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World War I (1914–1918) — Interactive Timeline

The “Great War” that reshaped the world — its spark, the trenches, and the peace that sowed the next war.

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TL;DR: The “Great War” that reshaped the world — its spark, the trenches, and the peace that sowed the next war.

Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated Jul 13, 2026

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World War I (1914–1918) (Class 9–12): The “Great War” that reshaped the world — its spark, the trenches, and the peace that sowed the next war. This interactive timeline covers 6 key events from 1914 – 1919.

Why it matters: WWI’s causes and consequences underpin many modern-history chapters, including the rise of Nazism and Indian nationalism.

World War I (1914–1918) — Timeline of Key Events

YearEvent
1914Assassination at Sarajevo. The heir to Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated — the spark that set off the war through a chain of alliances.
1914War breaks out. Two blocs faced off: the Allies (Britain, France, Russia) against the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire). India contributed over a million soldiers to the British side.
1915–1916Trench warfare. The war bogged down into brutal trench warfare on the Western Front, with massive casualties at battles like the Somme and Verdun for little gain.
1917USA joins; Russia exits. The United States entered the war on the Allied side, while revolution pulled Russia out of it.
1918Armistice ends the war. Germany, exhausted and facing revolution at home, signed an armistice on 11 November 1918, ending the fighting.
1919Treaty of Versailles. The peace treaty punished Germany harshly and redrew the map of Europe — its resentments helped cause World War II.

Quick Recap — Dates to Remember

  • 1914: Assassination at Sarajevo
  • 1914: War breaks out
  • 1915–1916: Trench warfare
  • 1917: USA joins; Russia exits
  • 1918: Armistice ends the war
  • 1919: Treaty of Versailles

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