The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to World War I:
World War I – major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918. It involved all the world's great powers, which were assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centred on the Triple Entente of Britain, France and Russia) and the Central Powers (originally centred on the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy). More than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history. More than 9 million combatants were killed, largely because of great technological advances in firepower without corresponding advances in mobility. It was the sixth deadliest conflict in world history, subsequently paving the way for various political changes such as revolutions in the nations involved.
World War I can be described as all of the following:
WarTotal warWorld warWorld War I was further characterized by the following types of warfare:
Aerial warfareArmoured warfareAsymmetric warfareAttrition warfareChemical warfareEarly modern warfare or modern warfareGround warfareNaval warfareSubmarine warfareIntensified submarine warfareUnrestricted submarine warfareTrench warfareImperialismMilitarismNationalismRussia and SiberiaDestabilizing European balance of powerFranco–Prussian War (1870–1871) – brought the establishment of a powerful and dynamic Germany, causing what was seen as a displacement or unbalancing of powerBalkanizationTensions between Austria and SerbiaMay OverthrowPig WarBosnian crisisTensions between France and GermanyTensions between Russia and AustriaFirst Balkan WarSecond Balkan WarTensions between the United Kingdom and GermanyNaval arms race between the United Kingdom and the German EmpireTensions between Italy and AustriaWeb of alliancesTriple EntenteTriple Alliance (1882)Treaty of London, 1839, about the neutrality of BelgiumDual AllianceGerman-Austrian treaty (1879) orFranco-Russian Alliance (1894)Entente Cordiale between France and the BritishAnglo-Russian Entente of 1907German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912Cult of the offensive – Considerations of the advantage of striking first.Preventive warJuly CrisisAssassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of AustriaWorld War I was fought between the Allies and the Central Powers.
German Empire Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Ottoman EmpireMain Allied countries
French Third Republic (including French colonial forces) Russian Empire (until March 1917), Russian Republic (until November 1917) Kingdom of Serbia British Empire Canada Kingdom of Italy (April 1915 and after) (including Italian colonial forces) Kingdom of Belgium (including Belgian colonial forces) United States of America (1917 and after)Other states that had military participation:
Kingdom of Montenegro Empire of Japan Portuguese Republic (March 1916 and after) (including Portuguese colonial forces) Kingdom of Romania (August 1916-May 1918) Kingdom of Greece (November 1916 for the Government of National Defence; June 1917 for the whole country) Albania Brazil (October 1917 and after) Armenia (May 1918 and after) Czechoslovakia - See Czechoslovak Legions Finland (October 1918 and after) Nepal (soldiers served under the British Indian Army) Kingdom of Siam San Marino (June 1915 and after)States that declared war, but had no military involvement:
Andorra Bolivia (April 1917 and after) China (August 1917 and after) Costa Rica (May 1918 and after) Cuba (April 1917 and after) Ecuador (December 1917 and after) Guatemala (April 1918 and after) Liberia (August 1917 and after) Haiti (July 1918 and after) Honduras (July 1918 and after) Nicaragua (May 1918 and after) Panama (December 1917 and after) Peru (October 1917 and after) Uruguay (October 1917 and after)Allied declarations of warBritish propaganda during World War IConvoys in World War IGerman occupation of Luxembourg in World War IRoosevelt's World War I volunteersStrategic bombing during World War IGerman strategic bombing during World War IWorld War I conscription in AustraliaWorld War I naval arms raceUnited States Navy operations during World War IMilitary engagements of World War ISouth Arabia during World War IWorld War I theatres, fronts, and campaigns
Western Front (World War I)Eastern Front (World War I)West Africa Campaign (World War I)East African Campaign (World War I)Italian Campaign (World War I)Sinai and Palestine CampaignCaucasus CampaignMesopotamian CampaignGallipoli CampaignAttacks on North America during World War INaval campaigns of World War I
Battle of the Atlantic (1914-1918)Adriatic Campaign of World War INaval operations in the Dardanelles CampaignBlockade of GermanyCentral Powers
Austria-Hungary during World War IHungary in World War IPoland during World War IBulgaria during World War IGermany during World War IGerman East Africa during World War IPoland during World War IOttoman Empire during World War IAliyah and yishuv during World War IArmenia in World War I – the Ottoman Empire carried out the first modern genocide upon the Armenian population.Western ArmeniaArmenians in the Ottoman EmpireArmenian notables deported from Constantinople in 1915Armenian GenocideSee also Armenian Genocide recognitionArmenian resistance (1914–1918)Administration for Western ArmeniaArmenian irregular unitsArmenian volunteer unitsArmenian casualties during World War IExiles of the Ottoman Empire during World War IAllies
Main allies
Bulgaria during World War ISerbia during World War IFrance during World War ISummaryFrench foreign policy and the outbreak of the First World WarFrench Army in World War IFrench villages destroyed in the First World WarRussia during World War I – food shortages in the major urban centres, and poor morale due to lost battles and heavy losses sustained, brought about civil unrest which led to the February Revolution, the abdication of the Tsar, and the end of the Russian Empire.Russian Revolution (1917) – end of Imperial RussiaFebruary Revolution –Russian Provisional Government –October Revolution – beginning of the Soviet UnionPoland during World War IFinland during World War IGrand Duchy of FinlandFinnish Declaration of IndependenceUkraine during World War IBritish Empire during World War IUnited Kingdom during World War IAustralia during World War IAustralian women during World War IIndia in World War ICanada during World War INewfoundland during World War INew Zealand in World War ISouth Africa in World War ISouth African Overseas Expeditionary ForceSouthern Rhodesia in World War IItaly in World War IUnited States in World War IPuerto Ricans in World War IOther allies
Albania during World War IBrazil during World War ICzechoslovaks in World War ICzechoslovak LegionsGreece during World War IJapan during World War IMontenegro during World War INepal during World War IPortugal during World War IRomania during World War ISiam during World War ISan Marino during World War INominal allies
Andorra during World War IBolivia during World War IChina during World War ICosta Rica during World War ICuba during World War IEcuador during World War IGuatemala during World War ILiberia during World War IHaiti during World War IHonduras during World War IPanama during World War IPeru during World War IUruguay during World War IWorld War I impact on neutral countries
Norway in World War IEspionage in Norway during World War IMexico in World War IIreland and World War IMontserrat in World War ISpain in World War ISwitzerland during the World WarsVietnam during World War IAfghanistan Afghanistan - received a German diplomatic mission trying to convince it to act against the British in IndiaArgentina - Ally to US by treaty (see ABC countries for more information)BhutanChile - Ally to US by treaty (see ABC countries for more information)ColombiaDenmark - Traded with both sides.El SalvadorEthiopian Empire - received a German diplomatic mission trying to convince it to act against the British in AfricaLiechtenstein - Had a customs and monetary union with Austria-Hungary.Luxembourg - Never declared war on the Central Powers despite being invaded and occupied by Germany.Mexico- Declined an alliance with Germany (see Zimmermann Telegram). An ally to the United States by treaty (see ABC countries).Netherlands Netherlands - An ally of the United Kingdom by treaty. Traded with both sides.Norway - Gave naval assistance to the United Kingdom.ParaguayFlag of Persia (1910).svg Persia - Occupied by British and Russian troops.Spain Spain - Also treaty bound ally to the United Kingdom.Sweden - Financially supported Germany.Switzerland - Switzerland did declare a "state of siege".Venezuela - Supplied the Allies with oil.Allied leaders of World War ICategory:World War I flying acesList of World War I aces from CanadaList of World War I flying acesList of British armies in World War IList of British corps in World War IList of British divisions in World War IList of Indian divisions in World War IList of military aircraft of Central Powers in WWIList of military aircraft of Entente Powers in WWIList of aircraft of the Royal Flying CorpsList of aircraft of the Royal Naval Air ServiceList of military aircraft of Germany#Before 1919British Army uniform and equipment in World War IHero of the Soviet UnionOrder of LeninOrder of SuvorovOrder of the October RevolutionOrder of the Red BannerOrder of VictoryMedal of HonorSilver StarBronze StarDistinguished Flying CrossAir MedalWorld War I Victory MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalVictoria CrossAir Force Cross, from June 1918Order of the BathOrder of the British EmpireDistinguished Flying Cross1914 StarPacific StarFrance and Belgium
Croix de GuerreIron CrossPour le Mérite also known as the "Blue Max"Armistice of Mudros (October 30, 1918) – surrender of the Ottoman EmpireArmistice of Villa Giusti (November 3, 1918) – surrender of Austria-HungaryArmistice with Germany (November 11, 1918) – surrender of GermanyWorld War I reparationsDissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into several successor states:CzechoslovakiaYugoslaviaFirst Republic of AustriaHungarian Democratic RepublicSecond Polish RepublicCession by Austria-Hungary of Transylvania and Bukovina to Romania.Cession by Austria-Hungary of the southern half of the County of Tyrol and Trieste to ItalyEstablishment of the First Republic of ArmeniaFurther BalkanizationWorld War IIWorld War I was one of the main causes of World War IIList of books about World War IList of World War I filmsWorld War I in literatureWorld War I in popular cultureGermany's Aims in the First World WarFiction based on World War IWorld War I reenactmentWWI memorialsWorld War I Memorial (Berwick, Pennsylvania)World War I Memorial (Atlantic City, New Jersey)World War I Memorial (East Providence, Rhode Island)WWI veterans