were killed. The British offensive against Germans occurred near the River Somme. In this four-month Battle of Somme Britain lost , men on the first day. The battle of Verdun, however, decided the fortunes of the War in favour of the Allies.
War in Eastern or Russian front In the eastern front, Russian troops repeatedly defeated the Austrians. But the Russians were in turn defeated by the Germans. Russia had the worst trained and equipped army and therefore Russian losses were the greatest. In , the Tsarist regime in Russia was overthrown in a revolution.
Russia wanted peace and consequently it signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ( March ) with Germany. Minor Theatres of War In the Middle East Turkey also fought on the side of the central powers.Though Turkey met with initial success and the Allies suffered reverses, particularly in Mesopotamia and Gallipoli, ultimately Turkey was defeated.The Turks tried to attack Suez Canal, but were repulsed. Britain attacked Turkey in Iraq, and later in Palestine and Syria. Trench Warfare: Trenches or ditches dug by troops enabled soldiers to safely stand and protect themselves from enemy fire.
The main lines of trenches were connected to each other and to the rear by a series of linking trenches through which food, ammunition, fresh troops, mail, and orders were delivered. Outbreak of World War I and Its Aftermath In the Far East China also joined the allies. Japan was able to capture the province of Kiauchau given by the Germans to China in the province of Shantung. There was no war in the Far East.
Japan made use of the occasion to threaten China into ceding valuable concessions and privileges. In the Balkans The Austro-German army in coordination with Bulgaria crushed Serbia. Serbia came under German rule. Rumania watched the course of the War and in August joined the Allies.
Rumania also passed under Austro- German occupation. Fate of Colonies of Germany in Africa The German colonies in western and eastern Africa were also attacked by the Allies. As these