Military Places & Events to Visit

World War I (WWI or WW1), also known as the First World War, was a global war that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It involved many of the world’s major powers, including the Allied Powers (led by France, the United Kingdom, and Russia) and the Central Powers (led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). The conflict began with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in 1914, and eventually led to the involvement of more than 70 million military personnel, making it one of the largest wars in history.

The war was characterized by the use of new, modern weapons, including machine guns, poison gas, and tanks. It also saw the introduction of total war, with countries mobilizing their entire populations for the war effort. Many civilians were killed or displaced by the fighting, and the war had a profound impact on the political and social landscape of the world.

The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which imposed harsh penalties on Germany and led to widespread resentment and eventually the rise of Nazism in the country. The legacy of WWI continues to be felt in the world today, and it is often referred to as the “war to end all wars.”