World War I: The Great War

World War I, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict from 1914 to 1918 that pitted the Allied Powers against the Central Powers. Triggered by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the war involved unprecedented industrial slaughter, introduced modern weapons like tanks and chemical gas, and led to the collapse of four major empires. Its aftermath, including the punitive Treaty of Versailles, directly shaped the political landscape of the 20th century and set the stage for World War II.