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Home / IAS Preparation / First World War

World War I - Participants, Causes, and India’s view for UPSC

Last Updated on Feb 24, 2025
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First World War or Great war, originated in Europe on July 28th, 1914 and ended on 11th November 1918. Most of the nations of Europe along with Russia, the United States, the Middle East, and other regions were involved in the historic event. This was the first war in history when civilians were also impacted along with strong armies.

In this article, we will read about detailed facts about World War I which changed the course of history. This is an essential part of UPSC Mains In world History of GS paper I

Download the PDF on World War I notes for UPSC Exam here.

World War First the Background 1914-1918

World War I was fought between central powers and allied powers. The immediate cause of World war was the assassination of one of the most famous personalities of that time Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

As per a report, there are as many as nine million deaths of army personnel and thirteen million civilian deaths. One of the most significant wars of geopolitical history led to the fall of four great imperialist Germany, Austria- Hungary, Turkey, and Russia which also resulted in the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.

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World War I: Participants

The war was fought between Allied Powers and Central Powers

  • Allied Powers-France, Russia, Italy, Japan, and Britain. The United States joined after 1917.
  • Central Powers-Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria

India made a huge contribution to Britain’s cause of the war. Almost 1.5 million Indians from parts such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Maharashtra volunteered for the war.

Read about the Census of 2011 here!

Causes of First World War

There is a chain of events that led to devastating World war I the root cause of which is deeply integrated. We will try to understand the root causes under several heads and what factors were responsible for the First World War.

  • Mutual Defence Alliance

Before World War I many countries went under a treaty wherein when one of the countries was attacked the other was bound to defend the. The following Alliances existed before the War

  • Russia and Serbia
  • Germany and Austria-Hungary
  • France and Russia
  • Britain and France and Belgium
  • Japan and Britain

Read about Indian- Japan Relations here!

The Alliance of Austria- Hungary was attacked by Serbia since Russia was in an alliance with Serbia it came to defend Serbia. Germany being in alliance with Austria – Hungary attacked Russia. France attacked Germany, Austria – Hungary.

Germany Attacked Belgium and France which brought Britain into the war. Japan came to defend Britain. Lastly, Italy and the United States Joined.

  • Imperialism

The policy of extending one’s own territorial boundary using power is known as imperialism. Africa and Asia were a point of conflict and attracted many European Countries. The desire for power and increased competition was a major force in imitation of World War I

  • Militarism

By the beginning of the 20th century, countries were in a sort of arms race and there was a great display of military powers. Germany was winning the race followed by Russia and France. The increase in military powers was also one of the causes that pushed the world into this disastrous war.

Read about Brexit impact on India Here!

  • Nationalism

This can be considered one of the most important causes of triggering war. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina no longer wanted to be part of Austria-Hungary but to be associated with Serbia. Each country in Europe contributed to extending the war by proving their nationalism and trying to dominate others.

  • Immediate Cause: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand was a member of the royal Habsburg dynasty, which ruled the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After a first failed attempt to assassinate Ferdinand by a Serbian-nationalist terrorist group called the Black Hand, Ferdinand and his were assassinated in 1914 by a Serbian nationalist named Gavrilo Princip while they were in Sarajevo, Bosnia which was part of Austria- Hungary. This led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia while other countries were also mobilized to prove their alliances.

The course of World War I

Start of War

After the assassination, the following series of events took place:

  • July 28 – Austria declared war on Serbia.
  • August 1 –Germany – Austria’s ally declares war on Russia- an ally of Serbia
  • August 3 – Germany declares war on France
  • August 4 – Great Britain, an ally of France, declares war against Germany

President Wilson of The United States declared that they will remain neutral

Western and Eastern Fronts

In West – Germany attacked Belgium and France

In East – Russia attacked both Germany and both Austria-Hungary

Battle of Marne fought between 5th -9th Sept 1914 Central France became the center of the eastern front and also the gateway for the rest of the war.

Ottoman Empire

During the 1915s allied powers rose against the Ottomans in the Mediterranean as Germany tricked Russia and they thought Russia was attacked by Turkey. A Series of campaigns by the British was launched at Dandrelles, Gallipoli Peninsula, and Mesopotamia. The British had some success in their campaign except at Dandrelles where they were defeated.

Trench Warfare

Fight was fought in a series of trenches dug from the North Sea through Belgium and France. Soldiers from dug-in positions gave them a slight advantage. The land between two enemy French lines was covered with land mines and barbed fences and is termed as No Man’s Land

United States Entrance and Russia’s Exit

In 1917 this war took a major turn when the United States, angered by an attack on its ship in the Atlantic Ocean declared War on Germany.

Another was the withdrawal of Russia from the war due to the Bolshevik Revolution.

Read about allies and the axis power of the Second World War here!

End of War and Armistice

Such a long war extending for a span of 4 years takes a toll both emotionally and physically on the troops fighting and is enough to demoralize them from moving forward. Along with the soldiers being demoralized, there was a deadly spread of influenza which took the lives of soldiers on both sides, and eventually, both the parties Germany and Austria Hungary signed an Armistice where Germany agreed to surrender and give up their occupied territories.

Read about the Treaty of Versailles here!

Timeline of First World War

Let us look into the detailed timeline of WWI

Date 

Events

28 June 1914

Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia are killed by Black Hand Serbian nationalists

28 July 1914

Austria declares war on Serbia along with Russia

1 Aug 1914

Germany declares war on Russia

3 Aug 1914

Germany declares war on France

4 Aug 1914

Germany invades neutral Belgium so as to attack France. Britain declares war on Germany. The United States declares neutrality

6 Aug 1914

Austria declares war on Russia

12 Aug 1914

France and Britain declares war on Austria

26-30 Aug 1914

Battle of Tannenberg between Russia and Germany. Russians are defeated

5-9 Sept 1914

First battle of Marne between German and allies of France and Britain. Germans were pushed back

31 Oct 1914

First battle of Ypres between allies and Germany

25 Dec 1914

Christmas Truce observed on Western front

22 Apr-25 May 1915

Second Battle of Ypres. Poison gas was used by Germany

7 May 1915

German U-Boat torpedoes the Lusitania

21 Feb 1916

Battle of a Verdun where France successfully attack of Germany

10 May 1916

Germans suspends submarine warfare

31 May 1916

Battle of Jutland Germans defeated Britain

24 June 1916

Battle of Somme between Britain and France against Germany begins

15 Sept 1916

Britain deploys tanks for the first time

7 Nov 1916

The United States re-elect Woodrow Wilson as its president

31 Jan 1917

Germany uses Submarine warfare unrestricted

3 Feb 1917

Diplomatic relations between US and Germany is ended

1 Mar 1917

The United States discovers Zimmerman Telegram plot

2 Apr 1917

Wilson delivers war message in US congress

6 Apr 1917

United States declares war on Germany

15 Jun 1917

Congress enacts espionage act

25 Jun 1917

First American troops lands in France

31 Jun -10 Nov 1917

Third battle of Ypres by Britain against Germany

25 Oct 1917

First American soldier killed- James B Gresham

2 Nov 1917

The Balfour Declaration passed in London

7 Nov 1917

Bolshevik seize power in Russia

8 Jan 1918

President Wilson declares fourteen points

3 Mar 1918

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk is signed between Russia and Germany

28 May 1918

Battle of Cantigny, First American war against Germany

6 Jun 1918

U.S. Marines launch attack at Belleau Wood

18 Jun- Aug 5 1918

Allies launch Aisne-Marne offensive

12-16 Sept 1918

Americans take offensive at St. Mihiel

26 Sept 1918

First phase of the U.S. Meuse-Argonne offensive underway

6 Oct 1918

Germany requests armistice – Allies refuse

11 Nov 1918

Germany signs Armistice

Read about the impact of World War 2 Here!

World War I: List of Important Battles

  • First Battle of Ypres 1914- Between allied powers and Germany, Marked the beginning of the Trench Warfare system

  • Battle of Mons 1914 – Germans against British

  • First Battle of Marne 1914 – French against Germany

  • Battle of Dogger Bank 1915- British against Germany

  • Battle of Verdun 1916 – French checked German

  • Sussex Incident 1916- Sinking of French passenger steamer Sussex led to Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare

  • Second Battle of Somme 1916-British and French against Germany

  • First Battle of Somme 1916- British and French against Germany

  • Battle of Passchendaele or Third battle of Ypres 1917- Between allied powers and Germany

  • Battle of Jutland 1916 – British and German Battle fleets

  • Gallipoli Campaign 1916 – Anglo French Operation

  • June Offensive 1917- Launched by Russia

  • Battle of Isonzo 1917- 11 battles between Austria and Italy

  • First Battle of Cambrai 1917- first use of tanks in warfare by British offensive

  • Battle of Mons 1918- Canadian forces against Germans

  • Battles of the Meuse-Argonne 1918- Allied army against Germany

  • Second Battle of Marne 1918- Last major German offensive

  • Second Battle of Cambrai 1918- Hundred days battle by Canadian troops

  • Battle of Amiens 1918- Collapse of Germany army and end of war

Consequences of World War I

Consequences or Aftermath of the war can be read under Political, Social, Territorial and Military causes.

  • Political Consequences

    • Rule of the king ended in Germany and it became a Republic in Nov 1918.

    • The fall of the Russian revolution led to the formation of the USSR IN 1922

    • the United States emerged as a superpower

    • European Supremacy began to end and Japan emerged as powerful in Asia

    • Emergence of Independent countries like Poland, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia

    • Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – became independent.

    • Austria Hungary break into several states

    • Leftover Ottoman Empire became Turkey

    • Germany, Austria, Hungary, Turkey and Russia moved towards monarchy

  • Treaties after World War I

    • Three treaties were signed during the course of the Paris Peace Conference between Allied and Central powers.

    • The first and most important is the Treaty of Versailles, a peace document signed between allied and central powers on 28 June 1919. This treaty included a contract of the League of Nations under which members guaranteed each other’s independence and territorial integrity.

    • The treaty of Saint – Germain 10 Sept 1919, dissolved the Austria-Hungary Empire, and independence was given to the new Republic of Austria

    • Treaty of Sevres- Signed between 1920between allied and Ottoman Empire

  • Social Consequences

    • Around 1 crore people were killed

    • Birth rate declined due to decrease in no of males due to death and exodus in large numbers

    • Due to fewer males available women were employed in major works such as factories and offices and were given more rights, their position changed and were uplifted.

  • Territorial Cause

    • Alsace and Lorraine went back to France

    • Belgium regained Eupen and Malmedy

    • Poland annexed Eastern territories and thus East Russia became territorially isolated.

    • Former Baltic German cities Danzig and Memel were declared free

    • Northern Schleswig-Holstein was annexed by Denmark

    • Germany Lost all Colonies

  • Military Consequences 

    • Decline in the numbers of the German navy.

    • Dramatic reduction of the Army to 100,000

    • Rhineland region was demilitarised

India and World War I

  • Although India had a neutral stance towards war and didn’t want to participate, being a British colony at that time Indian nationalists mostly moderates believed India’s effort in Britain’s cause of war will have a beneficial impact on Britain and it could help Indians to attain the goal of Self rule earlier.

  • India being a Britain colony made huge efforts to the cause of World War I. Indian men from all over the region were seen fighting at the western front during the war.

  • Indians were employed in France first as Britain’s force was not optimum in France.

  • Indian men served in various places such as France and Belgium, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine, and Sinai

  • Britain raised both men and money from India from the harsh taxation rules imposed. In return, a promise of self-rule was given which was never fulfilled.

  • Indian men were paid 11 rupees a month which motivated Indians to fight for someone else’s cause thousands of miles away.

Concluding Remarks

The First World War or World War I is momentous in history for all negative reasons. It will be buried in history with the large-scale blood bath, destruction, and casualties it caused.

The Impact of the First World War destroyed empires, created numerous new nation-states, encouraged independence movements in Europe’s colonies, forced the United States to become a world power, and led directly to Soviet communism and the rise of Hitler.

For Indians, there were a few positive outcomes of the war, after the war political activities against colonial rule gained much momentum. It was followed by large-scale Nationalism and Civil Disobedience. It also helped in improving the status of women globally

We hope that all your doubts regarding the topic of World War I for UPSC have been addressed after going through this article. Testbook provides a set of comprehensive notes for different competitive exams. Testbook is always on the top list because of its best quality assured products like live tests, mocks, content pages, GK and Current Affairs videos, and much more. To study more topics for UPSC, download the Testbook App now!

World War I Previous Year Question

Q 1. To what extent can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically 2015

प्रथम विश्व युद्ध – यूपीएससी के लिए इसके प्रतिभागियों, कारणों और भारत का दृष्टिकोण जानें!

World War I FAQ

More Articles for IAS Preparation

FAQs

As per an estimate, around 2 million civilians were dead and industries suffered too as supplies were cut off from nearby countries. Eventually, Russia moved toward the Bolshevik revolution.

As per a report, there are as many as nine million deaths of army personnel and thirteen million civilian deaths.

German Army suffered the highest number of military and civil losses.

Since there was turmoil and internal rebellion in Russia it was unable to cope with both external and internal troubles led to its exit

The First World War started when a Serbian revolutionary group assassinated Austrian Franz Ferdinand. And then Austria declared war on Serbia.
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