1914 - World War 1

World War I (1914-1918) began as a clash of European titans blinded by nationalism and imperialism. Alliances signed in blood pit 32 nations against each other in unprecedented, massive mortal combat. Eight million lives were lost; nations and economies crumbled; maps were redrawn; and world power was usurped from the Europeans as punishment for their infighting.

Many of the nationalistic and imperialistic evils that caused World War I were born out of 19th century conflicts between European powers. The nationalistic fire burning beneath France was fueled by the loss of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). In Austria-Hungary, the Slavic people - influenced by Russia and Serbia - were restless to become their own empire, free from the chains of Austro-Hungarian rule. Germany - inspired by recent unification - suffered both nationalistic and imperialistic tendencies, as they tried to expand their borders into French Morocco and threatened Great Britain with their naval prowess.

Widespread distrust festered among European superpowers who drew the line and began picking teammates - signing alliances for war insurance. Russia and Germany - former allies - split sides due to political differences, forcing Germany to ally with the weakest of the European superpowers, Austria-Hungary. The German, Austro-Hungarian and Italian team formed the Triple Alliance, while the British, French and Russian side became the Triple Entente. Needing little excuse to fight their hostile neighbors, the angry nations erupted into World War I when Austro-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a young Serbian nationalist. Austria-Hungary turned around and declared war on Serbia, forcing Serbia's traditional ally Russia to join the fighting. This set the aforementioned alliances in motion, pulling European superpowers into the war to defend each other.

Eventually, the balance of power would shift toward the Triple Entente as the war evolved into four nations, the "Central Powers" Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria, against the world - 28 countries, the "Allies and Associated Powers." Fighting initially developed on three major European fronts: Eastern, Western and Serbian. As the war progressed, two new fronts emerged: Turkish and Italian.

On the Eastern Front, the Russian "steamroller" tried to crash into Germany. But Russian attacks were abruptly halted by the Germans and Austro-Hungarians in the 1914 Battle of Tannenberg. Still determined, the Russians plowed toward Austria-Hungary in 1915, but were repulsed once again. The Russian Revolution of 1917 was the final blow to Russia. Their unsuccessful fighting and internal strife cost the Allies dearly as poor morale and massive casualties disabled the Russians for the remainder of the war.

In the South, Serbia was quickly consumed in 1915 by German, Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian forces. The Turkish Front developed that same year, when Turkey invaded the Russian Caucasus region and Russia requested British aid. Two Allied landings at Gallipoli to force open Russian supply routes ended in failure. Allied troops were subsequently withdrawn in December 1915 and January 1916.

Unfortunately for the Central Powers, Italy decided to switch sides in the midst of fighting - lured by the Allies through promises of land and power. Instead of helping the Central Powers on other fronts, the Italians tied the hands of the Austro-Hungarians by battling them in Italy. A stalemate ensued until 1917, when a strong offensive by the Germans and Austro-Hungarians pushed the Italians back to the Piave River in Northeast Italy. Ironically, the Italians became a liability to both the Central Powers and the Allies, who were now forced to support their vulnerable position. After much determination and effort, in 1918, the Allies expunged the Central Powers from Italy and Serbia.

The Western Front was the decisive battleground of World War I, where much of the world's blood was shed. A massive 1914 German assault through Belgium sent the Allies reeling back toward Paris. The Germans were breathing down the backs of the Allies, pushing them westward until they had nearly taken Europe. Just when the war seemed lost for the Allies, French General Joffre hatched a plan that saved France - the Battle of the Marne. The Germans were halted, then slowly forced back to the Aisne River. With German and Allied forces entrenched from Verdun to the Swiss border, the only direction for maneuver was northward. The race to the North Sea ports was on. By the end of 1914, the infamous trenches of World War I had been dug, spanning from Switzerland to the North Sea.

In February of 1916, the Germans launched the Battle of Verdun to end the trench-imposed stalemate. It was a bloody German failure as the French - rallied by the cry, "They shall not pass!" - refused to yield. Seizing the initiative, the British and French launched their own futile attack - the Battle of the Somme in July of 1916. Despite the loss of hundreds of thousands of men, no appreciable ground was gained. Stalemate in the trenches persisted for the remainder of 1916.

The 1915 sinking of the luxury liner Lusitania and 1916 German declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare compelled the United States to join World War I on April 6, 1917. The Central Powers, threatened by United States intervention, concluded their only chance for victory was a major offensive on the Western Front. Often referred to as the Second Battle of the Marne, the Germans launched a series of violent attacks during the Spring and Summer of 1918. Their furious assault ended the stalemate in the trenches. But exhausted by their Herculean effort, low on supplies, and bled of their elite shock troops, the Germans ground to a halt.

Seizing the initiative, the Allies launched a bold counterattack, forcing the Germans back through their initial lines. With his army in full retreat, his navy mutinied, and his citizens revolting in Bavaria, Emperor William II fled Germany. Devastated, the new German chancellor and the Central Powers had no choice but to accept an armistice on November 11, 1918. Shortly thereafter, the 1919 Treaty of Versailles ended World War I.

The Treaty of Versailles dismembered the Austro-Hungarian empire and came down hard on Germany. After breaking with Hungary and other territories, Austria was forbidden to become part of Germany, and Germany lost land of its own. In an unusual decision, Germany was forced to accept blame for causing World War I and required to pay a large sum - 56 billion dollars - for reparations. This was a huge pill to swallow for a nation that did not believe it was the sole cause of the war, whose military had not been decisively defeated, and whose economy was destroyed by vengeful victors. It created a veritable breeding ground for the kind of fanatical nationalism the world had yet to see. Lurking in the shadows - watching Germany get "short-changed" by Versailles - was the obsessive Corporal Adolf Hitler, waiting to seek revenge through World War II.