Taking Sides:

• Russian mobilization towards Austrian & German borders
  Considered declaration of war by Germany
• Germany declared war on France
• Central Powers: Germany & Austria (later by Bulgaria & Ottoman Empire)
• Allies: Britain, France & Russia joined by Italy & Japan
• Belief that duration of the war would be short

Bloody Stalemate: The Western Front

• Schlieffen Plan: German strategy to quickly defeat France first
• First Battle of the Marne:
  Allied counterattacks drove Germans back from Paris
  German war on two fronts
• Trench warfare: due to modern firepower ("no man's land")
  Trenches extended from English Channel to Switzerland
  "Race to the Sea": flanking efforts failed
• Verdun: German offensive; The Somme: British offensive
  (Resulted in at least a million casualties)