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World War I

Definition

World War I was a global conflict that took place from 1914 to 1918 involving many world's nations organized in two opposing alliances - Allies (including France, Russia, Britain) and Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary). It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history with significant political changes including revolutions in many nations involved.

Analogy

Imagine if all your school's cliques got into an argument because someone spread rumors about another person. The situation escalates until everyone gets involved leading to chaos throughout school. That's similar to how World War I started – with complex alliances and tensions that eventually led to widespread conflict.

Related terms

Treaty of Versailles: The peace treaty signed in 1919 that ended state war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It held Germany responsible for the war and imposed heavy penalties.

Alliances: In international relations, alliances are agreements between countries to support each other in disputes with other countries.

Nationalism: This is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a nation.



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.