wwi+rp

=**WORLD WAR 1 //Summary:// **= =

**START OF WAR -- **= World War I began on July 28, 1914, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The small conflict between two countries spread rapidly: soon, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, and France were all in this the war - because they were involved in treaties that forced them to defend other nations. Western and eastern fronts opened along the borders of Germany and Austria-Hungary.

The first month of combat included big attacks and quick troop movements on both fronts. In the West, Germany attacked first Belgium and then France. In the East, Russia attacked both Germany and Austria-Hungary and in the South, Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia.
 * THE WESTERN/EASTERN FRONT -- **

In 1914, the Ottoman Empire was brought into the battle. Much of 1915 was commanded by Allied actions against the Ottomans in the Mediterranean. Britain and France launched a failed attack on the Dardanelles. This movement was followed by the British invasion of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Britain also started a fight against the Turks in Mesopotamia. Even though the British had some successes in Mesopotamia, the Gallipoli movement and the attacks on the Dardanelles concluded in British defeats.
 * THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE -- **

In 1916 - 1917, the middle part of the war, was handled by continued trench warfare in both the East and the West. Soldiers fought from dug-in positions, striking at each other with machine guns, heavy artillery, and chemical weapons. Millions of soldiers died because of harsh weapons and brutal pain. Neither side had any substantive success or gained any advantages.
 * TRENCH WARFARE -- **

The war ended in 1918, after the member countries of the Central Powers signed armistice agreements one by one. Germany was the last, signing its armistice on November 11, 1918. As an outcome of these agreements, Austria-Hungary was broken up into several smaller countries. Germany, under the Treaty of Versailles, was punished with major economic reparations, territorial losses, and strict limits on its rights to develop militarily.
 * END OF THE WAR -- **