The First Year of World War I: A Look Back
On June 28, 1914, the world was plunged into a conflict that would change the course of history forever. World War I was a global war that lasted for four years and claimed the lives of millions of people.
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand:
The war began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The assassination was carried out by a Serbian nationalist, and Austria-Hungary responded by declaring war on Serbia.
The Schlieffen Plan:
Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary, implemented the Schlieffen Plan, which called for a massive invasion of France through neutral Belgium. The plan was designed to quickly defeat France and then turn on Russia, another ally of Serbia.
The Marne:
The German advance was stopped at the Marne River by French and British forces. The Battle of the Marne was a turning point in the war, and it led to a stalemate on the Western Front.
Ypres and Gallipoli:
In an attempt to break the deadlock, the Allies launched offensives at Ypres and Gallipoli. Both offensives were costly failures, and they resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties.
The Lusitania:
In 1915, a German submarine sank the Lusitania, a British passenger liner. The sinking of the Lusitania outraged the United States and brought it closer to entering the war.
Verdun and the Somme:
In 1916, the Germans launched a massive offensive against Verdun, a French fortress city. The Battle of Verdun lasted for ten months and resulted in over a million casualties.
The Zimmermann Telegram:
In 1917, the British intercepted a telegram from the German foreign secretary to the Mexican government. The telegram, known as the Zimmermann Telegram, proposed an alliance between Germany and Mexico against the United States.
The United States Enters the War:
The Zimmermann Telegram, combined with the German resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, led the United States to enter the war in April 1917.
The End of the War:
The war ended in November 1918 with the surrender of Germany. The war had a profound impact on the world, and it led to the collapse of several empires, the rise of new ideologies, and the creation of the League of Nations.
Sources:
The History Channel: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i
The National World War I Museum: [تمت إزالة عنوان URL غير صالح]
The Imperial War Museum: https://www.iwm.org.uk/
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