The Great War - An Overview

World War I—or the “Great War,” as it was called—was truly a world war. An estimated 65 million soldiers representing more than 30 countries from six continents took part.

- Kathiann M. Kowalski

Over the course of four years, from 1914 to 1918, battles were fought in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as on the high seas. Here’s an overview of what happened.

SIMMERING TENSIONS

In the early 1900s, Europe seemed to be sitting on a powder keg. Tensions from decades-old conflicts simmered just below the surface. Top among them was French resentment from being forced to give up territory and pay large sums in compensation to Germany after losing the Franco–Prussian War in 1871. Feelings of nationalism ran high and were particularly strong against Austria–Hungary, which had attempted to seize control of land in the unstable Balkans in southeastern Europe. Imperialism also created friction. The Russian Empire eyed southeastern Europe, to which it had cultural ties and where the once-powerful Ottoman Empire was in decline. The empires of Great Britain and Germany, meanwhile, each wanted their interests to dominate Europe. Distrusting one another, countries formed webs of alliances that promised support or protection if one of them was attacked. Anything might upset the delicate balance that existed.

WAR BREAKS OUT

On June 28, 1914, a 19-year-old Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, while they were visiting Sarajevo. The archduke was the heir to the Austro–Hungarian throne, and Austria–Hungary demanded immediate action and severe punishment of the people responsible for his murder. When Serbia’s government failed to respond satisfactorily, Austria–Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28.