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World War I mobilization, 1 August 1914. Germany's population had already responded to the outbreak of war in 1914 with a complex mix of emotions, in a similar way to the populations of emotions in the United Kingdom; notions of universal enthusiasm known as the Spirit of 1914 have been challenged by more recent scholarship. [1]
Every year the plans were updated and increased in complexity. Each country stockpiled arms and supplies for an army that ran into the millions. Germany in 1874 had a regular professional army of 420,000, with an additional 1.3 million reserves. By 1897, the regular German army was 545,000 strong and the reserves 3.4 million.
Before World War II, the events of 1914–1918 were generally known as the Great War or simply the World War. [1] In August 1914, the magazine The Independent wrote "This is the Great War. It names itself". [2] In October 1914, the Canadian magazine Maclean's similarly wrote, "Some wars name themselves. This is the Great War."
In a hearing before the Committee on Inquiry of the National Assembly on November 18, 1919, a year after the war's end, Hindenburg declared, "As an English general has very truly said, the German Army was 'stabbed in the back'." [58]
Germany besieges and captures fortified Longwy, "the Iron Gate to Paris", near the Luxembourg border, opening France to mass German invasion. August 3 Politics: Germany declares war on France. [14] Belgium denies permission for German forces to pass through to the French border. [15] [16] Politics
The latter four renounced all rights they held in Germany. 3 October: German reunification: Five East German states acceded to West Germany. Berlin became the capital of Germany. 1992: 7 February: The Maastricht Treaty establishing the European Union (EU) was signed by twelve European countries including Germany. 1993: 14 May
The end of World War I became official on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. [91] It was the largest war ever fought until World War II 21 years later, with 40 million recorded military and civilian casualties including 9 to 15 million combat deaths.
The German invasion of Belgium on 3 August led to a declaration of war by Britain on Germany on 4 August, creating the conflict that became the First World War. [4] Two alliances faced off, the Central Powers (led by Germany) and the Triple Entente (led by Britain, France and Russia).