INDEX

1.Introduction.....................................................................................................................................3
2.Literature Review....................................................................................................................4
2.1.The First World War
2.2.Historical Context.................................................................................................................5
2.3. Determinants of World War I............................................................6
2.3.1. Brief summary6
Causes of the First World War
2.4.1. Countries involved9
2.4.2.Background.................................................................................................................10
2.4.3.Stopping10
2.5.Phases of the First World War11
2.6.Consequences of the First World War12
2.6.1.After the War................................................................................................................13
3. Military Strategies...................................................................................................................14
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................15
Bibliographies16

1. Introduction

The present research work has as its theme World War I. The First War
World War was a milestone in the history of humanity. It was the first war of the 20th century and the

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first conflict in a state of total war – one in which a nation mobilizes all its
resources to enable the fight. It lasted from 1914 to 1918 and was the result of
transformations that were happening in Europe, which caused different nations to clash.

The result of World War I was a drastic trauma. A generation of young people grew up
traumatized by the horrors of war. The front line, especially the Western one, remained
marked by the carnage experienced in the trenches and a toll of 10 million dead. The
the mishaps of World War I contributed to a new war in 1939
happened.

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2.Literature Review
2.1.The First World War

Between 1871 and 1914, during the so-called Belle Époque, European society, liberal and capitalist,
went through one of the phases of greatest prosperity. Industrial development brought good
a part of the population a comfort never before experienced, while science and technology
opened unimaginable possibilities for communication and transport, with the invention of the telegraph,
of the telephone and of the automobile.

Meanwhile, the territorial disputes between the powers and the poor distribution of benefits of
progress among the population created a constant atmosphere of instability. The risk of a
an imminent confrontation hung in the air. Until, in 1914, the predictions were confirmed, with the beginning

from "the war that was supposed to end all wars," as it was commonly said at the time. In practice,
this is not what the world witnessed. Another conflict, larger and even more devastating, would erupt
years later.

The expression Great War, coined for the conflict that for the first time in history involved
the whole planet is justified by the proportions that the confrontation reached, by the military apparatus that

was mobilized and for the devastation it caused. The new weapons, the result of development
industrial, and the unprecedented methods employed in battles gave capitalist countries the power
almost absolute of killing and destroying.

Around 1914, there were plenty of reasons for the escalation of disagreements between countries.
Europeans. For example, there was significant dissatisfaction among the nations that had arrived late to the

partition of Africa and Asia; the overt competition for new markets and sources of raw materials
involved many imperialist governments; and the nationalist tensions, accumulated over decades,
seemed ready to explode. What was at stake were strategic interests to win the
eternal competition for hegemony in Europe and the world.

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Historical Context

In the decade leading up to World War I, the Balkan Peninsula was living in eternal
conflict. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, made up of peoples of different nationalities, felt
threatened by the nationalist demonstrations of its ethnic minorities, mainly the Czechs
and of the South Slavs.

The Serbs intended to create the Greater Serbia, which would encompass Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all
the Slavic peoples who lived in regions dominated by Austria. For the Austro-Hungarians, the
Serbia was a threat and should be eliminated. Another major threat to the Austro-
Hungary was the Russian Empire. This Slavic nation, which defended the idea that they had a mission to
liberate the Slavs from the domination of the Turks and the Austrians.

In turn, Russia had treaties of friendship and defense with Serbia, which guaranteed the
intervention of the Empire in case it was attacked. With this agreement, Russia also aimed to
import commercial monopolies in the region.

In 1908, Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, frustrating Serbia's ambitions.

the region enters into successive internal wars and from there the steps towards war accelerated
world that will be known starting from 1914.

With the assassination of the heir to the Austrian throne and his wife, the Austro-Hungarian Empire gives a
ultimatum to Serbia. The Empire demands to participate in the tribunal that would judge the guilty one, the student

Gavrilo Princip. Serbia does not accept this condition and the Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war on
country spinning the complex machinery of agreements and treaties of European nations. Within
In a year, the European colonies would also be involved in the conflict.

Thus, we see that the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia was a
pretext for the outbreak of a conflict that could be limited to the two nations.

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2.3. Determinants of World War I

. Death of the heir to the Austrian throne Franz Ferdinand and his wife, on the 28th of
June 1914
. Progress of capitalism and consequent social problems of the urban proletariat and of
poor workers in general;
. The imperialism and colonialism generated by the extraordinary industrial growth that
it intensified the economic and political conflicts of interest among the industrialized powers;
. The German expansionism and the transformation of Germany into the largest industrial power of
Europe, they have pitted a rivalry against him in France, England, and Russia;
. The French anti-Germanism, as a consequence of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871),
in which France was defeated and obliged to hand over the regions of Alsace to the Germans.
and Lorena, the latter rich in iron ore;
. The Russian-German rivalry, caused by the German claim to build a road of
iron connecting Berlin to Baghdad. Russia reacted because the road would link Germany to
Middle East, rich in oil and possessing an attractive consumer market, in addition
to pass through regions where the Russians intended to increase their influence;
. The English anti-German sentiment, a result of German industrial competition. On the eve of
war the German and English products competed in markets that until then had
were exclusively dominated by England. When German products began
to penetrate into England itself, the English industrial and financial bourgeoisie began to
to feed the idea that Germany should be contained.

2.3.1.Brief summary

The Great War, as it was called before the Second World War took place, was a
conflict on a global scale. It began in Europe and involved colonial territories.

Two blocs faced each other: the Triple Alliance, formed by Germany, Austria and Italy, and the
Triple Entente formed by France, England, and Russia.

The contest involved 17 countries from the five continents such as: Germany, Brazil, Austria-Hungary,
Estados Unidos, França, Império Britânico, Império Turco-Otomano, Itália, Japão, Luxemburgo,
Países Baixos, Portugal, Reino da Romênia, Reino da Sérvia, Rússia, Austrália e China.

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The war left 10 million soldiers dead and another 21 million wounded. Also 13
millions of civilians lost their lives.

2.4.Causes of World War I

Several factors triggered World War I.

Since the late 19th century, the world had been living in tension. The extraordinary industrial growth...

enabled the Arms Race, that is: the production of weapons in an unprecedented quantity
imagined.

The expansionism of the German Empire and its transformation into the largest industrial power of

Europe has sparked immense distrust between Germany and France, England and Russia.

The causes of World War I are extremely complex and involve a series of
unresolved events that had dragged on since the 19th century: economic rivalries,
nationalist tensions, military alliances, etc.

In general, the main factors that contributed to the outbreak of the First World War
World were:

. Imperialist disputes;
. Nationalisms;
. Military alliances;
. Arms race.

In the imperialist question, the focus can be placed on the fear that the rise of Germany generated.
in nations like Russia, France, and Great Britain. The Germans had gone through the process of
unification in the second half of the 19th century and, after that, they set out to search for colonies to
your country. This promptly caught the attention of France, for example, which saw its interests
they will be harmed by the strengthening of Germany.

The issue of nationalisms involved different nations. Germany led a

movement known as Pan-Germanism. This nationalist movement served as support
ideological for the German Empire to defend its interests in territorial expansion at the beginning
of the twentieth century. Pan-Germanism was still expressed in economic issues, as the Germans
they aimed to position themselves as the hegemonic economic and military power of Europe.

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In the nationalist issue, there was also French revanchism. This matter involved the
resentments that existed in France regarding the outcome of the Franco-Prussian War,
conflict fought between Prussia and France in 1870 and 1871. The French defeat was considered
humiliating, mainly for two factors: the surrender was signed in the Gallery of
Mirrors, in the Palace of Versailles, and by the loss of Alsace-Lorraine. After the end of this conflict, the

Prussia proclaimed itself as the German Empire.

The most complex nationalist issue involved the Balkans, a region in the southeastern part of the continent.

European. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Balkans were almost entirely dominated by the Empire

Austro-Hungarian, which was in ruins due to the multiplicity of nationalities and

separatist movements that existed in its territory.

The great tension in the Balkans involved Serbia and Austria-Hungary in the issue regarding the
control of Bosnia. The Serbs fought for the formation of Greater Serbia and, therefore, desired
to annex Bosnia to its territory (Bosnia had been part of Austria-Hungary since 1908
officially). This nationalist movement of Serbs was supported by Russia through pan-
Slavism, an ideal in which all Slavs would be united in a nation led by the Russian tsar.

In view of all this tension and rivalries, the European nations got involved in a
military alliance labyrinth, which was eventually defined as follows:

. Triple Entente: formed by Russia, Great Britain, and France.

. Triple Alliance: formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Italy.

These military agreements included secret clauses for military cooperation in case a nation was
attacked by another adversary nation. In the end, all this hostility provided the guarantee for all the
powers and heads of state in Europe that war was just a matter of time. For this
For this reason, European nations initiated an arms race with the aim of strengthening themselves.
for the conflict that would occur.

What was missing for the war to begin was a spark, which happened on June 28.
1914, during the visit of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, to
Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. The visit of the archduke was understood as a provocation and
it set in motion the nationalist groups that existed in Serbia and Bosnia.

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The result of the archduke's visit was that Gavrilo Princip, a member of a movement
Bosnian nationalist, armed with a revolver, stepped in front of the car that was carrying Francisco.
Ferdinand and his wife, Sofia. He opened fire, killing both. The direct consequence of
this was a very serious political crisis known as the July Crisis.

As there was no diplomatic solution to the July Crisis, the final consequence was declarations.
of war happening in a chain. On July 29, Austria declared war on Serbia; on the 30th,
Russians (in defense of Serbia), Germans, and Austrians mobilized their armies. On August 1st,
Germany declared war on Russia and, on the 3rd, on France. On the 4th, the United Kingdom declared
war against Germany. It was the beginning of the First World War.

2.4.1. Involved countries

As mentioned in the text, the two groups that fought against each other in the First World War.
became known as the Triple Alliance (the main powers were Germany, Austria-
Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Italy) and Triple Entente (the main forces were Russia, Great
Britain and France). In the case of Italy, the country was part of the Triple Alliance but refused to
to participate in the war when it started. In 1915, Italy joined the Triple Entente.

Naturally, World War I was not limited to the involvement of these countries, as
various other nations became involved in the conflict. On the side of the Entente, countries such as Greece,

United States, Canada, Japan, and even Brazil joined the confrontation. On the side of the Triple
Alliance, there was the participation of Bulgaria and other client peoples and states, such as the Sultanate.

from Darfur.

2.4.2.Background

We added the old rivalries between France and Germany, Russia and Germany, and the Kingdom
United and Germany. Also the disagreements regarding the border issues in the colonies.
generated by the Berlin Conference (1880).

French anti-Germanism developed as a consequence of the Franco-Prussian War. The

defeated France was forced to hand over to the Germans the regions of Alsace and Lorraine, the latter rich in
iron ore. The Russo-German rivalry was caused by the German ambition to build

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a railway connecting Berlin to Baghdad. In addition to passing through oil-rich regions where
the Russians intended to increase their influence.

English anti-German sentiment can be explained by German industrial competition. On the eve of the war, the
German products competed in markets that were dominated by England.

All these issues made the conflict inevitable as they intensified the clashes of
economic and political interests among industrialized powers.

2.4.3.Stopping

The alliance network was an armed bomb ready to explode.

In 1908, Austria announced the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, contrary to interests

Serbs and Russians.

In order to show a good relationship with the new subjects, the heir to the Austrian throne,
Francisco Ferdinand visited the region with his wife.

On June 28, 1914, a Bosnian student assassinated the heir to the Austrian throne.
Franz Ferdinand and his wife, in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. This double assassination was the
pretext for the outbreak of World War I which lasted until November 11, 1918.

2.5.Phases of the First World War

Using the classification of the scholar Luiz de Alencar Araripe, World War I can
to be divided into two major phases 1. The first phase became known as the War of
Movement occurred between August and November of 1914. The second phase became known as
such as Trench Warfare and took place between 1915 and 1918.

In the first phase of the war, the German plan for the invasion of France through the territory stood out.

Belgium, the so-called Schlieffen Plan. This plan was developed by Count Alfred von Schlieffen and

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basically consisted of a maneuver to encircle the French troops and conquer Paris, the
capital of France.

Few months after the French managed to prevent the Germans from conquering Paris,
the second phase of the war began, characterized by the trenches. The trenches were
underground corridors built to shelter soldiers and separate the warring armies
between each other. Often, the distance between one trench and another was minimal.

At the beginning of the conflict, the forces were balanced in terms of soldiers; they were different in

equipment and resources.

The Triple Entente did not have long-range cannons, but dominated the seas, thanks to its power.
English. The battle tanks, the battleships, the submarines, the heavy artillery, and the
aviation, among other technological innovations of the time, constituted large war artifacts.
power of destruction.

With heavy artillery and 78 divisions, the Germans passed through Belgium, violating neutrality.
from this country. They defeated the French at the border and headed for Paris. The French government

moved to Bordeaux and at the Battle of Marne, held back the Germans, who retreated.

Later, the French and Germans established positions by digging trenches along the entire front.
western. Protected by barbed wire, the armies dug themselves into trenches, where the mud, the
cold, the rats and typhus killed as much as machine guns and cannons. This moment is
called Trench Warfare.

In 1917, the United States, which had stayed out of the war, despite lending capital and
sell weapons to the Entente countries, mainly to England, enters the conflict.

Declared war on Germany, fearing its imperialist and industrial power. In the same year the
Russia withdrew from the conflict due to the 1917 Revolution, which overthrew the czar and established the

socialist regime.

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2.6.Consequences of the First World War

Although Germany continued to suffer successive defeats, its allies had surrendered,
the German government continued in the war. Starving and tired, the German people revolted and the
soldiers and workers forced the kaiser (emperor) to abdicate.

A provisional government was formed and the Weimar Republic was proclaimed. On the 11th of
November 1918, the new government signed the German surrender. The First World War was coming to an end.

end, but general peace was only established in 1919, with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

The reactions to the effects of the treaty are among the main consequences of the First World War.
World Cup.

Thus, in 1939, a little more than 20 years later, they provoked the Second World War.
The Great War left deep consequences for the whole world. We can highlight:

. Redesigned the political map of Europe and the Middle East;

. Marked the fall of liberal capitalism;
. Motivated the creation of the League of Nations;
. Allowed the economic and political rise of the United States.
. More than 9 million dead and around 30 million injured;
. Strengthening the Brazilian industry: on the occasion of the conflict, the European powers
drastically reduced the export of products, which forced local industries to
develop and improve their production;
. Signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which left Germany destroyed and with a
feeling of revenge;
. Creation of the League of Nations, to maintain world peace;
. Widespread economic crisis in Europe.

In April 1917, the Germans sank the Brazilian merchant ship in the English Channel.
Paraná. In retaliation, Brazil cuts ties with the aggressors. In October, another ship
Brazilian, Macau, is attacked. At the end of 1917, a medical team lands in Europe and
soldiers to assist the Entente.

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2.6.1.After the War

At the beginning of 1919, the Paris Conference took place, bringing together the winners of the War.
the conference gave rise to the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed serious indemnities and restrictions on

Germany, which should:

. Restore the region of Alsace-Lorraine to France;

. Cede the occupied regions to Belgium, Denmark, and Poland;
. Deliver the coal mines of the Saar region to France;
. Deliver your colonies to the winning countries.
. Demilitarize the Rhineland region, which is located between Belgium and France;
. Deliver most of the navy to England and Belgium;
. Compensate the Entente allies, with Germany considered the sole responsible party.
for the War;
. Cede a strip of land to Poland, so that this country would have access to the sea ('Corridor')
Polish.

During the Paris Conference, the President of the USA, Woodrow Wilson, presented the 14
points, the result of which was the creation of the League of Nations, headquartered in Geneva (Switzerland), which had

for the purpose of world peace. However, due to the diverging interests of the member countries of the
League, it ultimately failed and was unable to prevent, years later, the onset of a
new conflict.

The United States themselves, with their isolationist policy, ended up leaving the League years after its

creation. Russia was disregarded by the new agreements and had its territories invaded by
former allies.

3.Military Strategies

At the beginning of the conflict, Germany was convinced that the war would be short. The German plan was
to crush the French army, with a siege through Belgium, before the Russians do
they mobilized. But that is not what happened. Quickly, the German army found itself facing a
Russian and allied offensive.

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The German army attempted to invade and conquer France, but was stopped by French troops.
at the Battle of Marne. Seeking to advance by sea, the German warships were halted by the
England. This phase of the conflict was called the War of Movement.

The War of Movement was followed, starting in 1915, by the Trench Warfare. Initially
maneuver, Germany faced the Russian army on the Eastern Front. Starting in 1916, the army
Germany faced France on the Western Front. The German offensive on the Western Front was contained.
with the Battle of Verdun.

In 1917, two new facts changed the course of the conflict. The United States of America, which
they had ships sunk by German submarines, entered the war alongside the Triple Alliance
The Entente ended up deciding the course the conflict took.

Russia, for its part, facing the revolutionary process led by the Bolsheviks (faction
the majority of the division that occurred in social democracy at the Brussels Congress [1903],
signed a truce, known as the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Russia renounced Poland,
Ukraine, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania lost their coal mines and were forced to
a substantial compensation.

In 1918, it was already evident that Germany had exhausted its military strategies and was defeated.
in the war. The Kaiser abdicated and the Weimar Republic was proclaimed. The new German government
surrendered. On November 11, 1918, the armistice of Compiégne was signed, which ended
a final point in the conflict.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can affirm that World War I occurred due to the clash of
economic interests, capitalist pretensions (imperialism) and heightened nationalism
chauvinism. The power of a country began to be evaluated by the dominance of geographical spaces

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strategic. To this end, investment was made in the formation of armies through military service
mandatory, appealing to the exaltation of patriotism.

The military enhancement, resulting from the application of new technical knowledge and
scientists, promoted the arms race and imposed heavy financial burdens on society.
During this period, an ideology flourished that justified military strengthening, the
strategic actions and naval growth.

Bibliographies

ARARIPE, Luiz de Alencar. World War I. In: MAGNOLI, Demétrio

(org.). History of Wars. São Paulo: Contexto, 2013, p. 332.
HOBSBAWM, Eric. The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991. São Paulo:

Companhia das Letras, 1995, p. 33.

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