Newfoundland in the First World War: 1914-1918

In the summer of 1914 the great powers of Europe began fighting what would come to be called the First World War.

Europe had been on the brink of conflict for a long time. The situation was made worse by the ALLIANCE SYSTEM. The big military powers joined together in agreements to protect each other when they were attacked.

Because of these agreements, if one nation attacked another it would be almost impossible to prevent the spread of the fighting.

Great Britain, France and Russia were the main members of the “Triple Entente” or “The Allies”.

Germany and Austria-Hungary were the major powers of the “Central Powers”.

The countries in each alliance had problems with countries in the other alliance.

Because of these issues, many began fearing that a major conflict would break out over any event – big or small.

For example, if a country in the “Triple Entente” attacked a country in the “Central Powers” then all of the nations in the Alliance would have to go to war.

The event that many people feared would trigger a war happened June 28th, 1914 when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, a prince of Austria (The Central Powers) was murdered.

The individual who assassinated the prince was from the province of Serbia.

Austria blamed the Serbiangovernment for the assassinationand declared war.

Because Serbia was allied with Russia and the “Entente Powers”, all of the nations in the alliances were at war with each other.

When Great Britain declared war on the Central Powers, it did so on behalf of all members of its Empire.

The governments of many independent colonies, like Newfoundland, had no choice in the matter – they too were at war with Germany.

Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL F-52-14), St. John's, Newfoundland.

EUROPEISAT

WAR

AustriaDeclaresWar on Russia

BritainDeclaresWar on

Germany

LondonTreaty

Germanyinvade

Belgium

SchlieffenPlan

GermanyDeclaresWar onFrance

SchlieffenPlan

GermanyDeclaresWar onRussia

Russiaget ready

to helpSerbia

AustriaDeclaresWar onSerbia

Sarajevo

28June

28July

29July

1August

3August

3August

4August

6August

Image courtesy of:http://www.solarnavigator.net/world_war_one.htm

Triple Entente/The Allies

The Central Powers

Neutral Countries

The fighting of the war took place on several FRONTS.

The Western Front (France)The Eastern Front (Central/Eastern Europe – Russia)The Middle EastItalyOver 40 Million casualties

resulted from the years of fighting.

Combat DeathsAccidentsDiseasePrisoners of War