- troops from all over the world ⇒ including those from British and French colonies ⇒ took part in this conflict
- As war progressed ⇒ more countries were drawn into the war to support their allies
Although Italy was part of triple alliance ⇒ it entered war on the side of the triple entente.
- hoped that by doing so it could gain more benefits for itself when the war ended US ⇒ had been fighting alongside triple entente too Russia ⇒ part of triple entente ⇒ pulled out of WW1 in the same year
March 1918 ⇒ Russia ⇒ signed peace agreement with Germany ⇒ treaty of Brest Litovsk ⇒ ceding many territories and valuable resources to Germany
War ⇒ lasted over 4 years⇒ ended on 11 Nov 1918 ⇒ with Germany agreeing to sign an armistice with the allies to stop the fighting Impact of war ⇒ devastating
- final death toll from fighting, death, starvation ⇒ 40 million
- There was huge political impact on various countries involved in war
Germany and Austria Hungary
Germany ⇒ Kaisers govt lost control of the country + Kaiser was overthrown in a revolution Austria Hungary ⇒ Germany’s ally ⇒ collapsed ⇒ with its empire breaking up into many smaller countries
Britain and France
Although triple entente won war ⇒ Britain and France emerged much weaker than they had been in 1914 War had been costly for Britain in terms of lives and money France ⇒ most affected by war:
- not only did it lose many lives ⇒ but also saw devastation to large parts of its industrial regions
Russia
| First revolution = March 1917 ⇒ overthrew existing ruler Tsar Nicholas II → replaced by a provisional govt ⇒ comprised of democratically elected members of Russia’s Parliament | Nov 1917 ⇒ govt was overthrown in second revolution → by Bolshevik Party ⇒ led by Vladimir Lenin | Bolsheviks ⇒ known as reds ⇒ were communists. ⇒ believed that all land, property, industry ⇒ should be owned and run by the state on behalf of ordinary people. |
| Many groups ⇒ Supporters of Tsar, Landowners, Army commanders ⇒ not prepared to accept Bolshevik Rule ⇒ became known as whites ⇒ was an anti Bolshevik Movement | Civil war broke out between whites and the Bolsheviks and their red army ⇒ late 1917. Russian Civil War Britain, France, US, Japan ⇒ sent troops to help whites against reds. ⇒ viewed communism as opposed to their political systems based on democracy and capitalist economies ⇒ based on the belief in the importance of wealth and private property. | Reds ⇒ won Russian Civil war ⇒ Russia became communist state. Russia became largest territory in USSR ⇒ union of 15 communist republics. |
US
⇒ was now the worlds greatest power ⇒ emerged from war richer and stronger than before ⇒ had benefitted from sale of weapons during war
Japan
Japan had agreement with Britain to protect British colonies in Asia ⇒ but it did not take part in fighting Did not suffer war damage ⇒ was able to focus on building its economy and military ⇒ allowing it to increase in wealth and power