World War I, often called the 'war to end all wars,' reshaped the 20th century. Lasting from 1914 to 1918, it involved the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria) against the Allied Powers (primarily France, Britain, Russia, Italy, and the United States). Fueled by complex alliances, imperial ambitions, and nationalist fervor, a single assassination in Sarajevo ignited a global conflict.
The war introduced devastating new technologies like machine guns, poison gas, and tanks, resulting in unprecedented casualties. Trench warfare became synonymous with the Western Front, a brutal and static landscape of attrition. Beyond the battlefield, WWI profoundly impacted societies worldwide, leading to social and political upheaval, redrawing maps, and paving the way for future conflicts. Understanding its causes and consequences is crucial to grasping the complexities of the modern world.
