The main cause of the First World War was the re-partition of the world divided between two military-political groups. The leading countries of the world decided to sacrifice millions of people in order to gain wealth in order to achieve their evil goals. On July 1914, 28, F. Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was killed by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo.
The Austro-Hungarian government sent an ultimatum to Serbia with very insulting demands. The Serbian government did not agree to only one demand of the ultimatum, that is, that the investigation of the assassination be carried out by the legal authorities of Austria-Hungary. This became an excuse for Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia on July 28. In response, Serbia's ally Russia announced a partial military mobilization on July 29.
The ruling circles of Germany used this as an excuse to declare war on Russia on August 1, and on its ally France on August 3. Germany violated Belgium's neutral status and attacked this country. At one time, Prussia also signed the international document on the neutrality of Belgium. However, in 1914, the German government called this document "a piece of paper". In response to Germany's attack on Belgium, England declared war on Germany on August 4 under the pretext of protecting Belgium. This is how the war began. On August 15, Japan demanded that Germany hand over its colonial territories in China to Japan. After receiving the refusal, on August 23, Japan declared war on Germany. In October 1914, Germany managed to get the Ottoman Empire, and later Bulgaria, to participate in the war. Soon, new fronts appeared in the Caucasus, Syria and Palestine, the Balkan Peninsula, as well as in Germany's African colonies.
For all countries except Serbia and Belgium, this war was a war of aggression.
Failure to achieve victory at lightning speed
German army general von Schlieffen made a plan to achieve victory at lightning speed. According to the plan, the German army should attack France through the territory of neutral Belgium, encircle the French army gathered on the German-French border, crush it by autumn, and thus achieve France's surrender. Then it was planned to crush Russia in a short period of time.
On August 3rd, the German army, which attacked vigorously, approached Paris in the next month. France's surrender seemed inevitable. Even the government had to leave Paris temporarily.
However, Schlieffen's plan failed. This was caused by Russia's attack against Germany and Austria-Hungary on August 17 at the request of the French government.
A certain weakening of the German military power on the Western Front saved France. Not only did he save, but this made it possible for France to gather strength and launch a counterattack. Although Germany pushed the Russian army out of East Prussia, the Russian army continued its offensive against Austria-Hungary.
In September 1914, the combined army of France and England launched an attack against the German troops on the banks of the Marne River. 2 million from both sides in the Battle of the Marne. About XNUMX fighters participated. In this battle, the army of England and France gained the upper hand.
The German command, which fell into a difficult situation, had to order a retreat along the entire western front on September 9.
Thanks to the victory in the Battle of the Marne, Germany's plan to win at lightning speed failed.
Turkey's entry into the war
Most of the ruling circles of Turkey considered it expedient to take part in the war on the side of Germany. Because, in their opinion, the lands intended to be conquered by Turkey were under either Russia or England.
The desire to carry out this invasion led Turkey to secretly sign an alliance agreement with Germany on August 1914, 2.
On October 11, Germany offered a large loan to Turkey. As soon as he received this loan from Turkey, he promised to go to war.
On October 29, the pro-German, military minister and commander-in-chief Anvar Pasha ordered the Turkish fleet under the command of German Admiral Sushan to go to the Black Sea and shell the territories of Russia. On November 2, Russia declared war on Turkey in response to its attack. War actions created the 350 km long Caucasian front. On November 5-6, England and France declared war on Turkey.
On January 1915, 19, the naval forces of the Entente began military operations against Turkey in the Dardanelles Strait. Germany used all possible opportunities to help Turkey.
As a result, the British navy suffered a huge loss. As a result of this operation, 200 British soldiers were killed and wounded.
Great retreat.
In 1915, the Eastern Front became the main battlefield. Germany and Austria-Hungary decided to throw half of their armed forces to Russia. In the spring of 1915, the allied forces started their offensive from Galicia (western Ukraine). As a result, in the spring and summer of 1915, the Russian army had to fight bloody defensive battles. The Russian army suffered unprecedented losses. 850 thousand soldiers and officers died. 900 people were captured.
Despite the fierce resistance of the Russian army, the forces were forced to leave Poland, the Baltic region, western Belarus and part of western Ukraine as a result of the uneven fighting. This retreat entered the history of the First World War under the name "great retreat".
the situation on the western front
Inspired by the initial successes on the Eastern Front, Germany wanted to change the situation on the Western Front as well. In this place, he placed great hopes on completely new weapons - submarines.
At the same time, Germany intended to sink any surface ships in the war zones. And so he did. For example, on May 1915, 7, German submarines sank a huge English passenger ship called "Lusitania". There were about 2000 passengers (including 126 US citizens) on board.
1195 of them died. Hundreds of cargo ships were destroyed by Germany.
Germany used not only submarines. On April 1915, 25, he used chemical weapons - poison gas (chlorine) for the first time in the history of wars in the battle of Ypres. As a result, 15000 people were poisoned. 5 thousand of them died. However, this weapon also did not give the result that Germany expected. The Entente army was soon provided with a means of protection against gas (protivogas).
Italy's entry into the war
Although Italy was officially a member of the "Triple Alliance", its purpose was to practically make sure who would have the upper hand in the war and to wait for which side would promise Italy a lot after the war. The Entente agreed to give Italy all the territories it asked for. On April 1915, 26, an agreement was signed between the Entente and Italy in London. According to the agreement, Italy had to go to war against its former allies after one month. This obligation is 50 million of England to Italy. strengthened by lending in pounds sterling.
On May 3, the Italian government announced its withdrawal from the "Triple Alliance" agreement. On May 23, he declared war against Austria-Hungary. The transfer of Italy to the side of the Entente was a great defeat of German diplomacy.
Japan's Far East and Pacific Actions
The ongoing war in Europe created favorable conditions for Japan's military operations in the Far East and the Pacific Ocean. On January 1915, 18, he submitted to the Chinese government the transfer of Shandong region from the sphere of influence of Germany to the sphere of influence of Japan; To allow further strengthening of Japan's position in Eastern Inner Mongolia and South Manchuria; Extending the lease term of Port-Arthur, South Manchuria and Andun-Mukden railways for another 99 years; He set other demands for Japanese citizens to have land in South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia. At the same time, Japan is also concerned about possible US involvement in the incident. Because of this, China has given up a number of demands.
On May 8, China accepted Japan's slightly softened demands.
The failure of the Dardanelles operation and the great retreat of the Russian army in 1915 decided the question of whose side Bulgaria would enter the war. On September 1915, 15, Germany, Bulgaria and Turkey, and on September 6, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria signed alliance agreements. In this way, the "Union of Four" was created.
On October 14, Bulgaria attacked Serbia. German and Austro-Hungarian troops attacked Serbia from the north. Thus, Serbia was occupied by Germany and its allies
The Great Retreat — retreat of the Russian army in the spring and summer of 1915 with heavy losses.
That's it`arts union— The block that was formed on September 1915, 15, as a result of Bulgaria's accession to the German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish alliance.
