Figure 1.--These northern Italian boys in the summer of 1918 are playing war games. They seem unsually well equipped for their games. I'm not sure what is going on here. Austran solidiers occuped the Veneto region during the last year of the war. Rhese photos were taken by Austrian occupation troop´s soldiers. Perhaps they gave the boys helmets and other abandoned uniform items.

The War began as a struggle between Germany and Austria-Hungary and France and Russia. Britain and Belgium were immediately drawn into the War because Germany in ivaded France through Belgium. Many other countries were eventually drawn into the War. Two of the most important to enter the War were the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Italy. Turkey which was heavily courted by Germany had been hard-ptrssed by Russia saw the opportunity to win back lost territory and joined the Central Powers. Italy which was allied with Germany decided to join the Allies, prinarily because they were offered territorial gains at the expense of Austria-Hungary. Neither country when they entered the War had any idea what the costs would be.

Major Combatants

The War began as a struggle between Germany and Austria-Hungary and France and Russia. Britain and Belgium were immediately drawn into the War because Germany in ivaded France through Belgium.

New Entrants

Many other countries were eventually drawn into the War. Two of the most important to enter the War were the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Italy. Neither country when they entered the War had any idea what the costs would be.

Ottoman Empire (October 1914)

Turkey which was heavily courted by Germany had been hard-pressed by Russia saw the opportunity to win back lost territory and joined the Central Powers. The Ottomans entered the War after the Western Front had settled down to static trench warfare, but the Germans had achieved major victories against the Russians on the Eastern Front. The Ottomons declared war on Russia on October 29, 1914. The first operation was a combined German-Turkish bombardment of Russian Black Sea ports. Russia abd Britain and France quickly declared war on Turkey (November 2-5). The first Ottoman offensive was aimed at the Russian Caucauses (December). After initial successes, the Russiand retook much lost ground (August 1915). Russian pleas for assustance was one of the factors leading to the dusastrous Allied offensive at Galipoli (February 15). The Turkish forces at Galipoli were commanded by Mustafa Kemal who later as Kemal Attaturk was to found the GTurkish Republic. After heavy losses of both ships and men, the Allies withdrew (December 1915). Beritish Indian forces launched an offensive against Turkish held Mesopotamia (late 1914). The campaign there seasawedc Back and forth (1915).

Italy (May 1915)

Italy which was allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary decided to remain neutral when war broke out (1914). This was a critical decesssion as an Italian attack from the south might have been sufficient to have brought a German vicyory in the west. The followung year the Allies convinced Italy to join them, offering financial assistance and territorial concessions at the expense of Austria-Hungary. Italy declared war on May 23, 1915). Four indesivive battles on the Isonzo River followed with Austro-Hungary (June-December 1915). The Italian goal was to take Trieste, a largely Italian city on the Adriatic. The city was important to the Audstria because it was the Empire's only important port. Without Trieste, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was largely land-locked. Tripple Alliance

Created: October 30, 2003
Last updated: 7:21 PM 4/11/2006