Page 8 - 21st Century Defense 100th Anniversary WW1

they were part of Austria-Hungary, but they wanted to assassination, which drew in Russia on Serbia’s side. Germany
form their own state. The Slavs were not alone in expressing quickly declared war on Russia, and France entered the war
their nationalism. against its old nemeses Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey eventually
Other European countries, France, Germany, and Britain, formed a bloc known as the Central Powers. Their combined
had been exhibiting their nationalism for centuries through adversaries were known as the Triple Entente, the allies.
conquest and imperialism. Engaging in inter-European warfare
was not new for them. This time, however, they dragged in German troops marched through Belgium, without its
other players that had heretofore avoided the European permission, to attack France. Enter Britain and Japan. There
struggle for dominance, such as Japan, the United States, would be no peace for the next four years as the lives of
and Turkey, which attacked Russia on October 29, 1914. That millions of people were torn apart in virtually every country
brought it into direct conflict against France and Britain. in Europe. Some were latecomers. Italy, which was originally
allied with the Central Powers, didn’t enter the war until
Russia had compacts with Serbia and France. Germany had May 23, 1915, when it declared war against Austria-Hungary.
one with Austria-Hungary. Britain, France and Belgium were Italy’s post-war reward for its switch was small territorial gains
aligned, as were Britain and opportunistic Japan, which wanted and a huge debt, which they didn’t pay off until the 1970s.
to expand its power in the Pacific hemisphere at Germany’s
expense. The Japanese navy protected the allies’ mostly The United States did not become involved in the war until
Britain’s maritime interests in that region against the German 1917. US President Woodrow Wilson was a strict believer in
navy. That also provided an opportunity for Japan to increase neutrality. He viewed the country’s role as a peace maker. But
its global influence and reduce China’s role in world affairs, the Germans in particular made it difficult for him to stick to
which was one of its primary geopolitical goals. that role.

Alliance by alliance the countries went to war against each On May 7, 1915 a German submarine sank the British ocean
other. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia after the liner Lusitania off the coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 people,

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