First world war

 The First World War, also known as World War I, was a global conflict that took place from 1914 to 1918. It involved many of the world's major powers, primarily divided into two opposing alliances: the Allies (also known as the Entente Powers) and the Central Powers.

The immediate cause of the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in June 1914, which triggered a chain of events leading to the outbreak of war. The conflict quickly escalated as countries invoked various alliances and declared war on each other.

The major participants in the war included:

Allies (Entente Powers):

France

United Kingdom

Russia (until 1917)

Italy (from 1915)

United States (from 1917)

Central Powers:

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Ottoman Empire

Bulgaria

The war was fought on multiple fronts, including the Western Front in Europe, the Eastern Front between Russia and Germany/Austria-Hungary, and other theaters of war in Africa, the Middle East, and the Pacific.

The war was characterized by trench warfare, with soldiers entrenched in long networks of trenches, facing each other across no man's land. It saw the introduction of new weapons and tactics, such as poison gas, tanks, and aircraft, which changed the nature of warfare.

The conflict resulted in significant casualties and immense human suffering. It saw the use of industrialized warfare on a massive scale and witnessed numerous battles with heavy loss of life, including the Battle of the Somme, Battle of Verdun, and others.

The United States entered the war in 1917, contributing to the eventual victory of the Allies. The Central Powers faced internal strife and increasing military pressure, leading to their eventual defeat. In November 1918, an armistice was signed, effectively ending the war.

The First World War had far-reaching consequences, including the redrawing of national borders, the collapse of empires (such as the Austro-Hungarian, Russian, German, and Ottoman empires), and the emergence of new nations. The harsh conditions imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which ended the war officially, sowed the seeds for future conflicts, leading to the Second World War.