World war I.

They say that there can be no peace without war. Famous phrase that today introduces us to the story we will tell you today. Make yourself comfortable because I'm I.will.tell.u.something and this is "The great war".

It all began on July 28, 1914 and so far has been the war that has left the largest number of combatants and civilians dead, leaving a balance of nine million military dead and seven million civilians. All this, because the industrial revolution was beginning and the war weapons used for this battle were, in other words, more deadly.

Germany suffered a defeat against the French army of Napoleon III and the governor of Prussia Wilhelm I had proclaimed himself káiser.

Fun fact: Káiser means "emperor" in German.

France and England, seeing that Germany wanted to confront them, joined forces and created "The entente cordiale" or "The cordial understanding" in 1904. Later, Russia was annexed and changed its name from "The cordial understanding" to "The triple entente".

The enemy side had something similar called "The Triple Alliance" which consisted of Germany and Austria-Hungary as partners. They had come to an agreement that they would work together if France or Russia attacked them.

After a brief interval, other nations such as Japan, the United States and Italy changed sides; these three countries joined "The Triple Entente". Next, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgaria joined "The Triple Alliance", thus forming the last sides that would face each other in that war.

All these movements began to be seen since 1904, but the war started on June 28, 1914 after the assassination of the Archduke of Austria, who was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife in Sarajevo, by a Serbian nationalist. The assassination started many diplomatic conflicts and Germany and Austria-Hungary decided to open an investigation in the country of the assassin. Serbia refused completely to this request, responding with the help of Russian artillery commanded by Nicolas II.

Fun fact: Serbia, for those who don't know, is a country located on the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe.

Moments later, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, and Russia joins the battlefield to support the country located in the Balkan peninsula. Germany, seeing this, declares war on Russia and France by conquering Belgium; and then Great Britain attacks Germany in support of the other countries. Italy then joins in to attack the nearby enemy countries.

Germany had a strategy for a quick war in mind, which was to invade Belgium, then enter Paris and finally move its armaments to Russia. But the French objected, thus extending the time period of the battle and turning it into cold-blooded carnage. New armaments of all kinds were seen, machine guns, tanks, submarines, attack planes and the famous mustard gas.

The battlefields spread over most of Europe, and battles were fought in the Pacific and the Atlantic.

Mustard gas: Is a combination of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine and sulfur, which creates a gas or is sometimes created as a liquid that can cause serious problems in the human body, such as respiratory diseases, skin diseases, second and third degree burns and death. As a curious fact, there is no antidote to this poison, it should only be removed from the body as soon as possible and have medical treatment.

After other "greats" had managed the country abysmally and created a military dictatorship, they marginalized Kaiser Wilhelm II and the German parliament itself. They set in motion "strategic" plans that would act as a double-edged sword. One of these plans would be to use their "U-Boot" submarines to isolate the British by destroying the ships that supplied the nation.

In 1915, the Germans sunk the "RMS Lusitania", an ocean liner that was considered of great importance to the Americans, killing approximately 129 Americans. In 1917, the United States declared war on the Triple Alliance.

That same year, Russia was invaded by poverty and famine, creating the Russian Revolution, which forced Nicholas II to abdicate. The Bolsheviks took full control and would be in charge of signing the armistice treaty with the central countries and then peace.

Fun fact: The Bolsheviks were those belonging to a radicalized group within the Russian Socialist Workers Party. Led at that time by Vladimir Lenin and Stalin. Names that we will remind you in an upcoming article.

Germany, in view of the defeat of Russia, tries to obtain a quick victory by moving its troops as fast as possible before the American battalion arrives. But what looked like a battle won turned out to be quite the opposite, as, underfed and tired, the German troops did not resist Colonel Ferdinand Foch's counteroffensive. Failing in his attempt to capture Paris, being only 120 km away. It was then that the colonel led the American and French armies to victory in the "Second Battle of the Marne".

On the other hand, the Italians also defeated the Austro-Hungarians, supported by British tanks and air logistics. While German colonels believe that the front will collapse at any moment. Meanwhile, American troops and troops do not stop landing and Italy prepares to send aid to France.

The German leadership and the leaders of the Central Powers had lost the war. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signs an act declaring that he will only deal with a democratic Germany. A workers' revolution breaks out in Germany and the Kaiser flees to Holland, marking the end of the Kaisers in Germany.

After the "Treaty of Versailles", Germany will suffer bitter punishments that encouraged German hatred towards the victors. The French were the most vehement in retaliating against Germany.

And finally the treaty would give the rise to the Austrian military, politician and later dictator, Adolf Hitler. But we will talk about it in more depth in another article.

For now is the end of this reading that will open the way to the history of the so feared Austrian dictator, who was one of the triggers of the World War II. You can comment ideas to fill you with interesting information or simply if you want to comment your opinion, it is also valid. For now I say goodbye and see you when I'm ready to come and tell something.