Why this matters now
WWI is tested for: MAIN causes (Militarism + Alliances + Imperialism + Nationalism); rival alliances (Triple Entente 1907 vs Triple Alliance 1882); Sarajevo + July Crisis; trench warfare + new technology (tanks 1916, poison gas 1915, U-boats); US entry 1917 (Lusitania 1915 + Zimmerman Telegram 1917); Russian Revolution 1917 + Brest-Litovsk Treaty March 1918; Wilson’s 14 Points; Treaty of Versailles 1919 + War Guilt Clause; League of Nations 1920; impact on India (Lucknow Pact 1916, Home Rule, Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms 1919, Rowlatt + Jallianwala Bagh).
Causes (MAIN)
- Militarism: European arms race — Germany doubled army 1898-1914; Anglo-German naval race (HMS Dreadnought 1906). Military planning (Schlieffen Plan 1905, Plan XVII).
- Alliances: Triple Alliance (1882): Germany + Austria-Hungary + Italy. Triple Entente (1907): UK + France + Russia.
- Imperialism: Berlin Conference 1884 Africa scramble; Anglo-German rivalry over colonies + markets.
- Nationalism: Balkans — “Powder Keg of Europe”; Serbian + Slav nationalism vs Austria-Hungary; Pan-Slavism backed by Russia. Balkan Wars 1912-13.
- Trigger — Sarajevo 28 June 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to Austro-Hungarian throne) + wife Sophie assassinated by Gavrilo Princip of Black Hand (Bosnian Serb nationalist). July Crisis. Austria declared war on Serbia 28 July 1914 → Germany on Russia 1 Aug + France 3 Aug + UK on Germany 4 Aug.
The War (1914-18)
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1914 | Aug-Sep — German Schlieffen Plan attacked France via Belgium; halted at 1st Battle of Marne. Tannenberg — Germany defeated Russia. Trenches dug; Western Front stalemate. |
| 1915 | April — 2nd Battle of Ypres (1st German poison gas). May — German U-boat sank Lusitania (1198 dead incl. 128 Americans). Italy joined Allies (Treaty of London). Gallipoli campaign — UK-Anzac defeated by Ottoman Turks. |
| 1916 | Verdun (Feb-Dec) — 700,000 casualties. Somme (July-Nov) — 1 million casualties; tanks first used 15 Sept 1916. Battle of Jutland (May-June) — only major naval battle. |
| March 1917 | Russian Revolution Feb/March — Tsar abdicated. |
| 6 April 1917 | USA declared war on Germany — after Zimmerman Telegram (German offer of Texas+Arizona+NM to Mexico) + unrestricted submarine warfare. President Woodrow Wilson. |
| Nov 1917 | Bolsheviks took over Russia. |
| 3 March 1918 | Treaty of Brest-Litovsk — Russia exited war; ceded Poland, Baltic states, Ukraine to Germany. |
| March-July 1918 | German Spring Offensives — broke through but failed at 2nd Marne. |
| Aug-Nov 1918 | Allied Hundred Days Offensive (Foch + American Expeditionary Force under Pershing). |
| 11 Nov 1918 | ARMISTICE at Compiègne — 11th hour of 11th day of 11th month. Germany surrendered. |
Treaty of Versailles + 14 Points
Wilson’s 14 Points (8 January 1918): open diplomacy + free seas + free trade + arms reduction + colonial adjustment + national self-determination (Eastern Europe) + League of Nations.
Treaty of Versailles signed 28 June 1919 at Hall of Mirrors, Versailles — 5 years to the day after Sarajevo. The “Big Four”: Woodrow Wilson (USA), David Lloyd George (UK), Georges Clemenceau (France), Vittorio Orlando (Italy).
- Article 231 War Guilt Clause: Germany solely responsible.
- Reparations: Rs 132 billion gold marks ($31.4 bn).
- Territorial losses: Alsace-Lorraine to France; Eupen-Malmedy to Belgium; Schleswig to Denmark; Poznan + West Prussia to Poland (Polish Corridor); Danzig free city; Saar coalfield to France for 15 yrs; all overseas colonies lost.
- Military: Army 100,000; no submarines/air force/tanks; Rhineland demilitarised; Saar coal to France.
Other treaties: St-Germain (Austria), Trianon (Hungary), Neuilly (Bulgaria), Sèvres (Ottoman) 1920 + revised Lausanne 1923. League of Nations established 10 January 1920 (HQ Geneva). USA did not join — Senate rejected Treaty November 1919.
Impact on India
- 1.5 million Indians served in British forces; 74,000 killed.
- Lucknow Pact (Dec 1916) — INC + Muslim League Hindu-Muslim unity; Tilak + Annie Besant Home Rule Leagues (1916).
- Montagu Declaration 20 August 1917 — promised “progressive realisation of responsible government in India”.
- Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms / Government of India Act 1919 — bicameral central legislature + Dyarchy in provinces.
- Rowlatt Act + Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 13 April 1919 (Brig Reginald Dyer fired on Baisakhi crowd at Amritsar, 379+ killed); pushed Indians to non-cooperation.
- Khilafat Movement 1919-22 — Indian Muslims protested Sèvres dismemberment of Ottoman Caliphate.
UPSC angle
Know WORLD WAR I (1914-1918) Great War; ALLIES (UK+France+Russia+USA 1917+Italy 1915+Japan) vs CENTRAL POWERS (Germany+Austria-Hungary+Ottoman+Bulgaria); ~20 million deaths; CAUSES MAIN: Militarism (HMS Dreadnought 1906, Schlieffen Plan 1905), Alliances (TRIPLE ALLIANCE 1882 Germany+Austria-Hungary+Italy vs TRIPLE ENTENTE 1907 UK+France+Russia), Imperialism (Berlin 1884 Africa scramble), Nationalism (Balkans “Powder Keg” Pan-Slavism Balkan Wars 1912-13); TRIGGER: ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND + Sophie ASSASSINATED at SARAJEVO 28 JUNE 1914 by GAVRILO PRINCIP of Black Hand (Bosnian Serb); Austria declared war on Serbia 28 July 1914; KEY BATTLES: 1st Marne 1914 stopped Schlieffen, Tannenberg 1914, Ypres 1915 1st gas, LUSITANIA May 1915 (1198 dead 128 Americans), Gallipoli 1915 Ottomans, VERDUN Feb-Dec 1916 (700000 cas), SOMME July-Nov 1916 (1 million cas, TANKS 15 Sept 1916), Jutland May-June 1916 naval, Russian Revolution March 1917 Tsar abdicated; USA WAR 6 April 1917 (Zimmerman Telegram + unrestricted submarine warfare, Wilson); Bolsheviks Nov 1917; BREST-LITOVSK 3 March 1918 Russia exited; German Spring Offensives March-July 1918; Allied Hundred Days Aug-Nov 1918 (Foch + Pershing); ARMISTICE 11 NOVEMBER 1918 Compiègne; WILSON 14 POINTS 8 Jan 1918 (open diplomacy + free seas + arms reduction + self-determination + League of Nations); TREATY OF VERSAILLES 28 JUNE 1919 Hall of Mirrors (5 years after Sarajevo); Big Four WILSON-LLOYD GEORGE-CLEMENCEAU-ORLANDO; Art 231 War Guilt Germany, Rs 132 bn gold marks reparations, Alsace-Lorraine France + Polish Corridor + Danzig + all colonies lost, Army 100000 no subs/air force/tanks, Rhineland demilitarised; other treaties St-Germain Austria + Trianon Hungary + Neuilly Bulgaria + Sèvres 1920 Ottoman → revised Lausanne 1923; LEAGUE OF NATIONS 10 January 1920 Geneva (USA Senate rejected Nov 1919); INDIA: 1.5 million served 74000 killed, Lucknow Pact 1916, Home Rule Tilak+Besant 1916, Montagu Declaration 20 Aug 1917, Montagu-Chelmsford / GoI Act 1919 (Dyarchy), Rowlatt + JALLIANWALA BAGH 13 April 1919 (Dyer 379+ killed), Khilafat 1919-22.
Frequently asked questions
What caused WWI?
Combination of MAIN factors — Militarism, Alliances (Triple Alliance vs Triple Entente), Imperialism, Nationalism. The trigger was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
Who killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
Gavrilo Princip — a Bosnian Serb nationalist member of the Black Hand — shot the Archduke and his wife Sophie at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
When did the war end?
Armistice was signed at Compiègne, France at 11:00 AM on 11 November 1918 (Armistice Day). The Treaty of Versailles was signed 7 months later on 28 June 1919.
What were the Wilson 14 Points?
US President Woodrow Wilson’s 8 January 1918 peace blueprint — open diplomacy, free seas, arms reduction, national self-determination, and most famously a League of Nations.