Attitude towards the Brest Peace

"Left Communists" (Bukharin) - against peace, for a revolutionary war

L. Trotsky: "No peace, no war!"

V. I. Lenin: "Peace at any cost!"

Other political forces: against peace with Germany.

Consequences of the Brest Peace:

The Bolsheviks got a breather and retained power

The loss of grain-producing areas led to famine

Pursuing a policy of "war communism" - the requisition of bread from the peasants, which led to discontent

Open intervention of the Entente

Russia was not invited to the Versailles Conference and received no compensation

Consequences of the war for Russia

Political:

Defeat in the war

End of an empire

October Revolution of 1917, power of the Soviets

Economic:

Militarization of the economy

Reduction of enterprises and output

Loss of a significant part of economically important territories

Social:

Significant decline in the standard of living of the population

Population decline. Decreasing birth rate

Famine, epidemics, diseases

From the history of the First World War:

The war lasted from July 28, 1914 - November 11, 1918(officially the state of the world was approved on June 28, 1919)

38 states participated in the war (4 on the side of the German bloc: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria), the rest on the side of the Entente.

About 74 million people were mobilized, over 10 million were killed, over 20 million were wounded.

August 21-25, 1914 - battle at Charleroi, the defeat of the British and French troops.

September 5-12, 1914 - German defeat at the Battle of marne, stopped the advance of Germany in France.

February-December 1916- Verdun operation(“Verdun meat grinder”, more than 2 million soldiers died)

July-November 1916 - fighting on the river Somme.

In war first used tanks, aviation. chemical weapon.

All countries were seriously affected by the war. Only Great Britain remained the winner - new colonies were added, the country began to own almost a fourth of the land.

November 11, 1918 - signing of an armistice between the victors (the Entente countries) and Germany in Compiègne forest(France)

Parisian peace conference (January 18, 1919 - January 21, 1920) 27 countries participated. The conference prepared the main treaties following the results of the war. Russia - did not participate (it was considered a country that lost the war, the Soviet government was considered temporary)

Versailles peace treaty signed June 28, 1919, entered into force - January 10, 1920. The treaty officially ended the First World War, secured a new redistribution of the world. Russia - did not participate (for the same reasons as at the Paris Conference)

In the First World War FOR THE FIRST TIME:

Applied chemical weapon- Germans, near the river Ypres (hence mustard gas) in 1915

tanks- the British were the first to use them in the battle on the Somme on September 15, 1915 against Turkey

Submarines- England, Germany

Aviation- By the beginning of the war, aviation was part of the armies of developed countries as auxiliary forces. (The first combat use of aircraft refers to the Balkan wars in 1912-1913)

Some terms

The Schlieffen Plan - Germany's blitzkrieg plan (2-3 months) - the defeat of France, without which Great Britain would not be able to wage war. Then a peace conference would be held and the colonies would be divided in a new way.

Trench warfare - a war in which the struggle is fought on continuous, relatively stable fronts (positions), great attention is paid to defense.

"Progressive bloc ”- created in 1915, this is a coalition of progressive deputies in the State Duma, demanding reforms.

Organizations created during the war in Russia:

May 1915- Central Military Industrial Committee for the organization of production for defense needs and the distribution of military orders (headed by the Octobrist Guchkov)

July 10, 1915 - the joint committee of the All-Russian Zemsky and City Unions - Zemgor- supplying the army, helping it (at the head- Lviv, close to the cadets)

Versailles system- the world order approved by the Versailles Peace Treaty of 1919: strengthening the positions of the victorious countries in the war (France and Great Britain)

World War I (1914 - 1918)

The Russian Empire collapsed. One of the goals of the war is solved.
Chamberlain

The First World War lasted from August 1, 1914 to November 11, 1918. 38 states with a population of 62% of the world took part in it. This war was rather ambiguous and extremely contradictory described in modern history. I specifically cited Chamberlain's words in the epigraph to once again emphasize this inconsistency. A prominent politician in England (Russia's ally in the war) says that one of the goals of the war has been achieved by overthrowing the autocracy in Russia!

The Balkan countries played an important role in the beginning of the war. They were not independent. Their policy (both foreign and domestic) was greatly influenced by England. Germany by that time had lost its influence in this region, although it controlled Bulgaria for a long time.

Entente. Russian Empire, France, Great Britain. The allies were the USA, Italy, Romania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
Triple Alliance. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire. Later, the Bulgarian kingdom joined them, and the coalition became known as the Quadruple Union.

The following major countries took part in the war: Austria-Hungary (July 27, 1914 - November 3, 1918), Germany (August 1, 1914 - November 11, 1918), Turkey (October 29, 1914 - October 30, 1918), Bulgaria (October 14, 1915 - September 29, 1918). Entente countries and allies: Russia (August 1, 1914 - March 3, 1918), France (August 3, 1914), Belgium (August 3, 1914), Great Britain (August 4, 1914), Italy (May 23, 1915), Romania (August 27, 1916).

Another important point. Initially, a member of the "Triple Alliance" was Italy. But after the outbreak of the First World War, the Italians declared neutrality.

Causes of World War I

The main reason for the outbreak of the First World War is the desire of the leading powers, primarily England, France and Austria-Hungary, to redistribute the world. The fact is that the colonial system collapsed by the beginning of the 20th century. The leading European countries, which had prospered for years by exploiting the colonies, were no longer allowed to obtain resources simply by taking them away from the Indians, Africans and South Americans. Now resources could only be won back from each other. Therefore, contradictions arose:

Between England and Germany. England sought to prevent the strengthening of German influence in the Balkans. Germany sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, and also sought to deprive England of naval dominance.
Between Germany and France. France dreamed of regaining the lands of Alsace and Lorraine, which she had lost in the war of 1870-71. France also sought to seize the German Saar coal basin.
Between Germany and Russia. Germany sought to take Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states from Russia.
Between Russia and Austria-Hungary. Contradictions arose because of the desire of both countries to influence the Balkans, as well as the desire of Russia to subjugate the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.

Cause to start a war

The events in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) served as the reason for the start of the First World War. On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Black Hand organization of the Young Bosnia movement, assassinated Archduke Frans Ferdinand. Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, so the resonance of the murder was enormous. This was the reason for Austria-Hungary to attack Serbia.

The behavior of England is very important here, since Austria-Hungary could not start a war on its own, because this practically guaranteed a war throughout Europe. The British, at the level of the embassy, convinced Nicholas 2 that Russia, in the event of aggression, should not leave Serbia without help. But then all (I emphasize this) the English press wrote that the Serbs were barbarians and Austria-Hungary should not leave the murder of the Archduke unpunished. That is, England did everything so that Austria-Hungary, Germany and Russia did not shy away from war.

Important nuances of the reason for war

In all textbooks we are told that the main and only reason for the outbreak of the First World War was the assassination of the Austrian Archduke. At the same time, they forget to say that the next day, June 29, another significant murder took place. The French politician Jean Jaures, who actively opposed the war and had great influence in France, was killed. A few weeks before the assassination of the Archduke, there was an attempt on Rasputin, who, like Zhores, was an opponent of the war and had a great influence on Nicholas 2. I also want to note some facts from the fate of the main characters of those days:

Gavrilo Principin. He died in prison in 1918 from tuberculosis.
Russian Ambassador to Serbia - Hartley. In 1914 he died at the Austrian embassy in Serbia, where he came for a reception.
Colonel Apis, leader of the Black Hand. Shot in 1917.
In 1917 Hartley's correspondence with Sozonov (the next Russian ambassador to Serbia) disappeared.

All this indicates that there were a lot of black spots in the events of the days, which have not yet been revealed. And this is very important to understand.

The role of England in starting the war

At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 2 great powers in continental Europe: Germany and Russia. They did not want to openly fight against each other, since the forces were approximately equal. Therefore, in the "July crisis" of 1914, both sides took a wait-and-see attitude. English diplomacy came to the fore. By means of the press and secret diplomacy, she conveyed to Germany the position - in the event of war, England would remain neutral or take the side of Germany. By open diplomacy, Nicholas 2 heard the opposite idea that in the event of a war, England would take the side of Russia.

It must be clearly understood that one open statement by England that she will not allow war in Europe would be enough for neither Germany nor Russia to even think about anything of the kind. Naturally, under such conditions, Austria-Hungary would not have dared to attack Serbia. But England, with all her diplomacy, pushed the European countries to war.

Russia before the war

Before the First World War, Russia reformed the army. In 1907, the fleet was reformed, and in 1910 the land forces were reformed. The country increased military spending many times over, and the total number of the army in peacetime was now 2 million people. In 1912, Russia adopts a new Field Service Charter. Today it is rightfully called the most perfect Charter of its time, since it motivated soldiers and commanders to take personal initiative. Important point! The doctrine of the army of the Russian Empire was offensive.

Despite the fact that there were many positive changes, there were also very serious miscalculations. The main one is the underestimation of the role of artillery in the war. As the course of events of the First World War showed, this was a terrible mistake, which clearly showed that at the beginning of the 20th century, Russian generals were seriously behind the times. They lived in the past when the role of the cavalry was important. As a result, 75% of all the losses of the First World War were caused by artillery! This is a sentence to the imperial generals.

It is important to note that Russia never finished preparing for the war (at the proper level), while Germany completed it in 1914.

The balance of forces and means before the war and after it

Artillery

	Number of guns	Of these, heavy weapons


Austria-Hungary
Germany

According to the data from the table, it can be seen that Germany and Austria-Hungary were many times superior to Russia and France in terms of heavy guns. Therefore, the balance of power was in favor of the first two countries. Moreover, the Germans, as usual, before the war created an excellent military industry, which produced 250,000 shells daily. For comparison, Britain produced 10,000 shells a month! As they say, feel the difference...

Another example showing the importance of artillery is the battles on the Dunajec Gorlice line (May 1915). In 4 hours, the German army fired 700,000 shells. For comparison, during the entire Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), Germany fired just over 800,000 shells. That is, in 4 hours a little less than in the entire war. The Germans clearly understood that heavy artillery would play a decisive role in the war.

Armament and military equipment

Production of weapons and equipment during the First World War (thousand units).

	Shooting	Artillery



Great Britain
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
Germany
Austria-Hungary

This table clearly shows the weakness of the Russian Empire in terms of equipping the army. In all major indicators, Russia is far behind Germany, but also behind France and Great Britain. Largely because of this, the war turned out to be so difficult for our country.

Number of people (infantry)

The number of fighting infantry (millions of people).

	At the beginning of the war	By the end of the war	Losses killed



Great Britain
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
Germany
Austria-Hungary

The table shows that the smallest contribution, both in terms of combatants and in terms of deaths, was made by Great Britain to the war. This is logical, since the British did not really participate in major battles. Another example from this table is illustrative. We are told in all textbooks that Austria-Hungary, due to heavy losses, could not fight on its own, and it always needed Germany's help. But pay attention to Austria-Hungary and France in the table. The numbers are identical! Just as Germany had to fight for Austria-Hungary, so Russia had to fight for France (it is no coincidence that the Russian army saved Paris from capitulation three times during the First World War).

The table also shows that in fact the war was between Russia and Germany. Both countries lost 4.3 million killed, while Britain, France and Austria-Hungary together lost 3.5 million. The numbers are telling. But it turned out that the countries that fought the most and made the most efforts in the war ended up with nothing. First, Russia signed the shameful Brest peace for itself, losing a lot of land. Then Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, in fact, having lost its independence.

The course of the war

Military events of 1914

July 28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. This entailed the involvement of the countries of the Triple Alliance, on the one hand, and the Entente, on the other hand, into the war.

Russia entered World War I on August 1, 1914. Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (uncle of Nicholas 2) was appointed supreme commander.

In the first days of the beginning of the war, Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. Since the war with Germany began, and the capital could not have a name of German origin - "burg".
Historical reference

German "Schlieffen Plan"

Germany was under the threat of a war on two fronts: East - with Russia, West - with France. Then the German command developed the "Schlieffen plan", according to which Germany should defeat France in 40 days and then fight with Russia. Why 40 days? The Germans believed that this is how much Russia would need to mobilize. Therefore, when Russia mobilizes, France will already be out of the game.

On August 2, 1914, Germany captured Luxembourg, on August 4 they invaded Belgium (a neutral country at that time), and by August 20 Germany had reached the borders of France. The implementation of the Schlieffen plan began. Germany advanced deep into France, but on September 5 was stopped at the Marne River, where a battle took place, in which about 2 million people participated on both sides.

Northwestern front of Russia in 1914

Russia at the beginning of the war made a stupid thing that Germany could not calculate in any way. Nicholas 2 decided to enter the war without fully mobilizing the army. On August 4, Russian troops, under the command of Rennenkampf, launched an offensive in East Prussia (modern Kaliningrad). Samsonov's army was equipped to help her. Initially, the troops were successful, and Germany was forced to retreat. As a result, part of the forces of the Western Front was transferred to the Eastern. The result - Germany repelled the Russian offensive in East Prussia (the troops acted disorganized and lacked resources), but as a result, the Schlieffen plan failed, and France could not be captured. So, Russia saved Paris, though by defeating its 1st and 2nd armies. After that, a positional war began.

Southwestern Front of Russia

On the southwestern front in August-September, Russia launched an offensive operation against Galicia, which was occupied by the troops of Austria-Hungary. The Galician operation was more successful than the offensive in East Prussia. In this battle, Austria-Hungary suffered a catastrophic defeat. 400 thousand people were killed, 100 thousand captured. For comparison, the Russian army lost 150 thousand people killed. After that, Austria-Hungary actually withdrew from the war, as it lost the ability to conduct independent operations. Austria was saved from complete defeat only by the help of Germany, which was forced to transfer additional divisions to Galicia.

The main results of the military campaign of 1914

Germany failed to implement the Schlieffen plan for blitzkrieg.
No one managed to win a decisive advantage. The war turned into a positional one.

Map of military events in 1914-15

Military events of 1915

In 1915, Germany decided to shift the main blow to the eastern front, directing all its forces to the war with Russia, which was the weakest country of the Entente, according to the Germans. It was a strategic plan developed by the commander of the Eastern Front, General von Hindenburg. Russia managed to thwart this plan only at the cost of colossal losses, but at the same time, 1915 turned out to be simply terrible for the empire of Nicholas 2.

The situation on the northwestern front

From January to October, Germany waged an active offensive, as a result of which Russia lost Poland, western Ukraine, part of the Baltic states, and western Belarus. Russia went into deep defense. Russian losses were gigantic:

Killed and wounded - 850 thousand people
Captured - 900 thousand people

Russia did not capitulate, but the countries of the "Triple Alliance" were convinced that Russia would not be able to recover from the losses it had received.

Germany's successes in this sector of the front led to the fact that on October 14, 1915, Bulgaria entered the First World War (on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary).

The situation on the southwestern front

The Germans, together with Austria-Hungary, organized the Gorlitsky breakthrough in the spring of 1915, forcing the entire southwestern front of Russia to retreat. Galicia, which was captured in 1914, was completely lost. Germany was able to achieve this advantage thanks to the terrible mistakes of the Russian command, as well as a significant technical advantage. German superiority in technology reached:

2.5 times in machine guns.
4.5 times in light artillery.
40 times in heavy artillery.

It was not possible to withdraw Russia from the war, but the losses on this sector of the front were gigantic: 150,000 killed, 700,000 wounded, 900,000 prisoners and 4 million refugees.

The situation on the western front

All is calm on the Western Front. This phrase can describe how the war between Germany and France in 1915 proceeded. There were sluggish hostilities in which no one sought the initiative. Germany was implementing plans in Eastern Europe, while England and France were calmly mobilizing the economy and the army, preparing for further war. No one provided any assistance to Russia, although Nicholas 2 repeatedly appealed to France, first of all, so that she would switch to active operations on the Western Front. As usual, no one heard him ... By the way, this sluggish war on the western front for Germany is perfectly described by Hemingway in the novel “Farewell to Arms”.

The main result of 1915 was that Germany was unable to withdraw Russia from the war, although all forces were thrown at it. It became obvious that the First World War would drag on for a long time, since in 1.5 years of the war no one was able to gain an advantage or a strategic initiative.

Military events of 1916

"Verdun meat grinder"

In February 1916, Germany launched a general offensive against France, with the aim of capturing Paris. For this, a campaign was carried out on Verdun, which covered the approaches to the French capital. The battle lasted until the end of 1916. During this time, 2 million people died, for which the battle was called the Verdun Meat Grinder. France survived, but again thanks to the fact that Russia came to its rescue, which became more active on the southwestern front.

Events on the southwestern front in 1916

In May 1916, Russian troops went on the offensive, which lasted 2 months. This offensive went down in history under the name "Brusilovsky breakthrough". This name is due to the fact that the Russian army was commanded by General Brusilov. The breakthrough of defense in Bukovina (from Lutsk to Chernivtsi) happened on June 5th. The Russian army managed not only to break through the defense, but also to advance into its depths in places up to 120 kilometers. German and Austro-Hungarian losses were catastrophic. 1.5 million dead, wounded and captured. The offensive was stopped only by additional German divisions, which were hastily transferred here from Verdun (France) and from Italy.

This offensive of the Russian army was not without a fly in the ointment. They threw it, as usual, the allies. On August 27, 1916, Romania enters the First World War on the side of the Entente. Germany very quickly inflicted a defeat on her. As a result, Romania lost its army, and Russia received an additional 2,000 kilometers of front.

Events on the Caucasian and Northwestern Fronts

Positional battles continued on the North-Western Front in the spring-autumn period. As for the Caucasian front, here the main events continued from the beginning of 1916 to April. During this time, 2 operations were carried out: Erzumur and Trebizond. According to their results, Erzurum and Trebizond were conquered, respectively.

Outcome of 1916 in World War I

The strategic initiative went over to the side of the Entente.
The French fortress of Verdun survived thanks to the advance of the Russian army.
Romania entered the war on the side of the Entente.
Russia launched a powerful offensive - the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

Military and political events of 1917

The year 1917 in the First World War was marked by the fact that the war continued against the background of the revolutionary situation in Russia and Germany, as well as the deterioration of the economic situation of the countries. I will give an example of Russia. During the 3 years of the war, prices for basic products increased by an average of 4-4.5 times. Naturally, this caused discontent among the people. Add to this heavy losses and a grueling war - it turns out excellent ground for revolutionaries. The situation is similar in Germany.

In 1917, the United States enters World War I. The positions of the "Triple Alliance" are deteriorating. Germany with allies cannot effectively fight on 2 fronts, as a result of which it goes on the defensive.

End of the war for Russia

In the spring of 1917, Germany launched another offensive on the Western Front. Despite the events in Russia, the Western countries demanded that the Provisional Government implement the agreements signed by the Empire and send troops on the offensive. As a result, on June 16, the Russian army went on the offensive in the Lvov region. Again, we saved the allies from major battles, but we set ourselves up completely.

People demanded that Russia withdraw from the war. And this was one of their main demands on the Bolsheviks, who seized power in October 1917. Initially, at the 2nd Congress of the Party, the Bolsheviks signed a decree "On Peace", in fact declaring Russia's withdrawal from the war, and on March 3, 1918, they signed the Brest Peace. The conditions of this world were as follows:

Russia makes peace with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey.
Russia is losing Poland, Ukraine, Finland, part of Belarus and the Baltic states.
Russia cedes Batum, Kars and Ardagan to Turkey.

As a result of its participation in the First World War, Russia lost: about 1 million square meters of territory, about 1/4 of the population, 1/4 of arable land and 3/4 of the coal and metallurgical industry were lost.
Historical reference

Events in the war in 1918

Germany got rid of the Eastern Front and the need to wage war in 2 directions. As a result, in the spring and summer of 1918, she attempted an offensive on the Western Front, but this offensive had no success. Moreover, in its course it became obvious that Germany was squeezing the maximum out of herself, and that she needed a break in the war.

Autumn 1918

The decisive events in the First World War took place in the autumn. The Entente countries, together with the United States, went on the offensive. The German army was completely ousted from France and Belgium. In October, Austria-Hungary, Turkey and Bulgaria signed a truce with the Entente, and Germany was left to fight alone. Her position was hopeless, after the German allies in the "Triple Alliance" essentially capitulated. This resulted in the same thing that happened in Russia - a revolution. On November 9, 1918, Emperor Wilhelm II was deposed.

End of World War I

On November 11, 1918, the First World War of 1914-1918 ended. Germany signed a complete surrender. It happened near Paris, in the forest of Compiègne, at the Retonde station. The surrender was accepted by the French Marshal Foch. The terms of the signed peace were as follows:

Germany recognizes complete defeat in the war.
The return of France to the province of Alsace and Lorraine to the borders of 1870, as well as the transfer of the Saar coal basin.
Germany lost all its colonial possessions, and also pledged to transfer 1/8 of its territory to its geographical neighbors.
For 15 years, the Entente troops are located on the left bank of the Rhine.
By May 1, 1921, Germany had to pay the members of the Entente (Russia was not supposed to do anything) 20 billion marks in gold, goods, securities, etc.
For 30 years, Germany must pay reparations, and the amount of these reparations is set by the victors themselves and can increase them at any time during these 30 years.
Germany was forbidden to have an army of more than 100 thousand people, and the army was obliged to be exclusively voluntary.

The terms of "peace" were so humiliating for Germany that the country actually became a puppet. Therefore, many people of that time said that the First World War, although it ended, did not end with peace, but with a truce for 30 years. And so it eventually happened ...

Results of the First World War

The First World War was fought on the territory of 14 states. Countries with a total population of over 1 billion people took part in it (this is approximately 62% of the total world population at that time). In total, 74 million people were mobilized by the participating countries, of which 10 million died and another 20 million were injured.

As a result of the war, the political map of Europe changed significantly. There were such independent states as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Albania. Austria-Hungary split into Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Increased their borders Romania, Greece, France, Italy. There were 5 countries that lost and lost in the territory: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia.

Map of the First World War 1914-1918

World War I (1914 - 1918)

The Russian Empire collapsed. One of the goals of the war is solved.
Chamberlain

Enemies in the war

The war took place between two groups of countries:

Entente. Russian Empire, France, Great Britain. The allies were the USA, Italy, Romania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
Triple Alliance. Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire. Later, the Bulgarian kingdom joined them, and the coalition became known as the Quadruple Union.
The following major countries took part in the war: Austria-Hungary (July 27, 1914 - November 3, 1918), Germany (August 1, 1914 - November 11, 1918), Turkey (October 29, 1914 - October 30, 1918), Bulgaria (October 14, 1915 - September 29, 1918). Entente countries and allies: Russia (August 1, 1914 - March 3, 1918), France (August 3, 1914), Belgium (August 3, 1914), Great Britain (August 4, 1914), Italy (May 23, 1915), Romania (August 27, 1916).

Another important point. Initially, a member of the "Triple Alliance" was Italy. But after the outbreak of the First World War, the Italians declared neutrality.

Causes of World War I

Between England and Germany. England sought to prevent the strengthening of German influence in the Balkans. Germany sought to gain a foothold in the Balkans and the Middle East, and also sought to deprive England of naval dominance.
Between Germany and France. France dreamed of regaining the lands of Alsace and Lorraine, which she had lost in the war of 1870-71. France also sought to seize the German Saar coal basin.
Between Germany and Russia. Germany sought to take Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states from Russia.
Between Russia and Austria-Hungary. Contradictions arose because of the desire of both countries to influence the Balkans, as well as the desire of Russia to subjugate the Bosporus and the Dardanelles.

Cause to start a war

Important nuances of the reason for war

Gavrilo Principin. He died in prison in 1918 from tuberculosis.
Russian Ambassador to Serbia - Hartley. In 1914 he died at the Austrian embassy in Serbia, where he came for a reception.
Colonel Apis, leader of the Black Hand. Shot in 1917.
In 1917 Hartley's correspondence with Sozonov (the next Russian ambassador to Serbia) disappeared.
All this indicates that there were a lot of black spots in the events of the days, which have not yet been revealed. And this is very important to understand.

The role of England in starting the war

Russia before the war

It is important to note that Russia never finished preparing for the war (at the proper level), while Germany completed it in 1914.

The course of the war

Military events of 1914

July 28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. This entailed the involvement in the war of the countries of the Triple Alliance, on the one hand, and the Entente, on the other.

Russia entered World War I on August 1, 1914. Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov (uncle of Nicholas 2) was appointed supreme commander.

In the first days of the beginning of the war, Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. Since the war with Germany began, and the capital could not have a name of German origin - "burg".
Historical reference

German "Schlieffen Plan"

Northwestern front of Russia in 1914

Southwestern Front of Russia

The main results of the military campaign of 1914

*Germany failed to implement the Schlieffen Blitz plan.
* No one managed to win a decisive advantage. The war turned into a positional one.

Map of military events in 1914-15

Military events of 1915

The situation on the northwestern front

Killed and wounded - 850 thousand people
Captured - 900 thousand people
Russia did not capitulate, but the countries of the "Triple Alliance" were convinced that Russia would not be able to recover from the losses it had received.

Germany's successes in this sector of the front led to the fact that on October 14, 1915, Bulgaria entered the First World War (on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary).

The situation on the southwestern front

* 2.5 times in machine guns.
*4.5 times in light artillery.
*40 times in heavy artillery.
It was not possible to withdraw Russia from the war, but the losses on this sector of the front were gigantic: 150,000 killed, 700,000 wounded, 900,000 prisoners and 4 million refugees.

The situation on the western front

Military events of 1916

"Verdun meat grinder"

Events on the southwestern front in 1916

Events on the Caucasian and Northwestern fronts

Outcome of 1916 in World War I

The strategic initiative went over to the side of the Entente.
The French fortress of Verdun survived thanks to the advance of the Russian army.
Romania entered the war on the side of the Entente.
Russia launched a powerful offensive - the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

Military and political events of 1917

End of the war for Russia

The Russian army, exhausted by the war and losses, did not want to fight. Issues of provisions, uniforms and supplies during the war years have not been resolved. The army fought reluctantly, but moved forward. The Germans were forced to re-deploy troops here, and Russia's Entente allies again isolated themselves, watching what would happen next. On July 6, Germany launched a counteroffensive. As a result, 150,000 Russian soldiers died. The army actually ceased to exist. The front has collapsed. Russia could no longer fight, and this catastrophe was inevitable.

People demanded that Russia withdraw from the war. And this was one of their main demands on the Bolsheviks, who seized power in October 1917. Initially, at the 2nd Party Congress, the Bolsheviks signed the Decree "On Peace", in fact declaring Russia's withdrawal from the war, and on March 3, 1918, they signed the Brest Peace. The conditions of this world were as follows:

*Russia makes peace with Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey.
*Russia is losing Poland, Ukraine, Finland, part of Belarus and the Baltic states.
*Russia cedes Batum, Kars and Ardagan to Turkey.

As a result of its participation in the First World War, Russia lost: about 1 million square meters of territory, about 1/4 of the population, 1/4 of arable land and 3/4 of the coal and metallurgical industry were lost.
Historical reference

Events in the war in 1918

Autumn 1918

End of World War I

* Germany recognizes complete defeat in the war.
* The return of France to the province of Alsace and Lorraine to the borders of 1870, as well as the transfer of the Saar coal basin.
*Germany lost all its colonial possessions, and also pledged to transfer 1/8 of its territory to its geographical neighbors.
*For 15 years, the Entente troops are located on the left bank of the Rhine.
* By May 1, 1921, Germany had to pay the members of the Entente (Russia was not supposed to do anything) 20 billion marks in gold, goods, securities, etc.
*For 30 years, Germany must pay reparations, and the amount of these reparations is set by the victors themselves and can increase them at any time during these 30 years.
* Germany was forbidden to have an army of more than 100 thousand people, and the army was obliged to be exclusively voluntary.
The terms of "peace" were so humiliating for Germany that the country actually became a puppet. Therefore, many people of that time said that the First World War, although it ended, did not end with peace, but with a truce for 30 years. And so it eventually happened ...

Results of the First World War

Map of the First World War 1914-1918

Participants of the Second World War. Participants of the Second World War States that took part in the Second World War. In total, 62 states out of 73 independent states that existed at that time participated in World War II. 11 ... ... Wikipedia

Map of countries that participated in World War II. The countries of the anti-fascist coalition are shown in green (light green shows the countries that entered the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor), the countries of the Nazi bloc in blue, and the countries ... ... Wikipedia

Aviation of the First World War air ... Wikipedia

This table lists the main events that took place during the First World War. Legend Western front Eastern front Italian front Caucasian front Middle East front Balkan front Colonial front Military operations at sea ... ... Wikipedia

Main article: World War I The machine gun became one of the decisive technologies during World War I. British Vickers machine gun on the Western Front. The technology of the First World War corresponds to ... Wikipedia

Main article: History of cryptography Photocopy of the Zimmermann telegram During World War I, cryptography, and cryptanalysis in particular, becomes one of the tools of warfare. Known facts ... Wikipedia

Contents 1 Major military leaders 1.1 France 1.2 Russia ... Wikipedia

The reliability of this section of the article has been questioned. It is necessary to verify the accuracy of the facts stated in this section. There may be explanations on the talk page ... Wikipedia

The strategic plan of Austria-Hungary on the eve of the First World War is the strategic plan of the command of the Armed Forces of Austria-Hungary in the event of a major European war. An outstanding military strategist and head of the General Staff of the Austrian ... ... Wikipedia

Books

A History of the First World War, Liddell Hart Basil Henry. Sir Basil Liddell Garth is the most famous English military historian and theorist of military art, who had a great influence on the development of the theory of strategy in general. "History of the First World War" ...
History of the First World War 1914-1918, B. Liddell Hart. Sir Basil Liddell Hart is the most famous English military historian and theorist of military art, who had a great influence on the development of the theory of strategy in general. History of the First World War...

Briefly about World War I

Background and causes of the First World War
The state of armament of countries on the eve of World War 1
The beginning of the conflict
Main stages
The results of the war
Interesting Facts

Addition - short contents of the FIRST WORLD WAR 1914 - 1918

“In short, the First World War was one of the largest military confrontations in the entire history of human civilization. The very term "World War I" was established only a few decades later, when the world entered into another military conflict, which went down in history as the Second World War. Previously, the events of 1914-18 were called the Great or Great War. In Russia, it was also called the Second or Great Patriotic War (informal names were also “German”, and in the Soviet Union “imperialist”).

Parties and participants in hostilities The main opposing sides of this war were two allied blocs. Entente, which included England, France and the Russian Empire - on the one hand. And the Triple Alliance (later a bloc of the Central Powers), consisting of Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy.
Both blocs were formed long before the outbreak of this war. Thus, the Anglo-French-Russian alliance was formed in 1907. And the opposing coalition took shape in 1882.
Before the start of the World War, Italy declared neutrality, seriously violating the plans of its allies, in particular Germany. And some time after the outbreak of the conflict, she completely went over to the side of the Entente.
The Triple Alliance during the war was replenished with the Ottoman Empire (October 1914) and Bulgaria (October 1915) and became Quadruple.
The Entente, in turn, received support from more than 20 countries, including the United States of America, Japan, Serbia, Egypt, China and many others.

In total, 38 countries out of 59 independent states that existed by that time took part in the war. 17 countries have declared full or partial neutrality.♦ ♦ ♦
Background and causes Briefly, the reasons for the outbreak of the First World War can be described as a struggle for power and the division of income between large states, as well as the resolution of contradictions that had been accumulating for a long time.
However, in reality, the roots of this conflict are much deeper.
Contradictions between the major powers of the early 20th century have been brewing for many years. Most of them originated from the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71, which resulted in the formation of a new country in Europe - the German Empire.
Initially, this country did not seek to increase its world prestige, however, having strengthened economically and created a strong army, it began to fight for supremacy on the European continent.
By this time, there were practically no free colonies left in the world, and young Germany was left without markets. In addition, the growing population of the country required more and more territories and food. All these problems could be solved at once only by crushing the major powers: Great Britain, Russia and France.
At the same time, Austria-Hungary tried with all its might to keep Bosnia and Herzegovina, where its interests clashed with Russian and Serbian ones.

The Russian side, in turn, was in dire need of solving the problem of transporting goods through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. The empire of Nicholas II needed free access to the Black Sea to export grain to Constantinople.
In addition, almost every country had its own interests in the Middle East region. Each of the countries wanted to snatch its piece when the Ottoman Empire was divided.
Another motive can be called the arms race, since most states sought to expand their own production of weapons.
The situation was heated to such an extent that only a spark was needed. And such a spark was the assassination of the Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary Franz Ferdinand during his visit to the capital of Bosnia.
♦ ♦ ♦
The state of armament of countries on the eve of the war On the eve of the war, France had the largest army in Europe - more than 800 thousand people. Germany also had slightly fewer troops.

Of the small arms, which were considered the most effective in the fight against enemy troops, the most popular were magazine rifles, easel machine guns, revolvers and self-loading pistols. ♦ ♦ ♦
The beginning of the conflict On June 28, 1914, the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand arrived in Sarajevo with his wife. Here they were already waiting. And not only official authorities, but also members of a terrorist organization who wanted the South Slavic territories to secede from Austria-Hungary.
The heir to the throne decided to start his visit with a tour of the military barracks. From there, the motorcade went to the City Hall. However, on the way to their destination, there were quite a few assassination attempts on the prince. Due to a combination of various circumstances, none of them succeeded.
Deciding to change the route of the visit, and thereby protect himself from further terrorist attacks, Franz Ferdinand identified a military hospital as his next destination.
But on the way, at the famous grocery store, another killer, G. Princip, was waiting for his car. This time, the crown prince's luck failed, and the terrorist managed to shoot him and his wife almost point-blank.
The events of that shocked the whole of Europe. And the ruling circles of Austria and Germany decided to use it to start a long-awaited conflict.

A few weeks later, the government of Austria-Hungary accuses the Serbian leaders that the Sarajevo assassination was planned by them and presents an ultimatum to Serbia. Among the main requirements was the elimination of figures objectionable to Austria from the state apparatus and the army, and the introduction of Austro-Hungarian police detachments into Serbia. The Serbian government agreed to everything except the last point.
On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, declaring that it had not fulfilled the requirements of the ultimatum, and Belgrade was fired from heavy artillery guns.
At the same time, mobilization begins in the allied countries. Including in Russia. Having learned about this, Germany puts forward an ultimatum to the Russian Empire, demanding to stop the army conscription.
Completely ignoring the German demands, Nicholas II publicly announces the beginning of the war with the German Empire.
In response, Germany officially declares war on Russia. Then, over the next few days, she declares war on France, and provokes Great Britain to start active hostilities. At the same time, Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. All major countries were involved in a military conflict. ♦ ♦ ♦
Milestones By unleashing the war, its participants planned to resolve all differences within a few months, but as a result, the armed conflict dragged on for several years.
The main theaters of war were French, Russian, Balkan Caucasian, Middle Eastern. In addition, a major confrontation was observed in the African colonies, China, and the islands of Oceania.
In short, the entire course of the First World War can be divided into several stages.
The first, despite the dynamic offensive actions of the armies, did not bring significant success to either side. German troops, having occupied a small territory of France, could not take possession of any of the more or less significant cities. Russia took possession of a significant part of the Prussian territories, but received a tangible blow from Turkey in the Caucasus. Japan began to take over the German colonies.
In the second stage, the Quarter Alliance was significantly weakened. The advantage of the military equipment of the Entente countries had an effect. At the same time, the troops of the Russian Empire were forced to leave the territories of western Ukraine and eastern Poland. In the Caucasian direction, the Ottoman Empire was losing its positions. In addition, Russian troops fought on the fields of Mesopotamia, ships of the English fleet fought in the Dardanelles, and the Serbian army retreated outside its country. The so-called protracted war began.
This phase lasted until 1916. According to its results, all German sea coasts were completely blocked, and its surface fleet was destroyed.
A new stage of hostilities began already in 1917. By this time, the economy of all countries participating in the war was significantly shaken. Germany was forced to finally go on the defensive. However, due to the revolution that broke out in Russia and its withdrawal from the war, the other members of the Entente for a long time failed to finally break Germany.
Only a year later, Germany capitulated, unable to withstand the competition in resources and military strength. Following her, her allies announced their surrender. These actions marked the final stage of the war and its end.
The results of the war On the results of the First World War, one can briefly say that, according to the Versailles Peace Treaty, Germany lost most of its territories and had to pay reparations to the countries of Europe. At the same time, she had to abandon modern types of weapons.
After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian state, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia appeared on the map of Europe. Having received part of the German territories, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania retained their independence.
In addition to territorial changes on the map of Europe and the world, the war had a number of other outcomes. So, she made it clear that from now on, not only the armed forces, but the entire population will participate in military conflicts, and also that the confrontation can end only with the complete surrender of the vanquished.
Significant changes during the war years in most countries have undergone economics. Most of the production was adapted for military needs. And after the war in all major industrial countries, the economy was subjected to strict control by the state.

Interesting Facts- the war of 1914-18 contributed to the disappearance from the political map of the world of several large empires at once: German, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Russian;
- during the war years, more than 10 million soldiers and almost 12 million civilians were killed. In total, more than 65 million people took part in the hostilities. Russia alone mobilized over 10 million, 75% of whom never returned home;
- the network of trenches dug for defense during the years of this war stretched for 40 thousand kilometers;
- for the first time tanks appeared on the fronts of the war (the first of them was the English “Baby Willy” in 1916), anti-aircraft and anti-tank installations, flamethrowers (the Germans were the first to use them);
- during the conflict, for the first time in history, gas poisonous substances were used. France was the first to use poisonous gases.
With the use of these gases, a story is connected, which later received the name "attacks of the dead" (defense of the Osovets fortress by Russian troops).
In total, about 30 different toxic substances were used during the hostilities. But after the end of the armed confrontation, many countries agreed not to use such weapons in the future;
- in total, more than 200 billion US dollars were spent on military operations by all participating countries.

Causes
Results
tanks
Course of the First World War
Heroes of the First World War
Stages

Countries participating in the First World War. Events of the First World War The outcome of the First World War was