A glossary of historical terms

First World War

1914-18 Global conflict that began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo. Austria declared war on Serbia; Russia mobilized against Austria. Germany joined in (the Central Powers), declaring war against Russia and France - who had allied with Britain in the Triple Entente - and invading Belgium. Britain, supported by Canada, Australia and New Zealand, declared war on Germany. Bulgaria and the Ottoman empire sided with the Central Powers, while the Allied Powers were backed by Japan, Italy, Romania, Portugal and Greece. The United States joined the Allies in 1917 after a British ship containing many American passengers, the Lusitania, was sunk by German submarines. The only major naval battle was the battle of Jutland (1916). Fighting was scattered arund the globe: on the Eastern and Western fronts; in Italy and the Balkans; in the Middle East; and in the colonies of the imperial powers. The Central Powers were outnumbered; Austria-Hungary collapsed and Germany was forced to surrender. The Ottoman empire broke up and its territories were divided among the Allies under League of Nations mandates. US president Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points plan for peace was rejected in favor of the Treaty of Versailles, prolonging the antagonism between Germany and France, and contributed to World War II. Of 65 million soldiers in the war, about 10 million died and more than 20 million were injured.

First World War

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