What makes a war a “world” war?

The First World War began with an assassination. It happened in Bosnia. It was a little part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Europe. How did this small part of Europe set off a world war?

The First World War began in August 1914. Right away, it was much bigger than just a European fight. One reason is that European nations controlled lots of other countries around the world. Let’s look closer at how it happened.

Who fought? Empire vs. empire

Before the war began, many European countries had teamed up in groups called alliances. In August 1914, two large alliances faced off against each other. On one side were Germany and Austro-Hungary. They were soon joined by the Ottoman Empire. These were the Central Powers. On the other side were the Entente powers. These were France, Russia, and a group of smaller allies. They included Portugal, Belgium, and Serbia. They were soon joined by Italy and Britain.

These were European states. Many of the countries controlled by these states were not in Europe, though. Their empires covered large parts of the world. The British Empire was the largest in the world. It ruled over Canada, the Caribbean, Australia, and much of Africa and South Asia, including India. France also had a large empire. It mostly covered the Caribbean, the Pacific Ocean, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The Ottoman Empire went into Arabia. Italy, Portugal, and Belgium all had African colonies.

The war was already worldwide in 1914 because of these empires. Then other states around the world joined the Entente powers. These included Japan in Asia and the United States in North America. In August 1917, the Chinese government declared war on the Central Powers. Most of the world was then at war.

Talking about states, alliances, and empires is one thing. Talking about real people is another. Let’s look at the troops who were fighting on the ground. At the beginning of the war, most of the soldiers were Europeans. That changed quickly. The European empires began to call upon soldiers from countries they controlled. The British Empire brought in more than 1.2 million Indian soldiers. The African nation Nigeria sent 17,000 soldiers. From Canada, 332,000 soldiers came to fight. France brought 335,000 African troops. Russia drew heavily on troops from Siberia and Central Asia.

Why did they fight? Homegrown hostilities, global ambitions

The fighting happened around the world. Many of the causes of the First World War had to do with problems in Europe, though. There were problems in Europe’s Balkan Peninsula. France and Germany disagreed about who controlled the land between them. Other reasons had to do with places outside Europe. Britain and France both hoped to take Ottoman land along the Mediterranean Sea. Japan wanted to take over German colonies in the Pacific Ocean.

Maybe most importantly, Britain was worried. The German Navy was growing. Britain was rich only because of its large empire and its trade. It was Britain’s large navy that protected this trade. Britain feared another navy cutting it off from its colonies. That was more than enough reason to fight Germany.

Where did they fight? Global violence over land and sea

Most of the fighting took place in Europe. A lot of it took place outside of Europe, though. There were battles at sea all over the world. Some were fought in seas as far as East Africa and Hawaii.

On land, as well, there were battles in many parts of the world. Entente forces quickly attacked German colonies in Africa. Japanese sailors and soldiers took over German colonies in the Pacific Ocean. The British supported Arab rebels fighting Ottoman soldiers. Members of the Central Powers tried to stir up resistance among Muslims who were unhappy with British rule in India.

Conclusion

The Central Powers gave up in 1918. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The end of the war was a big deal. It changed Europe’s future in many ways. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was split into many smaller states. Germany was punished badly. For that reason, the Treaty of Versailles contributed to the Second World War.

The end of the war had major effects outside of Europe too. Britain made a lot of promises. They told many groups they could take over Ottoman land when the empire was defeated. These included promises to both the Jewish and Arab communities about who would control the territory of Palestine. Britain did not keep its promises, though. It took control of Palestine and neighboring lands for itself. Unkept promises led to continued warfare. They led to nations not trusting each other. The results continue into the present day.