World War I (1914-1918)
Between 1914 and 1918, the First World War devastated Europe and marked the beginning of the great conflicts of the 20th century. The trigger was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on June 28, 1914. The event triggered a complex web of alliances, pitting the Triple Entente (France, the United Kingdom, and Russia) against the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy, which later switched sides).
The war was characterized by violent battles, with the use of trenches, heavy artillery, and new technologies such as tanks and airplanes. The conflict reached its peak with the entry of the United States in 1917, weakening Germany and its allies. With millions of deaths and massive destruction, the war ended on November 11, 1918, with the signing of the armistice.
The Treaty of Versailles (1919) imposed severe punishments on Germany, redefined borders and created the League of Nations. However, the discontent generated by the harsh sanctions contributed to the rise of Nazism and the outbreak of World War II years later.
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