The World War I Portal

World War I (WWI or WW1), also known as the First World War or the Great War in historical contexts, was a global conflict from 1914 to 1918. It was fought between two coalitions: the Allied Powers and the Central Powers. Fighting took place throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. One of the deadliest wars in history, it resulted in an estimated 9 million soldiers dead and 23 million wounded, plus another 5 million civilian deaths from various causes. Millions more died as a result of genocide, and the war was a major factor in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.

The first decade of the 20th century saw increasing diplomatic tension between the European great powers. This reached a breaking point on 28 June 1914, when a Bosnian Serb named Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. Austria-Hungary held Serbia responsible, and declared war on 28 July. Russia came to Serbia's defence, and by 4 August, Germany, France, and Britain were drawn into the war, with the Ottoman Empire joining in November of that same year. (Full article...)

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A British Mark V tank

The development of tanks in World War I was a response to the stalemate that developed on the Western Front. Although vehicles that incorporated the basic principles of the tank (armour, firepower, and all-terrain mobility) had been projected in the decade or so before the War, it was the alarmingly heavy casualties of the start of its trench warfare that stimulated development. Research took place in both Great Britain and France, with Germany only belatedly following the Allies' lead.

In Great Britain, an initial vehicle, nicknamed Little Willie, was constructed at William Foster & Co., during August and September 1915. The prototype of a new design that became the Mark I tank was demonstrated to the British Army on 2 February 1916. Although initially termed "Landships" by the Landship Committee, production vehicles were named "tanks", to preserve secrecy. The term was chosen when it became known that the factory workers at William Foster referred to the first prototype as "the tank" because of its resemblance to a steel water tank.

The French fielded their first tanks in April 1917 and ultimately produced far more tanks than all other countries combined. (Full article...)

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"We will support Britain to the last man and the last shilling."
Andrew Fisher, August 1914
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Brusilov in 1913

Aleksei Alekseyevich Brusilov (Russian: Алексе́й Алексе́евич Бруси́лов, IPA: [ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej ɐlʲɪkˈsʲejɪvʲɪdʑ brʊˈsʲiɫəf]; 31 August [O.S. 19 August] 1853 – 17 March 1926) was a Russian and later Soviet general most noted for the development of new offensive tactics used in the 1916 Brusilov offensive, which was his greatest achievement. The innovative and relatively successful tactics used were later copied by the Germans.

Born into an aristocratic military family, Brusilov trained as a cavalry officer, but by 1914 had realized that cavalry was obsolete against modern weapons of warfare such as machine gun and artillery. Historians portray him as the only First World War Russian general capable of winning major battles; his offensive strategy helped eliminate the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an independent fighting force. However, his victories resulted in heavy casualties that seriously weakened the Russian army, which was unable to replace its losses. (Full article...)

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From the World War I task force of the Military history WikiProject:

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Adriatic Campaign of World War I Atlantic U-boat campaign of World War I Balkans Campaign (World War I) Battle of Belleau Wood Battle of Gully Ravine Battle of Pozières Battle of Sari Bair Eastern Front (World War I) Italian Front (World War I) Robert Nivelle Serbian Campaign of World War I South-West Africa Campaign Landing at Suvla Bay Max von Boehn (General) Johannes von Eben Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign Naval warfare in the Mediterranean during World War I Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service
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Bombardment of Samogneux Götz von König de Black Sea Campaign (World War I) Battle of the Nete Battle of Musalla Battle of Qasr-i-Shirin Battle of Qom Battle of Hamadan Occupation of Tabriz Affair of Umm at Tubal Battle of Namacurra Makombe rebellion Auguste Clément Gérôme Konrad von Hippel Hermann von Ziegesar Josef Freiherr Roth von Limanowa-Lapanów Adolf Freiherr von Rhemen zu Barenfels Hugo Martiny von Malastów Battle of Kyurdamir Army Detachment Scheffer Egon Graf von Schmettow Army Group Boroević (currently a redirect) Max Hofmann (general)
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Battle of Behobeho Battle of Cambrai (1918) Battle of Caporetto Battle of Courtrai (1918) Battle of Dodoma Battle of Dutumi Battle of Kahe Battle of Kibata (1916) Battle of Kibata (1917) Battle of Kidodi Battle of Kilosa Battle of Kimbaramba Battle of Krithia Vineyard Battle of Lukigura Battle of the Lys (1918) Battle of Nambanje Battle of Mahiwa Battle of Matamondo Battle of Mlali Battle of Morogoro Battle of Mkalamo Battle of Mouquet Farm Battle of Narungombe Battle of Njinjo Occupation of German Samoa Battle of Rumbo Samarra offensive Battle of Scimitar Hill Battle of Sharqat Battle of St. Quentin Canal Battle of Utete Battle of Wami Demilitarisation First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux Second Battle of Krithia Second Battle of Kut Second Battle of the Isonzo Third Battle of Krithia Third Battle of the Isonzo Fifth Battle of the Isonzo Seventh Battle of the Isonzo Ninth Battle of the Isonzo Tenth Battle of the Isonzo Operation Marne-Rheims Joseph B. Sanborn Robert Kosch de Second attack on Anzac Cove Barue uprising Yser Front Ettore Mambretti Ukrainian Sich Riflemen
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Battle of Robănești
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Hundred Days Offensive Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company &bull Landing at Suvla Bay Battle of Gully Ravine Battle of Kumkale Victory Medal (Romania) Battle of Augustów (1914) Draft:Vilno-Dvinsk offensive
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de:Schlacht in den Karpaten (Large battle in the Carpathians) fr:Mémorial Interallié

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