The war which started with the attack of Serbia by the Austria-Hungary was not confined to that region alone. Soon it spread all over the world and almost all the civilized nations of the world were drawn in the various battles that were fought in all parts of the globe.
As we have noted earlier that when Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia, Great Britain and Germany made efforts to localize the conflict. But when Russia declared war against Austria-Hungary, Germany also declared war on Russia. Till this time the war had not assumed the shape of a Great War. It was only after Germany violated the neutrality of Belgium and Great Britain and France declared war on her, that the conflict assumed the shape of a war.
Although England joined the war on the plea that Germany had violated Belgium’s neutrality, Belgium could not be saved and German steam-roller was able to smash the resistance of the people of Belgium.
The Germans now pressed on towards Paris and got beyond the Mame. However, General Foch, aided by the British, compelled the Germans to retreat from the Mame to the northern side of river Aisne.
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The Battle of Mame was a turning point of the war because it foiled al German plans of crushing France quickly and provided time to the Allie for better concerted action. In the meanwhile Germany started large scale submarine war on the seas.
On the Eastern front Russia mobilized at a quick speed and invade East Prussia. But she was defeated by Hindenburg at Tanneenberg an drived out of Germany. Russia was, however, more successful against the Austrians and occupied the Carpethian Passes from which she could threaten the plains of Hungary. Soon Germany came to Austria’s rescue and beat back the Russians and captured Warsaw.
In 1915, Italy joined the Allies in spite of her alliances with Germany and Austria-Hungary because the Allies agreed to make territorial adjustments with regard to her frontiers.
Further, it could help her to recover from Austria some of the provinces which formerly belonged to Italy. Japan also joined the Allies because Germany had objected to Japan’s taking of Liaotung from China in 1895, and she was forced to surrender this occupation.
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Turkey fought on the side of Central Powers. At the initial stage of war she inflicted heavy losses on the Allies and prevented communication between Russia and the Allies. Britain was defeated at Gallipolli, which was probably her greatest disappointment of the war.
However, soon Britain avenged her defeat and recaptured Kut and occupied Baghdad. She also made political concessions to the Arabs by recognizing their independence.
As regards Siberia though she resisted the Austrian attack boldly during the first year of the war, in 1915 she succumbed to the double attack of the Bulgarians on the south and the combined Austro-German attack on the north.
So far war on the sea was concerned the British navy maintained its command on the seas. Germans lost heavily in the operations of Dogger Bank and the Right of Helligoland. In the Battle of Jutland, the losses on both sides were equally heavy, though strategically the war went in favour of Great Britain.
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In spite of these set backs the German ships succeeded in doing much damage to the Allied commerce. However, after the defeat at Falkland Islands, the German navy was rendered innocuous.
After the Revolution of 1917 Russia suffered a number of defeats and ultimately surrendered to Germany by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The withdrawal of Russia from the war enabled Germany to transfer a large body of her troops to the western front rendering the position of the Allies weak.
The Allies were saved by the entry of U.S.A. into the war. She placed at the disposal of the Allies enormous resources in men and money. U.SA. entered the war as a protest against unrestricted submarine campaign carried on by Germany, in violation of all legal and humanitarian considerations.
In 1917 Greece had also joined the war against the Central Powers and held the armies in Maccedonia. In September 1918, Bulgaria surrendered before the marching armies of Greece and sought an armistic.
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In October 1918, Austria sought an armistic and was out of war. Turkey was also defeated. Thus Germany was left alone in the war. In the meantime ^here was a mutiny in Germany and the Emperor was forced to abdicate. The new head of the Germany Government Max Von Baden, sought peace on the basis of the Fourteen Points announced by President Wilson ofU.SA.
On November 18, 1918 the terms of the armistic were conveyed to Germany. Though these terms were very hard, she had no other option but to surrender.
Thus in November 1918 ended the First World War, which has been described as the “Worst disaster to Western mankind since the Black death”.