WW1+NM

=__//**World War 1**//__=

Europe in the beginning of the 19th century lived in peace. When nationalism started growing it started to cause tension between Europe's Great Powers- Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Great Britain, Russia, and France. Another thing that set the war in play was the rise of Militarism- A policy of military power and keeping an army prepared for war. The nations of Europe believed that to be truly great, they needed a powerful military.

Growing rivalries and mutual mistrust led to the creation of several alliances among the great powers in the early 1870s. Germany, Austria-hungary, and Italy formed an alliance called the Triple Alliance (later known as the central powers). Later Russia, Great Britain, and France formed an alliance known as the Triple Entente (later known as the Allies).

Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia set off a chain reaction within the alliance system. on August 1 Germany declared war on Russia and then 2 days later declared war on France. Soon after Great Britain declared war on Germany and much of Europe was was now locked in battle. By 1914 the battle lines were drawn. On one side was Germany and Austria-Hungary known as the Central Powers. On the other side we have Russian, France, and Britain known as the Allied Powers or the Allies.

In early 1915 The war started to be fought in trenches. Opposing armies on the Western front had dug miles of parallel trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire. This soon became known as the trench warfare. Military strategists were at a loss. The new tools of war had not delivered the fast-moving war they had expected. All it did was kill greater numbers of people more effectively. The slaughter reached a peak in 1916. After the Battle of Somme each side had lost over a half a million casualties.

In 1917 the focus of the war shifted to the high seas. In january Germany announced that that their new policy that stated that thier submarines would sink any ship in waters around britain without any warning. Back on may 7, 1915 they had tried the policy and sank the british ship //lusitania.// This left the American Public outraged! After this the Germans agreed to stop attacking neatral and passenger ships but when they sank three more american ships America declared war on Germany.

A peace treaty known as The Versailles Treaty was established between Germany and France but soon failed. The United States rejected the treaty because they thought it was best to stay out of European affairs. The effect of the war left millions killed and wounded and European countries treasuries were drained. The effects of the treaty were loss of land (independant took the land.) this created new countries.