THIS PROJECT IS DONE BY: A.DEVANATHAN (x STD) UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: MRS. JAYANTHI ESTHER.

INTRODUCTION : The first world war was the result of a long series of Events. One must give up the idea that Germany and her allies alone were responsible for the war. It was as a result of divided responsible that the war broke out.The American president Woodrow Wilson remarked in 1917 that the cause for the war was not simple and that “its root ran deep into all the obscure soils of history”.

GERMANY AMBITION : Bismarck the prime minister of Germany by his Policy of blood and iron had made Germany strong and great. Emperor William II of Germany believed that his country was the only country which was competent to rule over the whole world. He felt that colonies for Germany were necessary not only as a sign of her world importance but also to get more space for her growing population.

SYSTEM OF ALLIANCES On the eve of the war, Europe was sharply divided into two opposite camps. Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple Alliance in this grouping of powers drove France and Russia to form the Dual alliance in an alliance between Britain and France called Entente Cordiale was formed in in 1904, this became Triple Entente with the inclusion of Russia.

Colonial and commercial rivalry : The mad race for colonies and markets was going on ever since geographical discoveries of the 15 th and 16 th centuries. The industrial revolution increased the demand for raw materials and market for manufactured goods. The Germany made a remarkable progress after her unification in Her goods flooded the international market. This made Britain jealous and angry, because she was not able to complete with Germany.

IMMEDIATE CAUSE : The immediate cause for the outbreak of the first world war was the murder of the Austrian crown prince Francis Ferdinand and his wife at Serajevo the of Bosnia,on june 28th 1914, by a serbian lad. The nation of Europe had agreed to Preserved the neutrality of Belgium by the Treaty of London but Germany violated the treaty, so Britain declared war on Germany. Thus the First world war started in 1914.

COURSE OF WAR The first world war begin in August 1914 and lasted till November The countries which whereon the side of Germany were called the central powers And those on the side of Britain, the allies. Artillery, tanks and sub marines were used in the war War in the Western Front: Germany started the offensive and she invaded France by crossing Belgium. War in the Eastern Front: The Russian forces attacked both Germany and Austria.

War in the Near East Front: In October 1914 turkey entered the war extending her support to the central powers Bulgaria and Romania in the War The failure of the British in the Dardanelles expedition emboldened Bulgaria to join the side of the central powers in 1915 War on the Sea: while the British navy commanded the north sea America Enters War: from the beginning of the war the united states of America remained neutral.

The covenant of the league of nation was drawn up. A huge war indemnity was imposed on Germany as its was guilty of the war. Her army was reduced. Germany surrender Alsace and Lorraine to France. Poland was created with territories taken from Germany, Austria and new Russia. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland were the new nations created. Austria was reduced greatly in size. Both Austria and Hungary became separate republics.