World War I and II

World War I (1914-1918)

• Causes:
  • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary
  • Imperialism and colonial rivalries
  • Nationalism and militarism
• Major Events:
  • Battle of the Somme (1916)
  • Battle of Verdun (1916)
  • United States' entry into the war (1917)
• Treaty of Versailles (1919):
  • Imposed harsh penalties on Germany
  • Created the League of Nations

World War II (1939-1945)

• Causes:
  • Rise of fascist and nationalist ideologies
  • Aggressive expansion of Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan)
  • Appeasement policy of Britain and France
• Major Events:
  • Invasion of Poland (1939)
  • Battle of Britain (1940)
  • Pearl Harbor attack (1941)
  • D-Day invasion of Normandy (1944)
  • Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)
• Consequences:
  • Formation of the United Nations (1945)
  • Division of Europe into Eastern and Western blocs
  • Emergence of the United States and Soviet Union as superpowers

World War I (1914-1918)

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary sparked the war in 1914
• Imperialism and colonial rivalries contributed to the outbreak of war
• Nationalism and militarism were key factors in the lead-up to the war
• The Battle of the Somme (1916) resulted in over 1 million casualties
• The Battle of Verdun (1916) lasted for 303 days and resulted in over 700,000 casualties
• The United States entered the war in 1917, following Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare
• The Treaty of Versailles (1919) imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including massive reparations and territorial losses
• The League of Nations was established in 1919 to promote international cooperation and prevent future wars

World War II (1939-1945)

• The rise of fascist and nationalist ideologies in Germany, Italy, and Japan contributed to the outbreak of war
• Aggressive expansion of the Axis powers, including Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939, led to the war
• The appeasement policy of Britain and France, giving in to Germany's demands, emboldened Hitler's aggression
• The Battle of Britain (1940) was a decisive air campaign fought between the German and British air forces
• The Pearl Harbor attack (1941) drew the United States into the war
• The D-Day invasion of Normandy (1944) marked a turning point in the war, with Allied forces gaining a foothold in Europe
• The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945) led to Japan's surrender
• The formation of the United Nations (1945) aimed to promote international cooperation and prevent future wars
• The war led to the division of Europe into Eastern and Western blocs, with the United States and Soviet Union emerging as superpowers

Learn about the causes and major events of World War I and II, including the Treaty of Versailles and the rise of fascist ideologies.