At the beginning of the 20th century, one of the directions of the foreign policy of the Russian Empire was to gain control over the Black Sea straits of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. Joining the Entente in 1907 could resolve this issue in the context of the war with the Triple Alliance. Speaking briefly about Russia in the First World War, it must be said that this was the only chance when this problem could be solved.
Russia's entry into the First World War
On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. In response, Nicholas II signed a decree on general mobilization three days later. Germany responded by declaring war on Russia on August 1, 1914. It is this date that is considered the beginning of Russia's participation in the World War.
Across the country there was a general emotional and patriotic upsurge. People went to the front as volunteers, demonstrations were held in large cities, German pogroms took place. The inhabitants of the empire expressed their intention to wage war to a victorious end. Against the backdrop of popular sentiment, St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. The country's economy gradually began to be transferred to a military footing.
Russia's entry into the First World War corresponded not only to the idea of protecting the Balkan peoples from an external threat. The country also had its own goals, the main of which was the establishment of control over the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, as well as the annexation of Anatolia to the empire, since more than a million Christian Armenians lived there. In addition, Russia wanted to unite under its command all the Polish lands, which in 1914 were owned by the opponents of the Entente - Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Fighting 1914-1915
Combat operations had to be started at an accelerated pace. German troops were advancing on Paris, and in order to pull back part of the troops from there, on the Eastern Front, two Russian armies had to launch an offensive in East Prussia. The offensive did not meet any resistance until General Paul von Hindenburg arrived here, who set up defenses, and soon completely surrounded and defeated Samsonov's army, and then forced Renenkampf to retreat.
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In the southwestern direction in 1914, the headquarters conducted a series of operations against the Austro-Hungarian troops, occupying part of Galicia and Bukovina. Thus, Russia played its part in saving Paris.
By 1915, the lack of weapons and ammunition in the Russian army began to affect. Coupled with heavy losses, the troops began to retreat to the east. The Germans hoped in 1915 to withdraw Russia from the war by transferring the main forces here. The equipment and size of the German army forced our troops to leave Galicia, Poland, the Baltic States, Belarus and part of Ukraine by the end of 1915. Russia found itself in an extremely difficult situation.
Few people know about the heroic defense of the Osovets fortress. The small garrison of the fortress for a long time defended it from superior German forces. Large-caliber artillery did not break the spirit of Russian soldiers. Then the enemy decided to launch a chemical attack. The Russian soldiers did not have gas masks and almost immediately the white shirts were stained with blood. When the Germans went on the offensive, they were met with a bayonet counterattack by the defenders of Osovets, all in bloody rags covering their faces and screaming with blood “For Faith, Tsar and Fatherland”. The Germans were driven back, and this battle went down in history as the “Attack of the Dead”.
Rice. 1. Attack of the dead.
Brusilovsky breakthrough
In February 1916, having a clear advantage in the east, Germany transferred the main forces to the Western Front, where the Battle of Verdun began. By this time, the Russian economy had completely rebuilt, equipment, weapons, and ammunition began to arrive at the front.
Russia again had to act as an assistant to its allies. On the Russian-Austrian front, General Brusilov began preparations for a large-scale offensive in order to break through the front and withdraw Austria-Hungary from the war.
Rice. 2. General Brusilov.
On the eve of the offensive, the soldiers were engaged in digging trenches in the direction of the enemy positions and disguising them in order to get as close as possible to them before a bayonet attack.
The offensive made it possible to advance dozens, and in some places hundreds of kilometers to the west, but the main goal (to defeat the army of Austria-Hungary) was never achieved. But the Germans were never able to take Verdun.
Russia's withdrawal from the First World War
By 1917, dissatisfaction with the war was growing in Russia. In large cities there were queues, there was not enough bread. Anti-landowner sentiments grew. The political disintegration of the country began. Fraternization and desertion were widespread at the front. The overthrow of Nicholas II and the coming to power of the Provisional Government finally decomposed the front, where committees of soldiers' deputies appeared. Now they were deciding whether to go on the attack or even abandon the front.
Under the Provisional Government, the formation of the Women's Death Battalions gained wide popularity. One battle is known where women took part. The battalion was commanded by Maria Bochkareva, who came up with the idea of forming such detachments. Women fought on a par with men and valiantly repelled all Austrian attacks. However, due to heavy losses among women, it was decided to transfer all women's battalions to serve in the rear, away from the front line.
Rice. 3. Maria Bochkareva.
In 1917, V. I. Lenin secretly entered the country from Switzerland through Germany and Finland. The Great October Socialist Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power, who soon concluded the shameful Brest Separate Peace. Thus ended Russia's participation in the First World War.
What have we learned?
The Russian Empire played perhaps the most important role in the victory of the Entente, twice saving its allies at the cost of the lives of its own soldiers. However, the tragic revolution and the separate peace deprived her not only of achieving the main goals of the war, but of her inclusion in the victorious countries in general.
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TAKE PART IN THE FATE OF SERBIA
After the presentation of the Austrian ultimatum, the Prince Regent of Serbia, Alexander, sent an urgent telegram to the Russian emperor, in which, in particular, he wrote: “Among the conditions are those that will require a change in our legislation, and for this we need time. The deadline is too short. The Austro-Hungarian army is concentrating near our border and can attack us after the deadline. We cannot defend ourselves. Therefore, we beg Your Majesty to help us as soon as possible. Your Majesty has given us so much evidence of his precious favor, and we firmly hope that this appeal will find a response in his Slavic and noble heart. I am the spokesman for the feelings of the Serbian people, who, in these difficult times, beg Your Majesty to take part in the fate of Serbia.”
Nicholas II inscribed on the text of the telegram: “A very modest and worthy telegram. What to answer him?
MAURICE PALEOLOGUE ON THE TERRITORIAL CLAIMS OF NICHOLAS
How, Your Majesty, do you imagine the general foundations of the world?
After a moment's thought, the emperor replies:
The most important thing that we must establish is the destruction of German militarism, the end of the nightmare in which Germany has been keeping us for more than forty years. Every possibility of revenge must be taken away from the German people. If we allow ourselves to be moved to pity, it will be a new war in a little while. As for the exact terms of the peace, I hasten to tell you that I approve in advance everything that France and England consider it necessary to demand in their own interests,
I am grateful to Your Majesty for this statement, and I am confident for my part that the Government of the Republic will meet in the most sympathetic way the wishes of the Imperial Government.
This prompts me to tell you my thought in its entirety. But I will only speak for myself personally, because I do not want to decide such questions without listening to the advice of my ministers and generals.<...>
This is how, approximately, I imagine the results that Russia has the right to expect from the war and without which my people would not understand the labors that I forced them to endure. Germany will have to agree to the correction of the borders in East Prussia. My general staff would like this correction to reach the banks of the Vistula; this seems excessive to me; I'll see. Posen and perhaps a part of Silesia will be necessary for the reconstruction of Poland. Galicia and the northern part of Bukovina will allow Russia to reach its natural limits - the Carpathians ... In Asia Minor, I will naturally have to deal with the Armenians; it will not be possible, of course, to leave them under the Turkish yoke. Should I annex Armenia? I will add it only at the special request of the Armenians. If not, I will set up an independent government for them. Finally, I will have to secure free passage for my empire through the straits.
Since he pauses at these words, I ask him to explain himself. He continues:
My thoughts are still far from established. After all, the question is so important ... There are still two conclusions to which I always return. First, that the Turks must be expelled from Europe; the second is that Constantinople must henceforth become a neutral city, under international administration. It goes without saying that the Mohammedans would receive a full guarantee of respect for their shrines and graves. Northern Thrace, up to the Enos-Media line, would have been annexed to Bulgaria. The rest, from this line to the seashore, excluding the vicinity of Constantinople, would have been given to Russia.
Paleolog M. Tsarist Russia during the World War. M., 1991.
Georges Maurice Palaiologos - French diplomat; in 1914 he was the ambassador of France in St. Petersburg
THE HIGHEST MANIFESTO ON RUSSIA'S ENTRY INTO THE WAR
By the grace of God, we, NICHOLAS II,
Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia,
Tsar of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland
and other, and other, and other.
We declare to all our faithful subjects:
Following its historical precepts, Russia, united by faith and blood with the Slavic peoples, has never looked at their fate indifferently. With complete unanimity and special strength, the fraternal feelings of the Russian people for the Slavs have awakened in recent days, when Austria-Hungary presented Serbia with demands that are obviously unacceptable for the Sovereign State. Despising the compliant and peaceful response of the Serbian government, rejecting the benevolent mediation of Russia, Austria hastily launched an armed attack, opening the bombardment of defenseless Belgrade.
Forced, by virtue of the circumstances, to take the necessary precautions, We ordered that the army and navy be brought to martial law, but, cherishing the blood and property of Our subjects, We made every effort to achieve a peaceful outcome of the negotiations that had begun. In the midst of friendly relations, Germany, allied with Austria, contrary to Our hopes for an age-old good neighborhood and not heeding Our assurance that the measures taken have no hostile aims, began to seek their immediate cancellation and, having met with a refusal of this demand, suddenly declared war on Russia.
Now it is no longer necessary to intercede only for the unjustly offended country related to Us, but to protect the honor, dignity, integrity of Russia and its position among the Great Powers.
We unshakably believe that all Our faithful subjects will unanimously and selflessly stand up to defend the Russian Land.
In the terrible hour of testing, let them be forgotten, internal strife. May the unity of the Tsar with His people be strengthened even more closely, and may Russia, which has risen as one man, repulse the daring onslaught of the enemy.
With deep faith in the righteousness of Our cause and humble hope in the Almighty Providence, We prayerfully call on Holy Rus' and Our valiant troops for God's blessing.
Given in St. Petersburg, on the twentieth day of July, in the summer of the Nativity of Christ, one thousand nine hundred and fourteenth, while Our reign is in the twentieth.
On the original of His Own Imperial Majesty it is signed by hand:
NIKOLAY
BAYONE AND FEATHER
Vladimir Mayakovsky
War is declared
“Evening! Evening! Evening!
Italy! Germany! Austria!"
And on the square, darkly outlined by black,
a stream of crimson blood spilled!
The coffee house broke the muzzle into the blood,
the beastly cry of Bagrim:
"Let's poison the games of Rein with blood!
Thundering cannonballs on the marble of Rome!
From the sky, torn on bayonets sting,
the tears of the stars were sifted like flour in a sieve,
and soles of compressed pity squealed:
"Ah, let go, let go, let go!"
Bronze generals on a faceted plinth
they prayed: “Unchain, and we will go!”
The kisses of the farewell cavalry clicked,
and the infantry wanted to kill - victory.
The towering city was born in a dream
the laughing voice of a cannon bass,
and red snow falls from the west
juicy shreds of human meat.
The company swells at the square behind the company,
the angry veins bulge on the forehead.
"Wait, checkers on silk cocotte
wipe, wipe in the boulevards of Vienna!
Newspapermen were tearing themselves up: “Buy evening!
Italy! Germany! Austria!"
And from the night, darkly outlined by black,
crimson blood flowed and flowed stream.
Briefly about World War I
- Background and causes of the First World War
- The state of armament of countries on the eve of World War 1
- The beginning of the conflict
- Main stages
- The results of the war
- Interesting Facts
Addition - short contents of the FIRST WORLD WAR 1914 - 1918
“In short, the First World War was one of the largest military confrontations in the entire history of human civilization. The very term "World War I" was established only a few decades later, when the world entered into another military conflict, which went down in history as the Second World War. Previously, the events of 1914-18 were called the Great or Great War. In Russia, it was also called the Second or Great Patriotic War (informal names were also “German”, and in the Soviet Union “imperialist”).
Parties and participants in hostilities The main opposing sides of this war were two allied blocs. Entente, which included England, France and the Russian Empire - on the one hand. And the Triple Alliance (later a bloc of the Central Powers), consisting of Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy.
Both blocs were formed long before the outbreak of this war. Thus, the Anglo-French-Russian alliance was formed in 1907. And the opposing coalition took shape in 1882.
Before the start of the World War, Italy declared neutrality, seriously violating the plans of its allies, in particular Germany. And some time after the outbreak of the conflict, she completely went over to the side of the Entente.
The Triple Alliance during the war was replenished with the Ottoman Empire (October 1914) and Bulgaria (October 1915) and became Quadruple.
The Entente, in turn, received support from more than 20 countries, including the United States of America, Japan, Serbia, Egypt, China and many others. 
In total, 38 countries out of 59 independent states that existed by that time took part in the war. 17 countries have declared full or partial neutrality.♦ ♦ ♦
Background and causes Briefly, the reasons for the outbreak of the First World War can be described as a struggle for power and the division of income between large states, as well as the resolution of contradictions that had been accumulating for a long time.
However, in reality, the roots of this conflict are much deeper.
Contradictions between the major powers of the early 20th century have been brewing for many years. Most of them originated from the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71, which resulted in the formation of a new country in Europe - the German Empire.
Initially, this country did not seek to increase its world prestige, however, having strengthened economically and created a strong army, it began to fight for supremacy on the European continent.
By this time, there were practically no free colonies left in the world, and young Germany was left without markets. In addition, the growing population of the country required more and more territories and food. All these problems could be solved at once only by crushing the major powers: Great Britain, Russia and France.
At the same time, Austria-Hungary tried with all its might to keep Bosnia and Herzegovina, where its interests clashed with Russian and Serbian ones. 
The Russian side, in turn, was in dire need of solving the problem of transporting goods through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. The empire of Nicholas II needed free access to the Black Sea to export grain to Constantinople.
In addition, almost every country had its own interests in the Middle East region. Each of the countries wanted to snatch its piece when the Ottoman Empire was divided.
Another motive can be called the arms race, since most states sought to expand their own production of weapons.
The situation was heated to such an extent that only a spark was needed. And such a spark was the assassination of the Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand during his visit to the capital of Bosnia.
♦ ♦ ♦
The state of armament of countries on the eve of the war On the eve of the war, France had the largest army in Europe - more than 800 thousand people. Germany also had slightly fewer troops. 
Of the small arms, which were considered the most effective in the fight against enemy troops, the most popular were magazine rifles, easel machine guns, revolvers and self-loading pistols. ♦ ♦ ♦
The beginning of the conflict On June 28, 1914, the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand arrived in Sarajevo with his wife. Here they were already waiting. And not only official authorities, but also members of a terrorist organization who wanted the South Slavic territories to secede from Austria-Hungary.
The heir to the throne decided to start his visit with a tour of the military barracks. From there, the motorcade went to the City Hall. However, on the way to their destination, there were quite a few assassination attempts on the prince. Due to a combination of various circumstances, none of them succeeded.
Deciding to change the route of the visit, and thereby protect himself from further terrorist attacks, Franz Ferdinand identified a military hospital as his next destination.
But on the way, at the famous grocery store, another killer, G. Princip, was waiting for his car. This time, the crown prince's luck failed, and the terrorist managed to shoot him and his wife almost point-blank.
The events of that shocked the whole of Europe. And the ruling circles of Austria and Germany decided to use it to start a long-awaited conflict. 
A few weeks later, the government of Austria-Hungary accuses the Serbian leaders that the Sarajevo assassination was planned by them and presents an ultimatum to Serbia. Among the main requirements was the elimination of figures objectionable to Austria from the state apparatus and the army, and the introduction of Austro-Hungarian police detachments into Serbia. The Serbian government agreed to everything except the last point.
On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, declaring that it had not fulfilled the requirements of the ultimatum, and Belgrade was fired from heavy artillery guns.
At the same time, mobilization begins in the allied countries. Including in Russia. Having learned about this, Germany puts forward an ultimatum to the Russian Empire, demanding to stop the army conscription.
Completely ignoring the German demands, Nicholas II publicly announces the beginning of the war with the German Empire.
In response, Germany officially declares war on Russia. Then, over the next few days, she declares war on France, and provokes Great Britain to start active hostilities. At the same time, Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. All major countries were involved in a military conflict. ♦ ♦ ♦
Milestones By unleashing the war, its participants planned to resolve all differences within a few months, but as a result, the armed conflict dragged on for several years.
The main theaters of war were French, Russian, Balkan Caucasian, Middle Eastern. In addition, a major confrontation was observed in the African colonies, China, and the islands of Oceania.
In short, the entire course of the First World War can be divided into several stages.
The first, despite the dynamic offensive actions of the armies, did not bring significant success to either side. German troops, having occupied a small territory of France, could not take possession of any of the more or less significant cities. Russia took possession of a significant part of the Prussian territories, but received a tangible blow from Turkey in the Caucasus. Japan began to take over the German colonies.
In the second stage, the Quarter Alliance was significantly weakened. The advantage of the military equipment of the Entente countries had an effect. At the same time, the troops of the Russian Empire were forced to leave the territories of western Ukraine and eastern Poland. In the Caucasian direction, the Ottoman Empire was losing its positions. In addition, Russian troops fought on the fields of Mesopotamia, ships of the English fleet fought in the Dardanelles, and the Serbian army retreated outside its country. The so-called protracted war began.
This phase lasted until 1916. According to its results, all German sea coasts were completely blocked, and its surface fleet was destroyed.
A new stage of hostilities began already in 1917. By this time, the economy of all countries participating in the war was significantly shaken. Germany was forced to finally go on the defensive. However, due to the revolution that broke out in Russia and its withdrawal from the war, the other members of the Entente for a long time failed to finally break Germany.
Only a year later, Germany capitulated, unable to withstand the competition in resources and military strength. Following her, her allies announced their surrender. These actions marked the final stage of the war and its end.
The results of the war On the results of the First World War, one can briefly say that, according to the Versailles Peace Treaty, Germany lost most of its territories and had to pay reparations to the countries of Europe. At the same time, she had to abandon modern types of weapons.
After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian state, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia appeared on the map of Europe. Having received part of the German territories, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania retained their independence.
In addition to territorial changes on the map of Europe and the world, the war had a number of other outcomes. So, she made it clear that from now on, not only the armed forces, but the entire population will participate in military conflicts, and also that the confrontation can end only with the complete surrender of the vanquished.
Significant changes during the war years in most countries have undergone economics. Most of the production was adapted for military needs. And after the war in all major industrial countries, the economy was subjected to strict control by the state.
Interesting Facts- the war of 1914-18 contributed to the disappearance from the political map of the world of several large empires at once: German, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Russian;
- during the war years, more than 10 million soldiers and almost 12 million civilians were killed. In total, more than 65 million people took part in the hostilities. Russia alone mobilized over 10 million, 75% of whom never returned home;
- the network of trenches dug for defense during the years of this war stretched for 40 thousand kilometers;
- for the first time tanks appeared on the fronts of the war (the first of them was the English “Baby Willy” in 1916), anti-aircraft and anti-tank installations, flamethrowers (the Germans were the first to use them);
- during the conflict, for the first time in history, gas poisonous substances were used. France was the first to use poisonous gases.
With the use of these gases, a story is connected, which later received the name "attacks of the dead" (defense of the Osovets fortress by Russian troops).
In total, about 30 different toxic substances were used during the hostilities. But after the end of the armed confrontation, many countries agreed not to use such weapons in the future;
- in total, more than 200 billion US dollars were spent on military operations by all participating countries.
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How did the First World War (1914 - 1918): causes, stages, results briefly. The years of the war, its beginning and end, the entire chronicle of events and who won and won. Consider a card file of losses, how many died and what losses each of the countries suffered. The calculation table will help you understand the details and see the full picture. You will also learn who were the most famous heroes in Russia and their exploits.
World War I began on August 1, 1914 and ended on November 11, 1918. During this period, 38 states participated in the hostilities, which means that 62% of the world's population fought at the same time.
The First World War is one of those wars that historians call ambiguous and extremely controversial. One of the reasons for the war is the overthrow of the autocracy in Russia, which the opponents managed to achieve. The most significant role in the course of events was played by the Balkan countries, but their decisions and actions were directly influenced by England. So, it was impossible to call these countries independent. Germany also had some influence (in particular, on Bulgaria), but it quickly lost its authority in the region.
Who with whom?
Two groups of countries took part in World War I. On one side was the Entente, on the other, the Triple Alliance. Each group had its own leaders and allies.
The Entente included: the Russian Empire, Great Britain and France. These countries were supported by the United States, Italy, as well as Romania, New Zealand, Canada and Australia.
The Triple Alliance included: Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. During the hostilities, the Bulgarian kingdom also joined them, which is why the coalition was later called the Quadruple Alliance.
| A country | Entry into the war | Exit from the war |
|---|---|---|
| 🌏 Austria-Hungary | July 27, 1914 | November 3, 1918 |
| 🌏 Germany | August 1, 1914 | November 11, 1918 |
| 🌏 Türkiye | October 29, 1914 | October 30, 1918 |
| 🌏 Bulgaria | October 14, 1915 | September 29, 1918 |
| 🌏 Russia | August 1, 1914 | March 3, 1918 |
| 🌏 France | August 3, 1914 | |
| 🌏 Belgium | August 3, 1914 | |
| 🌏 United Kingdom | August 4, 1914 | |
| 🌏 Italy | May 23, 1915 | |
| 🌏 Romania | August 27, 1916 |
At the very beginning, Italy was part of the Triple Alliance, but as soon as the outbreak of the First World War was announced, this country declared its neutrality.
Causes
The main reason for the start of the war was the claims of the leading (at that time) world powers for the redivision of the world. England, France, Germany and Austria-Hungary planned in one way or another to expand their spheres of influence.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the colonial system, which fed the leading powers so well, suddenly failed. For decades, European countries have taken valuable resources from Africans and Indians by exploiting their colonies. But the world has changed, now the resources could not be obtained so easily - the powers decided to take them from each other by force.
Against this background, the contradictions grew stronger and stronger:
- England and Germany: the first power did everything possible so that the second could not strengthen its position in the Balkans. At the same time, Germany not only sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, but also made efforts to deprive England of her naval superiority on the world stage.
- Germany and France: The French dreamed of regaining Alsace and Lorraine - lands lost during the war of 1870 - 1871. And France was also interested in the Saar coal basin, which at that time belonged to Germany.
- Germany and Russia: The Germans hunted for Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic States, which at that time belonged to the Russian Empire.
- Russia and Austria-Hungary: for these two powers, the main contradictions centered on the desire to influence the Balkans. And Russia also wanted to take the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.
Reason for starting a war
The impetus that triggered the start of the First World War happened in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina): nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist from the Young Bosnia movement, killed Franz Ferdinand, Archduke and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
"Young Bosnia", within which Gavrilo Princip acted, being a member of the Black Hand organization, fought for the liberation of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the rule of Austria-Hungary. The murder of the heir to the throne was that very step towards liberation, but the resonance received on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo turned out to be more ambitious than the participants in those events probably expected.
German helmets from World War I Austria-Hungary received a reason to attack Serbia, but at the same time it could not start a war on its own. She needed the help of England, which, in turn, acted aggressively, trying to manipulate Austria-Hungary, Russia and Germany. On the one hand, the British insisted that Nicholas II and the Russian Empire help Serbia in case of aggression. On the other hand, the British press portrayed the Serbs as real barbarians who should not be left unpunished, thereby pushing Austria-Hungary into action.
Thus, the resulting conflict turned into a raging flame of world war. And not the last role in this was played by England as the leading power of that time.
In textbooks, we stick to only the most common facts - the reason for war is the assassination of the Archduke on June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo. But you need to understand that behind the scenes, fertile ground was being prepared for inciting a full-fledged world conflict:
- The influential French politician Jean Jaures was assassinated on June 29, the day after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. Jean Jaurès opposed the war.
- A few weeks before these two murders mentioned above, an attempt was made on the life of Rasputin, an ardent opponent of the war, who had a serious influence on Nicholas II, the emperor of the Russian Empire.
- Russian ambassador Hartley died at the Austrian embassy in Serbia in 1914. By the way, in 1917 his correspondence with Sozonov, the next Russian ambassador to Serbia, mysteriously disappeared.
British diplomats acted "on two fronts": they egged on Germany, promising to take Germany's side in the war with the Russian Empire or, in extreme cases, to remain neutral; and at the same time, Nicholas II received confirmation that England was preparing to help him in a potential war against Germany.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the forces of Russia and Germany were approximately equal in their world influence. Even after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, these two powers took a wait-and-see attitude, not venturing into open hostilities. If England had made it clear to both Russia and Germany that she would not allow war in Europe, neither of these countries would have dared to go to war. Austria-Hungary also would not go to war with Serbia, despite the assassination. But England did everything to ensure that each of the countries prepared to fight, promising each side its help behind the backs of others.
When Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, it was not yet the First World War. In order to grow from a small war of two states on the basis of murder into a world war, all the major powers of that time had to be drawn into the conflict. Each of them was at a different level of readiness for war.
Nicholas II was well aware that the Russian Empire was not ready for military action, but he could not stand aside, given that at stake was its authority in the Balkans, obtained with such difficulty earlier. As a result, the emperor signs a decree on mobilization. And despite the fact that the all-Russian mobilization is not yet a declaration of war, Germany and Austria-Hungary perceived the Russian mobilization as a signal for active action. These two powers even demanded that Russia stop mobilization, but there was no answer. On August 1, the German ambassador, Count Pourtales, arrived at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a note declaring war.
The military power of the powers
Map of military operations in 1914 - 1915 (clickable) Let's look at the balance of forces and military weapons of key countries in the First World War:
| A country | Number of common guns | Of them heavy guns |
|---|---|---|
| 🌏 Russian Empire | 7088 | 240 |
| 🌏 Austria-Hungary | 4088 | 1000 |
| 🌏 Germany | 9388 | 3260 |
| 🌏 France | 4300 | 198 |
Germany and Austria-Hungary had significantly more heavy guns, but at the same time, Germany was even more actively developing its military industry. For comparison, England produced up to 10 thousand shells per month, and Germany produced more than 250 thousand per day alone.
Now let's compare the weapons and equipment of the leading powers of the First World War:
| Side in the war | A country | Weapon | Artillery | tanks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entente | Russia | 3328 | 11,7 | |
| Entente | France | 2812 | 23,2 | 5,3 |
| Entente | England | 4093 | 26,4 | 2,8 |
| Triple Alliance | Germany | 8827 | 64 | 0,1 |
| Triple Alliance | Austria-Hungary | 3540 | 15,9 |
Obviously, the military power of the Russian Empire was much inferior not only to Germany, but also to France and England. This could not but affect the course of hostilities and losses as a result of the war.
It remains to analyze the number of fighting infantry at the beginning and end of the war, as well as the losses of each side:
| Side in the war | A country | The beginning of the war | End of the war | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entente | Russia | 5.3 million | 7.0 million | 2.3 million |
| Entente | France | 3.7 million | 4.4 million | 1.4 million |
| Entente | England | 1 million | 3.9 million | 0.7 million |
| Triple Alliance | Germany | 3.8 million | 7.6 million | 2 million |
| Triple Alliance | Austria-Hungary | 2.3 million | 4.4 million | 1.4 million |
What conclusion can we draw from this summary? England suffered the least human losses, which was not a surprise, because this country almost did not take part in major battles.
As a result of the war, it turned out that it was those countries that invested the most in this war that lost the most. While Russia and Germany were losing 4.3 million people for two, France, Austria-Hungary and England together lost 3.5 million. In fact, the war was fought between Russia and Germany, and it was these two powers that were left with nothing: Russia lost land and signed the shameful Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and Germany lost its independence as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.
Chronicle of events
July 28, 1914. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The countries of the Triple Alliance and the Entente were drawn into the conflict.
August 1, 1914. The Russian Empire entered the war. Nicholas Romanov, the uncle of Nicholas II, was appointed supreme commander in chief.
As soon as the First World War began, Petersburg was immediately rushed to be renamed Petrograd: the capital of the Russian Empire could not have a name with German origin.
Military action in 1914
What happened on the fronts:
- Northwestern Front. Military operations went from August to September 1914. Russian troops carried out the East Prussian operation, which ended in the complete defeat of the first and second Russian armies.
- Southwestern Front. Military operations during the Galician operation also lasted from August to September 1914 against the Austro-Hungarian troops. The latter received reinforcements from Germany, which saved them.
- Caucasian Front. From December 1914 to January 1915, the Sarykamysh operation was carried out against the Turkish troops, as a result of which most of the Transcaucasus was occupied.
Military operations on the Eastern Front in 1914
The Russian Empire opposes Germany and Austria-Hungary. Türkiye joined the latter.
📌 Military operations on the Eastern Front were not successful for any of the parties - no one achieved a tangible victory.
Germany developed a plan - to defeat France first, then Russia with lightning speed, but this plan failed miserably. It was called the Schlieffen Plan and its essence was to destroy France from the Western Front in 40 days, and then fight Russia on the Eastern Front. The Germans focused on 40 days, because they believed that this was how long the Russian Empire needed to mobilize.
The advance of the German troops began successfully - on August 2, 1914, they captured Luxembourg, and on August 4, the Germans already invaded Belgium, which at that time was a neutral country. On August 20, Germany moved on France, but on September 5 it was stopped at the Marne River. There was a battle with a total number of 2 million people who fought.
Germany thought it could handle France while Russia mobilized its troops, but Nicholas II entered the war without fully mobilizing the army. Russian troops advanced on East Prussia already on August 4, which the Germans did not expect at all and even retreated at first. But in the end, Germany repelled the offensive, since the Russian Empire did not have either full-fledged resources or proper organization. Russia lost the battle, but also prevented Germany from implementing Schlieffen's lightning-fast plan: while the Russian Empire was losing its first and second armies, France saved Paris.
Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1914
In parallel with the offensive in the East, the Russian Empire went to Galicia, where the Austro-Hungarian troops were located. Despite the help from Germany, which sent additional divisions to the allied Austria-Hungary, this operation was more successful for the Russian army: Austria-Hungary lost 400 thousand soldiers, another 100 thousand were captured. At the same time, Russia lost 150 thousand.
📌 After the Galician operation, Austria-Hungary withdrew from the war, no longer having the opportunity to fight on its own.
Results of 1914:
- Schlieffen's German plan to capture the French and Russian armies with lightning speed failed miserably.
- Neither power gained a significant advantage during the course of the war.
- As a result of 1914, the First World War became a positional one.
Military action in 1915
When it became clear that the Schlieffen plan had failed, Germany sent all its forces to the Eastern Front to fight Russia. At that moment, it seemed to Germany that the Russian Empire was the weakest country of the Entente and it was much easier to deal with it than with others.
The strategic plan for command on the Eastern Front was developed by General von Hindenburg. The Russian Empire thwarted this plan as well, but spent enormous forces on it and got out only at the cost of incredible losses.
What happened on the fronts:
- Northwestern Front. Military operations were conducted from January to October 1915. As a result of the German offensive, Russia is losing Poland, Western Belarus, Ukraine and part of the Baltic states. The Russians are on the defensive.
- Southwestern Front. The hostilities lasted from January to March 1915. During the Carpathian operation against the Austro-Hungarian troops, the Russian army loses Galicia and goes on the defensive.
- Caucasian Front. From June to July 1915, the Alashkert operation lasted near the lakes Van and Urmia against the Turkish army. From December 1915, the Erzurum operation began.
Military operations on the North-Western Front in 1915
From the beginning of 1915 until October, Germany was actively advancing on Russia, as a result of which the latter lost Poland, Western Ukraine, partly the Baltic states and Western Belarus. During this German offensive, the Russian Empire lost 850 thousand people and 900 thousand soldiers were captured.
Despite the fact that the Russian Empire did not capitulate after these hostilities, but went on the defensive, the countries of the Triple Alliance were convinced that Russia would not recover from the losses.
📌 After a successful attack for Germany and the defeat of the Russian army, Bulgaria joins this side - from October 14, 1915.
Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1915
The German army with the remnants of the surviving Austro-Hungarian army in the spring of 1915 makes the Gorlitsky breakthrough. Russia retreats along the Southwestern Front and loses Galicia, which it had only conquered in 1914. On the side of Germany was not only a significant technical advantage, but also the strategic mistakes of the Russian command.
📌 At that time, Germany had 2.5 times more machine guns, 4.5 times more light artillery, and 40 times more heavy artillery.
Military operations on the Western Front in 1915
War broke out on the Western Front between Germany and France. Actions on both sides were sluggish and lack of initiative. Germany concentrated more on the Eastern Front, while England and France at that time were mobilizing their armies in preparation for further action.
Nicholas II repeatedly turned to France for help, at least to make it more active on the Western Front, but in vain.
Results of 1915:
- The German plan to destroy the Russian army failed, but the losses of the Russian Empire were colossal, although not huge enough to take Russia out of the war.
- After 1.5 years of hostilities, neither side has gained a strategic advantage or superiority. The war dragged on.
Military action in 1916
The 16th year of the 20th century began with Germany losing strategic initiative. The successful offensive of the Russians once again plays into the hands of the allied France - the fortress of Verdun is saved. At this stage, Romania joins the Entente.
Consider briefly what happened in the third year of the war:
- Northwestern Front. From spring to autumn, defensive battles are fought on the western border.
- Southwestern Front. From May to July 1916, the Russian army advances and makes the Brusilovsky breakthrough. In the course of these actions, Russia recaptures Bukovina and Southern Galicia, destroying the Austro-Hungarian troops.
- Caucasian Front. The Erzurum operation comes to an end and the Trebizond operation begins, as a result of which Erzurum and Trebizond are captured.
Military operations on the Southwestern Front in 1916
In February 1916, German troops decisively attack France in order to capture Paris. He defended the capital of Verdun - a fortress on the outskirts of Paris. It was to Verdun that Germany went. In that battle, 2 million people died, and it lasted until the very end of 1916.
📌 Considering how much time was spent on the capture of the fortress of Verdun, and how many people died, those battles were called the "Verdun Meat Grinder". France managed to survive, but only because Russia came to her aid.
Russian troops have been actively advancing along the Southwestern Front since May 1916. This offensive went down in history as the Brusilovsky breakthrough, as General Brusilov was in command. The offensive went on for 2 months.
The actual breakthrough occurred on June 5 in Bukovina. The Russian army not only broke through the defenses, but also advanced 120 km inland. The losses of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies in that breakthrough amounted to 1.5 million people - wounded and captured in total. The Russian offensive was stopped only after the transfer of additional German divisions, which at that time were located near Verdun and in Italy.
Romania, which entered the war on the side of the Entente, was unable to resist the German army. Germany quickly dealt with the Romanian troops, inflicting a serious defeat on them. As a result, Russia has 2,000 km of additional front, which means additional losses.
Results of 1916:
- The strategic initiative turned out to be on the side of the Entente.
- France re-defended Paris from the offensive, retaining the fortress of Verdun. But, like the first time, it happened thanks to the help of the Russian Empire.
- In the third year of the war, Romania joins the Entente, but Germany quickly destroyed its army.
- A significant achievement of the Russian Empire this year is the Brusilovsky breakthrough.
Military action in 1917
1917 was a fatal year for the Russian Empire. On all fronts, Russian troops carry out unsuccessful operations: Germany captures Riga, and then the Moonsund archipelago in the Baltic. The Russian army is demoralized, and popular unrest is directed towards peace. Inside the country, their own changes are ripe - on November 20 (December 3), the Bolsheviks seize power and negotiate peace. As a result of these negotiations, on March 3, 1918, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed.
Armored Train in the Carpathians (New York Public Library Archives) Both in Germany and in Russia, against the backdrop of the war in 1917, the economic situation worsened. For example, in the Russian Empire, only in the first 3 years of the war, food prices increased 4-5 times. Dissatisfied people, exhausting war, great human losses - all this served as fertile ground for the revolutionaries, who hastened to take advantage of the moment to seize power. A similar picture emerged in Germany.
As for the alignment of forces in the First World War, the positions of the Triple Alliance were seriously weakened: Germany could no longer fight on two fronts, and then the United States also entered the war.
End of World War I for the Russian Empire
In the spring of 1917, Germany tried to launch an offensive along the Western Front, but the Provisional Government in Russia, trying to fulfill the agreements signed by the Russian Empire, sent its troops to Lvov on the offensive.
Once again, the allies are saved, but the Russian army suffers crushing losses step by step - the provisions are scarce, the uniforms and provision of the soldiers leave much to be desired, but even in such circumstances, the Russian troops are trying to move forward. Meanwhile, Russia's allies do not actively participate and do not provide the necessary assistance.
On July 6, when Germany launched a counteroffensive, 150,000 Russian soldiers died. The front has collapsed, and the Russian army has ceased to exist. Russia had nothing else and no one to fight.
Under such conditions, the Bolsheviks, having seized power in the country in October 1917, signed the decree "On Peace", thereby withdrawing from the war, and already in 1918, on March 3, the Brest Peace was signed, according to which Russia:
- makes peace with Austria-Hungary, Germany and Turkey;
- renounces claims to Poland, Ukraine, the Baltic States, Finland and part of Belarus;
- yields Batum, Ardagan and Kars to Turkey.
Having entered the First World War, the Russian Empire:
- ceased to exist as a power, giving power to the Bolsheviks;
- lost 1 million square meters. m of territories;
- lost a quarter of the population;
- seriously weakened in the agricultural sector and in the coal / metallurgical industry.
Military action in 1918
With the Eastern Front gone, Germany could no longer split into two directions. In the spring she went to the Western Front, but did not achieve success there. It became obvious that she needed a break.
The decisive events took place in the fall of 1918, when the United States and the Entente countries attacked the German army, driving it out of the territories of France and Belgium. Already in October, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey signed a truce with the powers of the Entente and now Germany was in complete isolation. The triple alliance capitulated and, like the events in Russia, fertile ground was formed in Germany for the revolution, which took place on November 9, 1918 - Emperor Wilhelm II was overthrown.
War heroes and their deeds
A.A. Brusilov (1853- 1926). He commanded the Southwestern Front and carried out a successful operation, which was later called the Brusilov breakthrough. The army of the commander Brusilov forced the enemy to think from which side the main blow was delivered. The tactic of simultaneous attacks on several fronts worked on four occasions at once. Over 100 thousand people were taken prisoner in 3 days. Throughout the summer, the Russian army took away from the Germans and Austro-Hungarians the territory up to the Carpathians.
M.V. Alekseev (1857 - 1918). Infantry general and chief of staff of the Russian army on the Southwestern Front. He led the largest operations, leading the Russian army.
Kozma Kryuchkov- the first who received the George Cross in the First World War. He served in the Don Cossack Regiment and with other comrades once met a German cavalry patrol. Of the 22 enemies, he personally killed ten, among whom was an officer. At the same time, he received 16 wounds. His name is not so well known, because in 1919 Kryuchkov gave his life in battles with the Bolsheviks, speaking in the ranks of the White Army.
The George Cross was also received by Vasily Chapaev, Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky, Rodion Malinovsky.
A.I. Denikin (1872 - 1947). Military leader and general of the First World War. He was the commander of the "iron brigade", which distinguished itself more than once in battles.
P.N. Nesterov (1887 - 1914). Russian pilot who invented the air loop named after him. He died in 1914, in battle, ramming an enemy airplane.
End of World War I
World War I ended on November 11, 1918, when Germany signed the surrender. In the Compiègne forest at the Rethord station near Paris, the French Marshal Foch accepted the surrender of the defeated power. As a result Germany:
- admitted defeat in the war;
- undertook to return Alsace and Lorraine, as well as the Saar coal basin to France;
- abandoned all her colonies;
- transferred an eighth of its territories to neighbors.
In addition, the signed surrender required that:
- Entente troops were stationed on the left bank of the Rhine for 15 years;
- Until May 1921, Germany had to pay the powers of the Entente (except Russia) 20 billion marks;
- for 30 years, Germany was obliged to pay reparations, the amount of which the victorious countries could change during these 30 years;
- Germany did not have the right to form an army of more than 100 thousand people, while the army itself must be voluntary for citizens.
All these conditions were so humiliating for Germany that they actually deprived her of her independence, making her an obedient puppet in the hands of other powers.
Results of the First World War
The First World War involved 14 major countries and a total of 38 powers in total. This meant that over 4 years of the war, 1 billion people or 62% of the world's population were involved. For the entire duration of the war, 74 million people were mobilized, of which 10 million died and 20 million were injured.
The political map of Europe has been redrawn:
- New states appeared, such as: Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Albania.
- Austria-Hungary ceased to exist, divided into 3 independent states: Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
- The borders of France, Italy, Greece and Romania expanded.
The losing countries that lost land were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Bulgaria and Turkey. During the war, 4 empires ceased to exist: Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman.
So, it was the First World War 1914 - 1918: causes, stages, results briefly and in pictures. We looked at the years - the beginning and end of the battles (including separately for Russia), who won and how many people died (a card file of countries' losses in the table), and also found out what the heroes of the war were and their exploits. Do you have any questions? Ask them in the comments.
Sources
- Ardashev A.N. Great Trench War. Positional massacre of the First World
- Pereslegin S.B. First World. War Between Realities
- Basil Liddell Hart. History of the First World War
- Evgeny Belash. Myths of the First World
- Anatoly Utkin. World War I
- Badak A.N. The World History. Volume 19
Who fought with whom? Now this question will surely baffle many ordinary people. But the Great War, as it was called in the world until 1939, claimed more than 20 million lives and forever changed the course of history. For 4 bloody years, empires collapsed, alliances were made. Therefore, it is necessary to know about it at least for the purposes of general development.
Reasons for the start of the war
By the beginning of the 19th century, the crisis in Europe was obvious to all major powers. Many historians and analysts cite various populist reasons why who fought with whom before, which peoples were fraternal to each other, and so on - all this had practically no meaning for most countries. The goals of the warring powers in World War I were different, but the main reason was the desire of big business to spread its influence and gain new markets.
First of all, it is worth considering the desire of Germany, since it was she who became the aggressor and actually unleashed the war. But at the same time, one should not assume that it only wanted war, and the rest of the countries did not prepare attack plans and only defended themselves.
German goals
By the beginning of the 20th century, Germany continued to develop rapidly. The empire had a good army, modern types of weapons, a powerful economy. The main problem was that it was possible to unite the German lands under a single flag only in the middle of the 19th century. It was then that the Germans became an important player on the world stage. But by the time Germany emerged as a great power, the period of active colonization had already been missed. England, France, Russia and other countries had many colonies. They opened up a good market for the capital of these countries, made it possible to have cheap labor, an abundance of food and specific goods. Germany did not have this. Commodity overproduction led to stagnation. The growth of the population and the limited territories of their settlement formed a food shortage. Then the German leadership decided to move away from the idea of being a member of the commonwealth of countries, having a secondary voice. Sometime towards the end of the 19th century, political doctrines were directed towards building the German Empire as the world's leading power. And the only way to do this is war.
Year 1914. The First World War: who fought?
Other countries thought similarly. The capitalists pushed the governments of all major states towards expansion. First of all, Russia wanted to unite as many Slavic lands as possible under its banners, especially in the Balkans, especially since the local population was loyal to such patronage.
Türkiye played an important role. The world's leading players closely watched the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and waited for the moment to bite off a piece from this giant. Crisis and anticipation were felt throughout Europe. There were a number of bloody wars in the territory of modern Yugoslavia, after which the First World War followed. Who fought with whom in the Balkans, sometimes the locals of the South Slavic countries themselves did not remember. The capitalists drove the soldiers forward, changing allies depending on the benefits. It was already clear that, most likely, something larger than a local conflict would happen in the Balkans. And so it happened. At the end of June, Gavrila Princip assassinated Archduke Ferdinand. used this event as a pretext for declaring war.
Parties' expectations
The warring countries of the First World War did not think what the conflict would result in. If you study in detail the plans of the parties, it is clearly seen that each was going to win due to the rapid offensive. No more than a few months were allotted for hostilities. This was due, among other things, to the fact that before that there were no such precedents in history, when almost all powers participate in the war.
World War I: who fought whom?
On the eve of 1914, two alliances were concluded: the Entente and the Triple. The first included Russia, Britain, France. In the second - Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy. Smaller countries united around one of these alliances. With whom was Russia at war? With Bulgaria, Turkey, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Albania. As well as a number of armed formations of other countries.
After the Balkan crisis in Europe, two main theaters of military operations were formed - Western and Eastern. Also, hostilities were fought in the Transcaucasus and in various colonies in the Middle East and Africa. It is difficult to list all the conflicts that the First World War gave rise to. Who fought with whom depended on belonging to a particular alliance and territorial claims. For example, France has long dreamed of regaining the lost Alsace and Lorraine. And Türkiye is land in Armenia.
For the Russian Empire, the war turned out to be the most costly. And not only in economic terms. On the fronts, Russian troops suffered the greatest losses.
This was one of the reasons for the start of the October Revolution, as a result of which a socialist state was formed. The people simply did not understand why those who were mobilized by the thousands went to the West, and only a few returned.
Intensive was basically only the first year of the war. The subsequent ones were characterized by positional struggle. Many kilometers of trenches were dug, countless defensive structures were erected.
The atmosphere of a positional permanent war is very well described in Remarque's book All Quiet on the Western Front. It was in the trenches that the lives of soldiers were grinded, and the economies of countries worked exclusively for the war, reducing costs for all other institutions. 11 million civilian lives were claimed by the First World War. Who fought with whom? There can be only one answer to this question: capitalists with capitalists.