World War I 101: An Introduction to the Great War

World War I commenced in August 1914 after a series of events sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Initially arranged in two alliances, the Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire), the war soon drew in numerous other countries and was fought on a global scale. The largest conflict in history to date, World War I killed over 15 million people and devastated large parts of Europe. Start here to learn more about this massive conflict, the end of which ultimately sowed the seeds for World War II.

Photograph Source: Public Domain