Outline of World War I

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 and the Central Powers. 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.

Nature of World War I

World War I can be described as all of the following:

World War I was further characterized by the following types of warfare:

Causes of World War I

Long term influences leading to World War I

Cultural and strategic factors:

Imperialism
Militarism
Nationalism
Cult of the offensive – Considerations of the advantage of striking first.
* Preventive war

Destabilizing of the European balance of power:

Balkanization
Tensions between Austria and Serbia
* May Overthrow
* Pig War
* Bosnian crisis
Tensions between Russia and Austria
* Campaign in and annexation of Bosnia by Austria-Hungary
* First Balkan War
* Second Balkan War
Tensions between France and Germany
* Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) – brought the establishment of a powerful and dynamic Germany, causing what was seen as a displacement or unbalancing of power
Tensions between the United Kingdom and Germany
* Naval arms race between the United Kingdom and the German Empire
Tensions between Italy and Austria
* Annexation of Bosnia by Austria-Hungary

Web of alliances:

Diplomatic history of World War I
The Central Powers
* Dual Alliance
* Triple Alliance (1882)
The Allies
* Franco-Russian Alliance
* Entente Cordiale between France and the British
* Anglo-Russian Entente of 1907
* Triple Entente
Treaty of London, 1839, about the neutrality of Belgium
German Imperial War Council of 8 December 1912

Short term influences leading to World War I

Participants in World War I

World War I was fought between the Allies and the Central Powers.

The Central Powers (Triple Alliance">Triple Alliance (1882)">Triple Alliance)

The Allies ([Triple Entente])

Main Allied countries

Other military allies

Other states that had military participation:

Nominal Allies

States that declared war, but had no military involvement:
*

Conduct of the war

World War I theatres, fronts, and campaign

Naval campaigns of World War I

World War I by country

Central Powers

Allies

Main allies

Serbia during World War I
France during World War I
* Summary
* French foreign policy and the outbreak of the First World War
* French Army in World War I
* French villages destroyed in the First World War
Russia 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 Russia
** February Revolution –
*** Russian Provisional Government –
** October Revolution – beginning of the Soviet Union
* Poland during World War I
* Finland during World War I
** Grand Duchy of Finland
** Finnish Declaration of Independence
* Ukraine during World War I
British Empire during World War I
* [History of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom during World War I|United Kingdom during World War I]
* Australia during World War I
** Australian women during World War I
* India in World War I
* Canada during World War I
* Newfoundland during World War I
* New Zealand in World War I
* South Africa in World War I
** South African Overseas Expeditionary Force
* Southern Rhodesia in World War I
* Hong Kong during World War I
Italy in World War I
United States in World War I
* Puerto Ricans in World War I

Other allies

Nominal allies

Andorra during World War I
Bolivia during World War I
China during World War I
Costa Rica during World War I
Cuba during World War I
Ecuador during World War I
Guatemala during World War I
Liberia during World War I
Haiti during World War I
Honduras during World War I
Panama during World War I
Peru during World War I
Uruguay during World War I

World War I impact on neutral countries

Norway in World War I
* Espionage in Norway during World War I
Mexico in World War I
Ireland and World War I
Montserrat in World War I
Spain in World War I
Switzerland during the World Wars - Switzerland did declare a "state of siege".
Vietnam during World War I
Afghanistan – received a German diplomatic mission trying to convince it to act against the British in India
Argentina – Ally to US by treaty
Bhutan
Chile – Ally to US by treaty
Colombia
Denmark – Traded with both sides.
El Salvador
Ethiopian Empire – received a German diplomatic mission trying to convince it to act against the British in Africa
Liechtenstein – Had a customs and monetary union with Austria-Hungary.
Luxembourg – Never declared war on the Central Powers despite being invaded and occupied by Germany.
Mongolia
Mexico- Declined an alliance with Germany. An ally to the United States by treaty.
Netherlands – An ally of the United Kingdom by treaty. Traded with both sides.
Norway – Gave naval assistance to the United Kingdom.
Paraguay
Persia – Occupied by British and Russian troops.
Spain – Also treaty bound ally to the United Kingdom.
Sweden during World War I – Financially supported Germany.
Venezuela – Supplied the Allies with oil.