PostNauka

Woodrow Wilson - 28th President of the United States (1913-1921)

Aftermath of World War I

The war, which began on August 1, 1914, continued until November 11, 1918, when an armistice was signed between Germany and the Entente countries. By 1918, the Entente was represented by France and Great Britain. The Russian Empire will leave this union in 1917, when in October there will be a Bolshevik coup of a revolutionary type. The first decree of Lenin will be the Decree on peace without annexations and indemnities to all warring powers on October 25, 1917. True, none of the warring powers will support this decree, except for Soviet Russia.

At the same time, Russia will officially withdraw from the war only on March 3, 1918, when the famous Treaty of Brest-Litovsk of 1918 will be signed in Brest-Litovsk, according to which Germany and its allies, on the one hand, and Soviet Russia, on the other, ceased hostilities against each other. At the same time, Soviet Russia lost part of its territories, primarily Ukraine, Belarus and the entire Baltic. No one even thought about Poland, and, in fact, no one needed it. The logic of Lenin and Trotsky in this matter was very simple: we do not bargain for territories, because the world revolution will win anyway. Moreover, in August 1918, an additional agreement to the Brest Peace would be signed, according to which Russia would undertake to pay indemnities to Germany, and even the first transfer would be made - 93 tons of gold. So, Russia leaves, which will be a violation of the allied obligations that the tsarist government assumed and to which the Provisional Government was loyal.

By 1918, the need for finding a way to compromise with the Entente countries became obvious to the leadership of Germany. At the same time, I wanted to lose as little as possible. It was for this purpose that a counteroffensive was proposed on the Western Front in the spring and summer of 1918. The operation was extremely unsuccessful for Germany, which only increased discontent among the troops and among the civilian population. In addition, a revolution took place in Germany on November 9th. Its instigators were sailors in Kiel, who revolted, not wanting to follow the order of the command. On November 11, 1918, the Armistice of Compiègne was signed between Germany and the Entente countries. It should be noted that the armistice is signed in Compiègne in Marshal Foch's carriage not by chance. This will be done at the insistence of the French side, for which it was very important to overcome the defeat complex in the Franco-Prussian War. France will insist on this place in order for an act of revenge to take place, that is, satisfaction will occur. It must be said that the carriage will surface again in 1940, when it will be brought in again so that Hitler accepts the surrender of France in it.

On June 28, 1919, a peace treaty with Germany is signed. It was a humiliating world for her, she was losing all her overseas colonies, part of Schleswig, Silesia and Prussia. Germany was forbidden to have a submarine fleet, to develop and have the latest weapons systems. The contract, however, did not specify the amount that Germany had to pay as reparations, since France and Britain could not agree among themselves due to France's excessive appetites. It was unprofitable for Britain to create such a strong France. Therefore, the amount was not entered in the end. It was finally determined only in 1921. Under the London Accords of 1921, Germany had to pay 132 billion gold marks.

Germany was declared the sole culprit in unleashing the conflict. And, in fact, all the restrictions and sanctions imposed on it followed from this. The Treaty of Versailles had disastrous consequences for Germany. The Germans felt insulted and humiliated, which led to the rise of nationalist forces. During the 14 difficult years of the Weimar Republic - from 1919 to 1933 - any political force set as its goal the revision of the Treaty of Versailles. First of all, no one recognized the eastern borders. The Germans turned into a divided people, part of which remained in the Reich, in Germany, part in Czechoslovakia (Sudetland), part in Poland. And in order to feel national unity, it is necessary to reunite the great German people. This formed the basis of the political slogans of the National Socialists, the Social Democrats, the moderate conservatives, and other political forces.

The results of the war for the participating countries and the idea of ​​great powers

For Austria-Hungary, the consequences of defeat in the war turned into a national catastrophe and the collapse of the multinational Habsburg empire. Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, who over the 68 years of his reign became a kind of symbol of the empire, died in 1916. He was replaced by Charles I, who failed to stop the centrifugal national forces of the empire, which, coupled with military defeats, led to the collapse of Austria-Hungary. Four of the greatest empires perished in the crucibles of the First World War: Russian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and German. New states will emerge in their place: Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. At the same time, grievances and disagreements, as well as territorial claims of new countries to each other, remained. Hungary was dissatisfied with the borders that were determined for it in accordance with the agreements reached, because Greater Hungary should also include Croatia.

It seemed to everyone that the First World War would solve the problems, but it created new ones and deepened the old ones.

Bulgaria is dissatisfied with the borders that she got, because Great Bulgaria should include almost all the territories up to Constantinople. The Serbs also considered themselves deprived. In Poland, the idea of ​​Greater Poland - from sea to sea - is becoming widespread. Perhaps Czechoslovakia was the only happy exception of all the new Eastern European states, which was happy with everything. After the First World War, in many European countries, the idea of ​​\u200b\u200btheir own greatness and significance arose, which led to the creation of myths about national exceptionalism and their political formulation in the interwar period.

• Political significance
• Economic importance
• Military significance
• Demographic importance
• Public
• New ideologies

The First World War itself and its results, in short, were of great historical significance for the subsequent development not only of European states, but of the whole world. First, it forever changed the existing world order. And secondly, its outcome became one of the prerequisites for the emergence of a second world armed conflict.

Politics

The war was of the greatest importance for the further political interaction of countries.
After the war, the political map of the world changed quite a lot. Four large empires that played a significant role in world politics disappeared from it at once. Instead of 22 European states, at the end of the military confrontation, there were 30 countries on the continent. New public entities and in the Middle East (instead of the end of the Ottoman Empire). At the same time, the form of government and political structure changed in many countries. If before the start of the war there were 19 monarchical states on the European map and only three republican states, then after it ended, the first became 14, but the number of the second increased immediately to 16.
Huge impact on future international relationships was provided by the new Versailles-Washington system, formed to a greater extent taking into account the interests of the victorious countries (Russia did not enter there, since it had withdrawn from the war earlier). At the same time, the interests of the newly formed states, as well as the countries that were defeated in the war, were completely ignored. And even, on the contrary, the young states had to become obedient puppets in the struggle against the Russian Bolshevik system and the German thirst for revenge.
In a word, new system was completely unfair, unbalanced, and therefore ineffective and could not lead to anything other than a new large-scale war.

Economy

Even with a brief examination, it becomes clear, but the First World War was of no less importance for the economy of all countries that took part in it.
As a result of hostilities, large areas of countries lay in ruins, settlements and infrastructure were destroyed. The arms race has led to the skew of the economy in many industrial countries towards the military industry, to the detriment of other areas.
At the same time, the changes affected not only the major powers, who spent colossal sums on rearmament, but also their colonies, where production was transferred, and from where more and more resources were supplied.
As a result of the war, many countries abandoned the gold standard, which led to a crisis in the monetary system.
Almost the only country that benefited from the First World War is the United States. Observing neutrality in the first years of the war, the states accepted and carried out the orders of the belligerents, which led to their significant enrichment.
However, despite all the negative aspects in the development of the economy, it is worth noting that the war gave an impetus to the development of new technologies, and not only in the production of weapons.

Demography

The human losses of this protracted bloody conflict numbered in the millions. And they did not end with the last shot. Many died due to their wounds and the outbreak of the Spanish flu pandemic ("Spanish flu") already in the post-war years. The countries of Europe were literally drained of blood.

community development

In short, the First World War was also of considerable importance for the development of society. While men fought on numerous fronts, women worked in workshops and industries, including those that were considered exclusively male. This was largely reflected in the formation of women's views and rethinking their place in society. Therefore, the post-war years were marked by mass emancipation.
Also, the war played a huge role in strengthening the revolutionary movement and, as a result, in improving the situation of the working class. In some countries, the workers achieved their rights through a change of power, in others the government and the monopolists themselves made concessions.

New ideologies

Perhaps one of the most significant outcomes of the First World War was that it made possible the emergence of new ideologies, such as fascism, and gave a chance to strengthen and rise to a new level of the old, for example, socialism.
Subsequently, many researchers have repeatedly proved that it is precisely such large-scale and protracted conflicts that contribute to the establishment of totalitarian regimes.
Thus, it can be said that the world after the end of the war was no longer the one that entered it four years earlier.

The First World War (1914-1918) was of great importance for the subsequent development of world history. The main result of the First World War was the collapse of the four largest empires of the Old World - Russian, Ottoman, German and Autro-Hungarian. A new stage in the development of civilization began in the world.

Results of the First World War for Russia

Already a year before the end of hostilities, Russia for internal reasons withdrew from the Entente and concluded the shameful Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany. The revolution carried out by the Bolsheviks changed the course of history for Russia, which will now never have access to the Mediterranean.

The First World War had not yet ended, as the Civil War flared in the territories of the former Russian Empire until 1922.

Rice. 1. Map civil war in Russia.

The new government set out to build communism through socialism, which led to international diplomatic isolation.

Let's take a look at the points, what were the consequences of participation in the First World War:

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• The outbreak of the Civil War claimed more than 10 million people killed and crippled even more people.
• During the Civil War, more than 2 million people emigrated abroad.
• Russia concluded the shameful Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, according to which it lost vast territories in the west.
• Foreign intervention took a heavy toll on the frontier regions of the former empire.
• The formed USSR fell into diplomatic isolation due to opposing itself to capitalism, taking a course towards building socialism and proclaiming the idea of ​​a world revolution, which turned the entire world community, including former allies, away from itself.
• The USSR was not admitted to the League of Nations for many years, which happened only in 1933.
• Russia forever lost the chance to take possession of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.
• The USSR, formed on the territory of the Russian Empire, refused the historical continuity of the empire's heritage, which was the reason to exclude it from the list of victorious countries. Soviet Union did not receive any dividends after the victory over Germany.
• The huge economic damage caused to the country from 1914 to 1922 had to be restored for several decades.

Rice. 2. Territories of Soviet Russia following the results of the Brest peace.

While in exile, the Russian army of Baron Wrangel for many years did not lose hope of returning to Russia and continuing the struggle against Bolshevism. The White Guards fought against the Bolsheviks during the revolution in Bulgaria, in Bizerte (Tunisia) the White Guard fleet was on alert for more than ten years, and the Russian army, being in Gallipoli (Turkey) and the same Bizerte, held reviews every day and demonstrated high combat readiness . Not a single state has been able to disarm the White émigré military formations. They did it themselves when there was no hope of returning to Russia to continue the struggle.

Briefly about the results of the First World War

The result of the victory of the Entente was the solution of the main tasks that the victorious countries set for themselves. The United States entered the course of the war in 1917, choosing for itself the policy of entering world wars at the very last moment in order to receive maximum dividends as one of the main participants and positioning itself as a state that decided the outcome of the war.

Rice. 3. Territorial changes in Europe after the war.

In total, after the conclusion of the Treaty of Versailles with Germany, the following territorial changes took place in the world:

• Britain received new colonies in Southwest Africa, Iraq, Palestine, Togo and Cameroon, Northeast New Guinea and a number of small islands;
• Belgium - Rwanda, Burundi and other small territories in Africa;
• Greece was given Western Thrace;
• Denmark - Northern Schleswig;
• Italy expanded into Tyrol and Istria;
• Romania received Transylvania, Bukovina, Bessarabia;
• France took control of the desired Alsace and Lorraine, as well as Syria, Lebanon, and most of Cameroon;
• Japan - German islands in the Pacific Ocean;
• Yugoslavia was formed on the territory of the former Austria-Hungary;

In addition, the Bosphorus, the Dardanelles and the Rhine region were demilitarized. Germany and Austria became republics, as did many nation-states on the territory of the former Russian Empire.

The military results of the war include the acceleration of the development of new weapons and tactics of warfare. The First World War gave the world submarines, tanks, gas attacks and a gas mask, a flamethrower, anti-aircraft guns. New types of artillery appeared and rapid-fire weapons were modernized. The role of the engineering troops increased and the participation of the cavalry decreased.

The huge loss of life was mourned around the world - more than 10 million people among the military and more than 12 million civilians.

The prolonged First World War caused enormous damage to the economies of countries that had been working for the needs of the front for 4 years. During this time, the role of the military-industrial complex, state economic planning has increased, a network of paved roads has developed, and dual-use products have emerged.

What have we learned?

The end of the war forever changed the world order and the political map. However, not all the lessons she taught were taken up by the victors, which would later lead to the Second World War.

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How did the First World War (1914 - 1918): causes, stages, results briefly. The years of the war, its beginning and end, the entire chronicle of events and who won and won. Consider a card file of losses, how many died and what losses each of the countries suffered. The calculation table will help you understand the details and see the full picture. You will also learn who were the most famous heroes in Russia and their exploits.

World War I began on August 1, 1914 and ended on November 11, 1918. During this period, 38 states participated in the hostilities, which means that 62% of the world's population fought at the same time.

The First World War is one of those wars that historians call ambiguous and extremely controversial. One of the reasons for the war is the overthrow of the autocracy in Russia, which the opponents managed to achieve. The most significant role in the course of events was played by the Balkan countries, but their decisions and actions were directly influenced by England. So, it was impossible to call these countries independent. Germany also had some influence (in particular, on Bulgaria), but it quickly lost its authority in the region.

Who with whom?

Two groups of countries took part in World War I. On one side was the Entente, on the other, the Triple Alliance. Each group had its own leaders and allies.

The Entente included: the Russian Empire, Great Britain and France. These countries were supported by the United States, Italy, as well as Romania, New Zealand, Canada and Australia.

The Triple Alliance included: Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. During the hostilities, the Bulgarian kingdom also joined them, which is why the coalition was later called the Quadruple Alliance.

Country	Entry into the war	Exit from the war
🌏 Austria-Hungary	July 27, 1914	November 3, 1918
🌏 Germany	August 1, 1914	November 11, 1918
🌏 Turkey	October 29, 1914	October 30, 1918
🌏 Bulgaria	October 14, 1915	September 29, 1918
🌏 Russia	August 1, 1914	March 3, 1918
🌏 France	August 3, 1914
🌏 Belgium	August 3, 1914
🌏 United Kingdom	August 4, 1914
🌏 Italy	May 23, 1915
🌏 Romania	August 27, 1916

At the very beginning, Italy was part of the Triple Alliance, but as soon as the outbreak of the First World War was announced, this country declared its neutrality.

The reasons

The main reason for the start of the war was the claims of the leading (at that time) world powers for the redivision of the world. England, France, Germany and Austria-Hungary planned in one way or another to expand their spheres of influence.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the colonial system, which fed the leading powers so well, suddenly failed. For decades, European countries have taken valuable resources from Africans and Indians by exploiting their colonies. But the world has changed, now the resources could not be obtained so easily - the powers decided to take them from each other by force.

Against this background, the contradictions grew stronger and stronger:

• England and Germany: the first power did everything possible so that the second could not strengthen its position in the Balkans. At the same time, Germany not only sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, but also made efforts to deprive England of her naval superiority on the world stage.
• Germany and France: The French dreamed of regaining Alsace and Lorraine - lands lost during the war of 1870 - 1871. And France was also interested in the Saar coal basin, which at that time belonged to Germany.
• Germany and Russia: The Germans hunted for Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States, which at that time belonged to the Russian Empire.
• Russia and Austria-Hungary: for these two powers, the main contradictions centered on the desire to influence the Balkans. And Russia also wanted to take the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.

Reason for starting a war

The impetus that triggered the start of the First World War happened in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina): nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist from the Young Bosnia movement, killed Franz Ferdinand, Archduke and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.

"Young Bosnia", within which Gavrilo Princip acted, being a member of the Black Hand organization, fought for the liberation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the rule of Austria-Hungary. The murder of the heir to the throne was that very step towards liberation, but the resonance received on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo turned out to be more ambitious than the participants in those events probably expected.

German helmets from World War I

Austria-Hungary received a reason to attack Serbia, but at the same time it could not start a war on its own. She needed the help of England, which, in turn, acted aggressively, trying to manipulate Austria-Hungary, Russia and Germany. On the one hand, the British insisted that Nicholas II and the Russian Empire help Serbia in case of aggression. On the other hand, the British press portrayed the Serbs as real barbarians who should not be left unpunished, thereby pushing Austria-Hungary into action.

Thus, the resulting conflict turned into a raging flame of world war. And not the last role in this was played by England as the leading power of that time.

In textbooks, we stick to only the most common facts - the reason for war is the assassination of the Archduke on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo. But you need to understand that behind the scenes, fertile ground was being prepared for inciting a full-fledged world conflict:

• The influential French politician Jean Jaures was assassinated on June 29, the day after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Jean Jaurès opposed the war.
• A few weeks before these two murders mentioned above, an attempt was made on the life of Rasputin, an ardent opponent of the war, who had a serious influence on Nicholas II, the emperor of the Russian Empire.
• Russian ambassador Hartley died at the Austrian embassy in Serbia in 1914. By the way, in 1917 his correspondence with Sozonov, the next Russian ambassador to Serbia, mysteriously disappeared.

British diplomats acted "on two fronts": they egged on Germany, promising to take Germany's side in the war with the Russian Empire or, in extreme cases, to remain neutral; and at the same time, Nicholas II received confirmation that England was preparing to help him in a potential war against Germany.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the forces of Russia and Germany were approximately equal in their world influence. Even after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, these two powers took a wait-and-see attitude, not venturing into open hostilities. If England had made it clear to both Russia and Germany that she would not allow war in Europe, neither of these countries would have dared to go to war. Austria-Hungary also would not go to war with Serbia, despite the assassination. But England did everything to ensure that each of the countries prepared to fight, promising each side its help behind the backs of others.

When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, it was not yet the First World War. In order to grow from a small war of two states on the basis of murder into a world war, all the major powers of that time had to be drawn into the conflict. Each of them was at a different level of readiness for war.

Nicholas II was well aware that the Russian Empire was not ready for military action, but he could not stand aside, given that at stake was its authority in the Balkans, obtained with such difficulty earlier. As a result, the emperor signs a decree on mobilization. And despite the fact that the all-Russian mobilization is not yet a declaration of war, Germany and Austria-Hungary perceived the Russian mobilization as a signal for active action. These two powers even demanded that Russia stop mobilization, but there was no answer. On August 1, the German ambassador, Count Pourtales, arrived in Russian Ministry Foreign Affairs with a note declaring war.

The military power of the powers

Map of military operations in 1914 - 1915 (clickable)

Let's look at the balance of forces and military weapons of key countries in the First World War:

Country	Number of common guns	Of them heavy guns
🌏 Russian Empire	7088	240
🌏 Austria-Hungary	4088	1000
🌏 Germany	9388	3260
🌏 France	4300	198

Germany and Austria-Hungary had significantly more heavy guns, but at the same time, Germany was even more actively developing its military industry. For comparison, England produced up to 10 thousand shells per month, and Germany produced more than 250 thousand per day alone.

Now let's compare the weapons and equipment of the leading powers of the First World War:

Side in the war	Country	Weapon	Artillery	tanks
Entente	Russia	3328	11,7
Entente	France	2812	23,2	5,3
Entente	England	4093	26,4	2,8
Triple Alliance	Germany	8827	64	0,1
Triple Alliance	Austria-Hungary	3540	15,9

Obviously, the military power of the Russian Empire was much inferior not only to Germany, but also to France and England. This could not but affect the course of hostilities and losses as a result of the war.

It remains to analyze the number of fighting infantry at the beginning and end of the war, as well as the losses of each side:

Side in the war	Country	The beginning of the war	End of the war	Losses
Entente	Russia	5.3 million	7.0 million	2.3 million
Entente	France	3.7 million	4.4 million	1.4 million
Entente	England	1 million	3.9 million	0.7 million
Triple Alliance	Germany	3.8 million	7.6 million	2 million
Triple Alliance	Austria-Hungary	2.3 million	4.4 million	1.4 million

What conclusion can we draw from this summary? England suffered the least human losses, which was not a surprise, because this country almost did not take part in major battles.

As a result of the war, it turned out that it was those countries that invested the most in this war that lost the most. While Russia and Germany were losing 4.3 million people for two, France, Austria-Hungary and England together lost 3.5 million. In fact, the war was fought between Russia and Germany, and it was these two powers that were left with nothing: Russia lost land and signed the shameful Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and Germany lost its independence as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

Chronicle of events

July 28, 1914. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The countries of the Triple Alliance and the Entente were drawn into the conflict.

August 1, 1914. The Russian Empire entered the war. Nicholas Romanov, the uncle of Nicholas II, was appointed supreme commander in chief.

As soon as the First World War began, Petersburg was immediately rushed to be renamed Petrograd: the capital of the Russian Empire could not have a name with German origin.

Military action in 1914

What happened on the fronts:

• Northwestern Front. Military operations went from August to September 1914. Russian troops carried out the East Prussian operation, which ended in the complete defeat of the first and second Russian armies.
• Southwestern Front. Military operations during the Galician operation also lasted from August to September 1914 against the Austro-Hungarian troops. The latter received reinforcements from Germany, which saved them.
• Caucasian Front. From December 1914 to January 1915, the Sarykamysh operation was carried out against the Turkish troops, as a result of which most of the Transcaucasus was occupied.

Military operations on the Eastern Front in 1914

The Russian Empire opposes Germany and Austria-Hungary. Turkey joined the latter.

📌 Military operations on the Eastern Front were not successful for any of the parties - no one achieved a tangible victory.

Germany developed a plan - to defeat France first, then Russia with lightning speed, but this plan failed miserably. It was called the Schlieffen Plan and its essence was to destroy France from the Western Front in 40 days, and then fight Russia on the Eastern Front. The Germans focused on 40 days, because they believed that this was how long the Russian Empire needed to mobilize.

The advance of the German troops began successfully - on August 2, 1914, they captured Luxembourg, and on August 4, the Germans already invaded Belgium, which at that time was a neutral country. On August 20, Germany moved on France, but on September 5 it was stopped at the Marne River. There was a fight with total strength fought 2 million people.

Germany thought it could handle France while Russia mobilized its troops, but Nicholas II entered the war without fully mobilizing the army. Russian troops advanced on East Prussia already on August 4, which the Germans did not expect at all and even retreated at first. But in the end, Germany repelled the offensive, since the Russian Empire did not have either full-fledged resources or proper organization. Russia lost the battle, but did not allow Germany to realize lightning plan Schlieffen: while the Russian Empire was losing the first and second armies, France saved Paris.

Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1914

In parallel with the offensive in the East, the Russian Empire went to Galicia, where the Austro-Hungarian troops were located. Despite the help from Germany, which sent additional divisions to the allied Austria-Hungary, this operation was more successful for the Russian army: Austria-Hungary lost 400 thousand soldiers, another 100 thousand were captured. At the same time, Russia lost 150 thousand.

📌 After the Galician operation, Austria-Hungary withdrew from the war, no longer having the opportunity to fight on its own.

Results of 1914:

1. Schlieffen's German plan to capture the French and Russian armies with lightning speed failed miserably.
2. Neither power gained a significant advantage during the course of the war.
3. As a result of 1914, the First World War became a positional one.

Military action in 1915

When it became clear that the Schlieffen plan had failed, Germany sent all its forces to the Eastern Front to fight Russia. At that moment, it seemed to Germany that the Russian Empire was the weakest country of the Entente and it was much easier to deal with it than with others.

The strategic plan for command on the Eastern Front was developed by General von Hindenburg. The Russian Empire thwarted this plan as well, but spent enormous forces on it and got out only at the cost of incredible losses.

What happened on the fronts:

• Northwestern Front. Military operations were conducted from January to October 1915. As a result of the German offensive, Russia is losing Poland, Western Belarus, Ukraine and part of the Baltic states. The Russians are on the defensive.
• Southwestern Front. The hostilities lasted from January to March 1915. During the Carpathian operation against the Austro-Hungarian troops, the Russian army loses Galicia and goes on the defensive.
• Caucasian Front. From June to July 1915, the Alashkert operation lasted near the lakes Van and Urmia against the Turkish army. From December 1915, the Erzurum operation began.

Military operations on the North-Western Front in 1915

From the beginning of 1915 until October, Germany was actively advancing on Russia, as a result of which the latter lost Poland, Western Ukraine, partly the Baltic states and Western Belarus. During this German offensive, the Russian Empire lost 850 thousand people and 900 thousand soldiers were captured.

Despite the fact that the Russian Empire did not capitulate after these hostilities, but went on the defensive, the countries of the Triple Alliance were convinced that Russia would not recover from the losses.

📌 After a successful attack for Germany and the defeat of the Russian army, Bulgaria joins this side - from October 14, 1915.

Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1915

The German army with the remnants of the surviving Austro-Hungarian army in the spring of 1915 makes the Gorlitsky breakthrough. Russia retreats along the Southwestern Front and loses Galicia, which it had only conquered in 1914. On the side of Germany was not only a significant technical advantage, but also the strategic mistakes of the Russian command.

📌 At that time, Germany had 2.5 times more machine guns, 4.5 times more light artillery, and 40 times more heavy artillery.

Military operations on the Western Front in 1915

War broke out on the Western Front between Germany and France. Actions on both sides were sluggish and lack of initiative. Germany concentrated more on the Eastern Front, while England and France at that time were mobilizing their armies in preparation for further action.

Nicholas II repeatedly turned to France for help, at least to make it more active on the Western Front, but in vain.

Results of 1915:

1. The German plan to destroy the Russian army failed, but the losses of the Russian Empire were colossal, although not huge enough to take Russia out of the war.
2. After 1.5 years of hostilities, neither side has gained a strategic advantage or superiority. The war dragged on.

Military action in 1916

The 16th year of the 20th century began with Germany losing strategic initiative. The successful offensive of the Russians once again plays into the hands of the allied France - the fortress of Verdun is saved. At this stage, Romania joins the Entente.

Consider briefly what happened in the third year of the war:

• Northwestern Front. From spring to autumn, defensive battles are fought on the western border.
• Southwestern Front. From May to July 1916, the Russian army advances and makes the Brusilovsky breakthrough. In the course of these actions, Russia recaptures Bukovina and Southern Galicia, destroying the Austro-Hungarian troops.
• Caucasian Front. The Erzurum operation comes to an end and the Trebizond operation begins, as a result of which Erzurum and Trebizond are captured.

Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1916

In February 1916, German troops decisively attack France in order to capture Paris. He defended the capital of Verdun - a fortress on the outskirts of Paris. It was to Verdun that Germany went. In that battle, 2 million people died, and it lasted until the very end of 1916.

📌 Considering how much time was spent on the capture of the fortress of Verdun, and how many people died, those battles were called the "Verdun Meat Grinder". France managed to survive, but only because Russia came to her aid.

Russian troops have been actively advancing along the Southwestern Front since May 1916. This offensive went down in history as the Brusilovsky breakthrough, as General Brusilov was in command. The offensive went on for 2 months.

The actual breakthrough occurred on June 5 in Bukovina. The Russian army not only broke through the defenses, but also advanced 120 km inland. The losses of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies in that breakthrough amounted to 1.5 million people - wounded and captured in total. The Russian offensive was stopped only after the transfer of additional German divisions, which at that time were located near Verdun and in Italy.

Romania, which entered the war on the side of the Entente, was unable to resist the German army. Germany quickly dealt with the Romanian troops, inflicting a serious defeat on them. As a result, Russia has 2,000 km of additional front, which means additional losses.

Results of 1916:

1. The strategic initiative turned out to be on the side of the Entente.
2. France re-defended Paris from the offensive, retaining the fortress of Verdun. But, like the first time, it happened thanks to the help of the Russian Empire.
3. In the third year of the war, Romania joins the Entente, but Germany quickly destroyed its army.
4. A significant achievement of the Russian Empire this year is the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

Military action in 1917

1917 was a fatal year for the Russian Empire. On all fronts, Russian troops carry out unsuccessful operations: Germany captures Riga, and then the Moonsund archipelago in the Baltic. The Russian army is demoralized, and popular unrest is directed towards peace. Inside the country, their own changes are ripe - on November 20 (December 3), the Bolsheviks seize power and negotiate peace. As a result of these negotiations, on March 3, 1918, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed.

Armored Train in the Carpathians (New York Public Library Archives)

Both in Germany and in Russia, against the backdrop of the war in 1917, the economic situation worsened. For example, in the Russian Empire, only in the first 3 years of the war, food prices increased 4-5 times. Dissatisfied people, exhausting war, great human losses - all this served as fertile ground for the revolutionaries, who hastened to take advantage of the moment to seize power. A similar picture emerged in Germany.

As for the alignment of forces in the First World War, the positions of the Triple Alliance were seriously weakened: Germany could no longer fight on two fronts, and then the United States also entered the war.

End of World War I for the Russian Empire

In the spring of 1917, Germany tried to launch an offensive along the Western Front, but the Provisional Government in Russia, trying to fulfill the agreements signed by the Russian Empire, sent its troops to Lvov on the offensive.

Once again, the allies are saved, but the Russian army suffers crushing losses step by step - the provisions are scarce, the uniforms and provision of the soldiers leave much to be desired, but even in such circumstances, the Russian troops are trying to move forward. Meanwhile, Russia's allies do not actively participate and do not provide the necessary assistance.

On July 6, when Germany launched a counteroffensive, 150,000 Russian soldiers died. The front has collapsed, and the Russian army has ceased to exist. Russia had nothing else and no one to fight.

Under such conditions, the Bolsheviks, having seized power in the country in October 1917, signed the decree "On Peace", thereby withdrawing from the war, and already in 1918, on March 3, the Brest Peace was signed, according to which Russia:

• makes peace with Austria-Hungary, Germany and Turkey;
• renounces claims to Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Finland and part of Belarus;
• yields Batum, Ardagan and Kars to Turkey.

Having entered the First World War, the Russian Empire:

• ceased to exist as a power, giving power to the Bolsheviks;
• lost 1 million square meters. m of territories;
• lost a quarter of the population;
• seriously weakened in the agricultural sector and in the coal / metallurgical industry.

Military action in 1918

With the Eastern Front gone, Germany could no longer split into two directions. In the spring she went to the Western Front, but did not achieve success there. It became obvious that she needed a break.

The decisive events took place in the autumn of 1918, when the United States and the Entente countries attacked German army, displacing it from the territories of France and Belgium. Already in October, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey signed a truce with the powers of the Entente and now Germany was in complete isolation. The triple alliance capitulated and, like the events in Russia, fertile ground was formed in Germany for the revolution, which took place on November 9, 1918 - Emperor Wilhelm II was overthrown.

War heroes and their deeds

A.A. Brusilov (1853- 1926). He commanded the Southwestern Front and carried out a successful operation, which was later called the Brusilov breakthrough. The army of the commander Brusilov forced the enemy to think from which side the main blow was delivered. The tactic of simultaneous attacks on several fronts worked on four occasions at once. Over 100 thousand people were taken prisoner in 3 days. Throughout the summer, the Russian army took away from the Germans and Austro-Hungarians the territory up to the Carpathians.

M.V. Alekseev (1857 - 1918). Infantry general and chief of staff of the Russian army on the Southwestern Front. He led the largest operations, leading the Russian army.

Kozma Kryuchkov- the first who received the George Cross in the First World War. He served in the Don Cossack Regiment and with other comrades once met a German cavalry patrol. Of the 22 enemies, he personally killed ten, among whom was an officer. At the same time, he received 16 wounds. His name is not so well known, because in 1919 Kryuchkov gave his life in battles with the Bolsheviks, speaking in the ranks of the White Army.

The George Cross was also received by Vasily Chapaev, Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky, Rodion Malinovsky.

A.I. Denikin (1872 - 1947). Military leader and general of the First World War. He was the commander of the "iron brigade", which distinguished itself more than once in battles.

P.N. Nesterov (1887 - 1914). Russian pilot who invented the air loop named after him. He died in 1914, in battle, ramming an enemy airplane.

End of World War I

World War I ended on November 11, 1918, when Germany signed the surrender. In the Compiègne forest at the Rethord station near Paris, the French Marshal Foch accepted the surrender of the defeated power. As a result Germany:

• admitted defeat in the war;
• undertook to return Alsace and Lorraine, as well as the Saar coal basin to France;
• abandoned all her colonies;
• transferred an eighth of its territories to neighbors.

In addition, the signed surrender required that:

• Entente troops were stationed on the left bank of the Rhine for 15 years;
• Until May 1921, Germany had to pay the powers of the Entente (except Russia) 20 billion marks;
• for 30 years, Germany was obliged to pay reparations, the amount of which the victorious countries could change during these 30 years;
• Germany did not have the right to form an army of more than 100 thousand people, while the army itself must be voluntary for citizens.

All these conditions were so humiliating for Germany that they actually deprived her of her independence, making her an obedient puppet in the hands of other powers.

Results of the First World War

The First World War involved 14 major countries and a total of 38 powers in total. This meant that over 4 years of the war, 1 billion people or 62% of the world's population were involved. For the entire duration of the war, 74 million people were mobilized, of which 10 million died and 20 million were injured.

The political map of Europe has been redrawn:

• New states appeared, such as: Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Albania.
• Austria-Hungary ceased to exist, divided into 3 independent states: Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
• The borders of France, Italy, Greece and Romania expanded.

The losing countries that lost land were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Bulgaria and Turkey. During the war, 4 empires ceased to exist: Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman.

So, it was the First World War 1914 - 1918: causes, stages, results briefly and in pictures. We looked at the years - the beginning and end of the battles (including separately for Russia), who won and how many people died (a card file of countries' losses in the table), and also found out what the heroes of the war were and their exploits. Do you have any questions? Ask them in the comments.

Sources

• Ardashev A.N. Great Trench War. Positional massacre of the First World
• Pereslegin S.B. First World. War Between Realities
• Basil Liddell Hart. History of the First World War
• Evgeny Belash. Myths of the First World
• Anatoly Utkin. World War I
• Badak A.N. The World History. Volume 19